Nuc Boxes

[BedWetter]

I did some wood working this weekend and made the Yankee nuc box that is on the plans section of this site. I thought that there should have been an inner cover, so I added one. I also thought that the telescoping top cover was too loose. Any thoughts form someone who had made these before would be appreciated.

[The Honey House]

I've made several. They work out just fine.
BTW: The directions say that, Both the hive bottom and inner cover are 20" X 9". The bottom gets nailed on and the inner cover doesn't! smile.gif

[BedWetter]

I ended up just using a plywood inner cover like I was supposed to. I was wondering if I shouldn't make the bottom board a inch or two longer next time, so the bees would have a landing board? I also found out that strait lumber is critical. The wood I bought was u shaped and did not work well.(I am a novice wood worker too.)

[magnet-man]

I built 12 of these last year. My top cover is the same size as the bottom board that is nailed on. The bees will glue the top cover down in no time. I do drill a 2 1/2 inch hole in the top, so a feeder jar can be put on top of the hive. The bees will glue jar down in a day. When I don't have a jar on the hole I just cover it with a square piece of plywood.

[chemistbert]

I don't fool with inner covers as nucs to me are temporary homes anyhow. I just make a nice plywood migratory cover and paint the heck out of it.

[Dan Williamson]

I'm with chemistbert. You just have to make sure that your rabbet in the boxes are deep enough that they don't propolize the top of the frames to the migratory cover. (Just follow the correct beespacing.) To me there's no need for all the extra woodenware. Just use the basics for a nuc as it won't be their permanent home most likely. The bees don't care.

Dan

[Michael Bush]

I also just make migratory covers for nucs.

[Dick Allen]

I don't fool with inner covers as nucs to me are temporary homes anyhow.Some don’t fool with inner covers on full size hives either. But, to bring that up would probably just start another argument.....

[BedWetter]

Does anyone think that the bee's need a landing board?

[Michael Bush]

I don't. None of my hives have them anymore, although I have some nucs that I put them on a long time ago. Mine are all top entrances now with no landing board at all.

[BedWetter]

What do your top entrances look like?

[Michael Bush]

The nucs, I usually just drill a hole for the entrance.

http://incolor.inetnebr.com/bush/images/AssortedWidths.JPG

The hives I use a migratory cover with two cedar shingle shims.

http://incolor.inetnebr.com/bush/images/MigratoryTopEntrance1.JPG
http://incolor.inetnebr.com/bush/images/MigratoryTopEntrance2.JPG

[SageBrush]

I'm not using inner boards much either. My Father made some heavy nucs out of sign board and we built a PT "pallet" for them too. :D

Way over built, but they should last a long time. The bees seem to like them. ;)

Our Nuc Box (http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid166/pffca62fa9823c55b9db0b19b6b58832c/f457d896.jpg)