Skip, I am sure this can be done quick and easy with a router and template.

 

Good Morning Skip, Like Mike, I'm sure someone on here can come up with some ideas. My dad made his own for as long as I can remember. He never come up with type of handle you are looking for. He alway just ended up using a 1 X 1 cleat with a round over on the top edge. Then just glued and screwed them down. Not as pretty, but worked. LOL, me and those little quitters never got along.

 

Skip - I had to go to ehow to see what beehive handles look like. The link is below. The first thing that occured to me was something like a drawer pull router bit (see the woodworkersworld link). You can route a stopped dado and then use that slot as the entry point for the drawer pull bit. The bit would undercut the top edge of the dado and give you a nice finger hold to lift with. The side of the beehive would have to be thick enough so you don't go all the way through. You might attach another board inside the beehive at the handle area to ensure you don't have a through cut. Another way to go would be what Gene said about attaching a cleat to the side. Using the first bit at the woodworkersworld site you could cut the finger hold profile in a long 1x2, cut it into bite-sized pieces and just screw those to the side of the hives. If you go with the cleat idea you could probably accomplish the profile with a rabbet and a roundover bit and save the cost of the drawer bit ($28). Good luck!
Steve from Callifornia
P.S. I like honey a lot!
How to Cut Hive Handles | eHow.com
Whiteside Router Bits from Woodworkersworld.net--Drawer Pull Router Bit

 

Vertical Raised Panel Router Bits

The Cove bit will do it quick and easy

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/raised_panel_router_bits2.html

http://www.routerforums.com/starting-off/12632-how-about-cut.html

http://www.routerforums.com/general-routing/24982-router-suggestions.html

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The problem with using a groove is if don't taper the bottom of the groove you creating a ledge for rain to sit on and promote rot. With the commercial type handhold there is no bottom to collect water.

 

Chech out this video it might be what you're looking for.

Bee Hive Box Handle - YouTube

Hive Handles using a drill press jig - YouTube

good luck

 

If you do not have a dado blade set, the Whimpy Hogan Jig for Hive Handholds does the same thing, using a skilsaw.
I cannot yet post URLs, so you will have to do a Web Search for the PDF.
He also has a wonderful YouTube vid showing it in action.

I know, I'm dredging up all kinds of old beehive threads....
~Moz

 

I use a fluted column bit for mine on a router table with stop and start marks on the table where you set the board down and where to pick it up for an even consistent hand hold.

 

Guys this is a thread started in 2012. Just saying.

 

I know, but beehive handholds are still a hot topic - probably always will be.

I'm reading all the old threads about routers and beehives...So I'm the troublemaker...
>
~M

 

Welcome to the forum slockehousewright.