Russell Single Mating Nuc

[David LaFerney]

What a deal! $10 Seriously, because I'm an OCD do-it-yourselfer I'm stuck with a bunch of "experimental" mating nucs I built last year - If I had it to do over I would just buy these:



As usual Russell apiaries has far exceeded my expectations. Assembled, finished. Sure I COULD build it for less - as long as I counted my time at $1 an hour, and don't count the $1000s of woodworking tools I have. This is a quality piece of equipment - like the pros use, as in not "experimental" - that will last for years.

Add to that the fact that my best hives are headed by Russell queens. By far. I wish I was raising queens that good.

I've noticed reports that Russell might not be as responsive to emails and whatnot about order status as some people might desire - But I don't see that. Just don't wait until you are in a bind to order what you need - I got my order in about 2 weeks - what more do you want?

[Solomon Parker]

What sort of experimental mating nucs did you use? I built queen castles for no more than $20 a pop and get three nucs that use full size frames each. That includes bottom, dividers, and telescoping cover. I wanted nucs that could become full size nucs or even hives without having to introduce a queen to a new hive.

I don't know. I need some more convincing.

[JSL]

David,

Those look like nice boxes. Do you have one on hand that you could tell me the actual length of the top bar?

Thanks,
Joe

[David LaFerney]

Yesindeedy - 9 1/4"

Solomon - There is no convincing ye of little faith. But, my experiments last year convinced me that I prefer stand alone nucs - various reasons. Also, finding queens can be quite the chore when you have several to find - in which case less is more - and 3 half frames... even I can find a queen on 3 half frames.

I built 3-4 frame stand-alones + 2x4s - I use 8 frame mediums. All full frames. Some are too tight, some don't have enough bottom space, Some are just right - 4 frame medium stand-alones w built in double screens that fit 2 to an 8 frame hive (although a little tight w 4 frames). Depends on what you want to do I guess.

If you are still expanding your apiary then by all means use full frame nucs - they are comb building machines during the main flow. But, if you could pick one of these up at the check out isle you too would have the impulse to buy - such a pittance of bees to stock.

But the bottom line is that these are well made - $10. I can't make these for $10. And I make ALL of my equipment.

[StevenG]

Man, thanks for the post! I can't wait to retire and have the time to do some serious queen rearing and play with some new equipment that I don't yet have! Woo hoo!!!!

[tsk]

I'm just curious on these, how easy is it to stock them? If the frames were standard I could grab frames of newly emerging brood to put in them. But here, do you shake in bees? How do you get the comb drawn on those little frames? Let those shaken in bees just draw it out?

[Mosherd1]

Does this include the mini frames? If not how hard is it to make those half frames?

[canoemaker]

Making the half sized frames is not difficult, if you have the tools. The most tedious part is setting up the dado blade to make the cuts on the end of the top bar that mate with the ears on the tops of the end bars. Once I have mine adjusted, it's easy. I'm just finishing 1,400 half frames. I put a divider across the center of some 10-frame mediums and stocked them with 20 half sized frames last fall. I put them on a few of my hives as they were building up stores for the winter. I checked last week and most are drawn and filled with honey, and several have brood in them. When its time to stock my mating nucs I can take a frame or two of brood/nurse bees to put in each one. In the fall I will recombine the half frames from the various nucs (at that time queenless) back into the 10 frame mediums and store them above 10 frame hives. It's much easier to let a strong, full-sized colony draw out those min-frames than to ask a cup full of bees to do it.

[tsk]

Ahh, ok. So they're half width and you can just use a divider in your regular hive. I was thinking it'd be hard to do in a mini colony. Thanks.

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

How does one feed these? I have 2 ways that we use plastic containers in but these are much smaller???
Mike

[David LaFerney]

The one I have (yes I ordered just one to check it out) came with a frame feeder, but i'm not sure that is standard because Russell often throws in some freebies with your order. They also sell the half size frames - which are also well made - set up for plastic foundation.

[canoemaker]

I use mason jar feeders on the cover for mine. When I'm not feeding I use the plug that was cut out, which I glue to a small scrap of plywood, and put it in the hole. I also have extra covers that have no holes.

[Specialkayme]

I was talking to the Doc when he first offered these about also selling the division feeders. He said it wasn't really worth it for their operation to sell them, as the cost was too high in relation to what they can sell it for. Understandable.

He may have thrown one in, and he makes them for his own use, but I don't think you can order them.

[David LaFerney]

I didn't know, but I thought that might be the case. However their design is extremely simple, and would be really easy to make. Of course so is boring a hole in the lid.

BTW, the DB feeder is made out of masonite - does that need to be waxed, or can you just use it?

[canoemaker]

I made several for my 4-way mating nucs out of lauan. A couple of them leaked. Waxing helps.