A tip I gained too late after my 2 nd round of making boxes and using them was that you can plane the top edge of the boxes to an angle , so that you can get your hive tool between the boxes easier , and also it ' ll help prevent water working its way between any gaps caused by unevenness between your boxes . I ' ve had some consistent problems with hive humidity and water in the hive , caused in part by the capillary action of the water between boxes . <| sep |> We don ' t have the hardware to interpret it on a gut level , and people don ' t generally tell us we look good , either . <| sep |> I ' m the opposite . I don ' t say people who don ' t do it are weird , but I see nothing wrong with it personally . I mean , you rinse the shower after you do it .