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I have seen several people doing them that way. I figured I would do one this way first, figuring I could drive a screw up through this if need be, or perhaps pick up some hive staples. I was going to ask, when people do the integrated floor, do you make the box 3/4" deeper 10-3/8" maybe. I assume I will have nucs as a sole thing. But I do want to be able to do 5x5's at some point as well. So maybe make soime with integrated bottom, and others just a little shorter?Someone has a serious dust collection system. (Dusttopper cyclone + shopvac + swapping hoses here.)
A couple of years ago I started screwing the bottom boards onto my nucs. Last year instead of a two piece nuc I started making the boxes taller and screwing a 3/4" Advantec or CDX plywood insert into the bottom of the box. I got tired of fiddling with them and it always seemed like the nuc bottom boards were just more prone to slide off. Making a bottom board was as much work as a nuc box with an integrated bottom. Anyone else doing that?
It depends on whether you cut the floor to overlap the sides and screw the floor onto the bottom, or cut the floor to fit inside and inset the floor into the bottom. I make my floors inset to protect the plywood edge from the weather. A standard 1x12 is 11-1/4" wide. An inset floor leaves you 10-1/2, which is 7/8" clearance. That is just 1/8" more than a 3/4" rimmed bottom board and I like the little extra bit of clearance in case I want to put a frame with a queen cell on it in the nuc.II was going to ask, when people do the integrated floor, do you make the box 3/4" deeper 10-3/8" maybe.
That's my experience. I may not make any more like that, but I'll certainly keep using the ones I have.At first I was concerned about it making my gear less flexible, such as if I needed a 5x5, until I started counting the integrated nuc as a bottom board; either way I've either got a bottom board or an integrated box. The integrated box is simpler. I've still got nuc boxes that I can add on for a second story.
Yes, I started making them this year after just screwing the bottom boards on last year. So far I really like it. I add 1 inch to the front and sides then cut a 4 inch opening in the front. As of now, I could not be more happy with how it is working. This is a picture of some 6 frame nucs I made to try a multiqueen hive. 10 Frame supers on top. I am experimenting with another that is 5 frame nucs with 8 frame supers on top.Someone has a serious dust collection system. (Dusttopper cyclone + shopvac + swapping hoses here.)
Anyone else doing that?