Build your own Equipment
See PDF document shown below "Modified Beehive Construction" to get started. Use the other document "10frlang" to see a good picture of the hive.
I've included the original, unmodified document as "construction.pdf" to give credit where it's due.
I didn't bother with any special joints. The inner cover can be built without any special cuts. Just use some boards nailed to either side of the cover that produces the same bee space shown in the diagram.
Have Fun building your own!
Not evaluated this yet, but looks like a good resource for building your own: http://americasbeekeeper.com/Beehive_Building.htm
I'd purchase a Boardman Feeder to get your bees off to a good start. You can increase your percentage success rate because it is known that some colonies fail to thrive. The biggest way to promote success is give them sucrose (which is the only time you need to feed when you have three hive bodies on the hive). The feeder is simply a bottle with holes punched in it and fits on the entrance. You can insert it when you place the hive. You feed them 4 lbs of white sugar to 4 lbs of scalding water and repeat until they stop taking it. You pull the glass bottle off to add syrup only when it's warm, bright and sunny or no bees are flying at night when it's cool and they are clustered (unless of course, you wear your bee suit). See the Boardman Feeder PFD below.