Double nuc box?

[bnolan]

just picked up a few hive bodies from an old beekeeper and noticed one of them had been used to make nucs. it had a slot through the middle to put 1/4 peice of wood to split it in two and one hole drilled on each side of it to be used as a ventilation hole or an entrance. the drilled holes are on oppisite corners so that one entrance was in the front and one in the back. so my question is, has anyone ever used this type of setup to raise nucs? if so what type of bottom board do you use in order to have each side have their own bottom and what inner cover do you use to seperate each side?

[Goat Man]

I use them all the time with good success. I use a special bottom board with a strip of wood down the middle for the divider to rest on.

I also build separate inner covers for each side. And I top it with a separated top feeder. I make all my equipment in my shop as I couldn't find what I wanted in the catalogs. Plus it is cheaper to DIY.;o)

[bnolan]

do you have any pics of your setup? or have plans in which i could use to make my own?

[Keth Comollo]

Double nuc bottom board . . .



Double nuc inner covers . . .



Double nucs in use . . . .

[Beregondo]

My bottom board are almost exactly the same.

My top anad inner covers are simpler; a 1/2 piece of plywood for and inner cover and a 3/4" piece of painted plywood or Advantech for the top.

[Goat Man]

A picture is truly worth a thousand words.
Thanks keth!

[bnolan]

yes thanks keth, guess i have some building to do

[waynesgarden]

I use a similar divided bottom board but with a screen bottom. I simply tack a strip of wood over the screen and can easily pull it if that SBB goes into production service.

I've used a bunch of the half-width nuc supers like in Keith's photo but as I was getting ready to build a whole lot more for this years nucs it occurred to me to simply divide a standard 10 frame super like the box below and get an additional frame per nuc. I'll keep the divided inner cover for the of working each side. I f I need to add a third, it could a half-width super but most times the nucs progress at a a pretty equal pace.

Wayne

[Keth Comollo]

I modified the way I build double nucs to eliminate all that bottom board building. I just add some bee space to the bottom and dado an entrance into the bottom board.

[My-smokepole]

I drill the box for entrances and vents. And screw a peice of plywood to the bottom of the box. I have even done it with it done as a four way n
Ravi

[Goat Man]

What do you get if you ask a hundred beekeepers how to do something??

One hundred and ten answers! It is always great to have so many options..

Sam;o)

[xcugat]

I just build one of these, my first, pic to follow. Its a bit crude but it should work. My question is can I use a plastic hive top feeder that you would use for a full size hive, or would the foraging bees in the feeder mingle into the other nuc this way and start a battle? (I dont figure the queen would ever venture into the plastic baffles the feeders are the kind with the baffles on the side not the center baffle ones

[My-smokepole]

I take quarter inch plywood cut to fit in each section. drill it for a jar feeder and screen it if you want.
David

[My-smokepole]

All so if I don't like the fit I use a. Peice of duck tape
David