I want to build some 6 frame nuc's. does anyone have some plans that they would share. Thanks for any help. Could you send them to me via PDF. [email protected]
6 frame nuc.
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That would be an interesting possibility.
My formula of adding one frame width to a Mann Lake 5 frame nuc width would develop 11 1/8" for 6 frames which would take you to about 7/8" wider for three of them compared to the width of the 2 10 frame boxes as in Ians plan. If a person were to use 3/4 stock for the 6 frame nucs I think you could cut back a bit and still have enough slack to fit 6 frames inside the resulting box.
I dont have things handy to physically lay them out to be certain. Worth doing though before you made a bunch of boxes.
Gosh, I now have 4 framers, 5 framers, 10 framers and a 12 framer! I feel so incomplete now without some 6 frame boxes.
Dang!I use a 1/2 inch plywood for sides, and 6 frames fit nicely into NUC box with a bit off room to free up first frame to remove it. The outside dimension is 9 3/4 inches. I arrived at this dimension be using a 5 frame NUC dimension and adding room for a 6th frame,
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I think you have a typo on the outside dimension #. Yes 1/2" ply would make it work.
Six new(too cold to measure some drawn frames) frames are 8 3/16 inch width plus 1 inch for the two sides, leaving 9/16 "space".
Similar to Ian's observations, the six frames draw comb and build up in population significantly better than fives. I just wish I had seen further ahead.
I have wintered six over sixes in the past. I have two this winter, one pushed tight to a ten frame(2 inch styrofoam between) and one by itself(it does have 4 inches of styrofoam on the sides)
The swarm traps I use from the plans at horizontal hives gives one a 6 frame trap, but the sides are just 1/4" ply. If your intent is to always use three 6-framers together with two supers, just make a long Lang sized for the supers and divide it into three compartments of 6 frames each.
I vote for adding some 7 frame boxes to the list just becauseGosh, I now have 4 framers, 5 framers, 10 framers and a 12 framer! I feel so incomplete now without some 6 frame boxes.
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I am coming up with my figures based on the outside width of a Mann Lake 5 frame. There may be much more than minimum slack built in. I extrapolated from there, plus some for this, minus some for that and came up with about 10 3/4" overall, so convinced myself you had mis typed. I made and ASSumption.
My bad!Looks very workable. Stacked 5 framers winter well and so do 4 frames stacked three high. The six frames 2 high should give you all kinds of stores and a ready to go production hive in the spring. 10 frames use a lot of stores on outside frames that dont get used.
Looks like you have some cracking cold weather coming up. We are cold but probably will only see a max of minus 23 or so. Glad not to be working up at Fort Mac. any more!
Kinda getting late to this party but if there is any interest, I contacted Lewis & Sons Enterprises and had them send me a complete, unassembled, 6 frame "Canadian Style" nuc. I beleive these are the same nucs Ian Steppler uses or at least builds them after. I took the unassembled nuc to a local Amish wood worker/seller and had him make me 50 of these nucs out of cypress followed by my wax dipping ALL of the nuc components in a 50/50 paraffin/microcrystalline wax . This season is the first Winter I have had bees in these 6 frame nucs and to my surprise, out of all of my hives, these 6 frame nucs seem to be doing the best. They are VERY practical and the bees seem to readily take to producing surplus honey in the 10 frame deeps I place on top of a row of 3 of these 6 frame double nucs. They are REALLY handy for having strong nuc colonies on hand to replace losses and they make honey as good and perhaps better (in my opinion) than my 10 & 8 frame hives. They for **** sure over winter better from what I have observed so far. For beekeepers like me that are approaching the "Old Fart" beekeepers age with arm and back injuries, these 6 frame nucs may have many unforscene values.
Lewis & Son Enterprises Components
Lewis & Son Enterprises Components
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Basically all you are doing is changing the width of a standard hive. I find in my enviroment, the "Ian-6" overwinter fine and are ready to go 10-frame production real easy. A benefit rarely spoken about is when first made up, they are just a basic 5frame nuc, with a frame feeder. Once they get their footing pull the feeder and give them another foundation frame to draw (on flow it's quick!) and your off to the races.
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Length is the same as any lang box. For the inside width, I learned from someone else that uses them that if you bevel the sides 1/2 frames fit perfectly.
I don't have my notes with me but with 1/2 frame dimensions it should be easy to figure out. I will update when I get my notes.
I'm switching over to all 6's starting this year.
Edit: Too cold to go outside to my shop. Found dimensions that are 11" outside and another set of plans that are 9-1/8 inside which would be 10-5/8 outside. Both with 3/4 lumber. I think there is no standard for these even worse than 5 frame nucs.
I don't have my notes with me but with 1/2 frame dimensions it should be easy to figure out. I will update when I get my notes.
I'm switching over to all 6's starting this year.
Edit: Too cold to go outside to my shop. Found dimensions that are 11" outside and another set of plans that are 9-1/8 inside which would be 10-5/8 outside. Both with 3/4 lumber. I think there is no standard for these even worse than 5 frame nucs.
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Steve in PA;
"Length is the same as any lang box. For the inside width, I learned from someone else that uses them that if you bevel the sides 1/2 frames fit perfectly."
Are you meaning by this that half frames will fit crosswise in a 6 frame box? Are you suggesting putting frame rest rabbets on the long side too?
"Length is the same as any lang box. For the inside width, I learned from someone else that uses them that if you bevel the sides 1/2 frames fit perfectly."
Are you meaning by this that half frames will fit crosswise in a 6 frame box? Are you suggesting putting frame rest rabbets on the long side too?
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Yes. I'm on a FB group for nuc beekeepering and one of the members there does it. If you look at some of Lauri's old posts on here she was also experimenting with it.
The FB guy uses the sideways frames to populate mating nucs after he pulls the supers. I had asked if he leaves them like that in the brood boxes and he does on occasion.
I think there is a lot to explore with these 6's. Greg V has posted many eastern European videos with them as well.
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10 5/8" outside dimension works great, I have been using 6 frames over 6 frames for several years.
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I bought the Lyson 6-frames and I think I will like them. Seems like a few more options. If they are blowing out a 5-frame box then a foundation frame might buy you a day or two. I only ordered a couple of extra boxes for stacking up, but I plan to order enough so I'm able to run 6 over 6 in every case (only have 7 of them currently). Depending on how they do I plan to just split or continually take a frame of brood for boosting a bigger colony.
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Yes, you can fit 13 mini half frames (top bar 9 7/16"). Just cut regular top bar in half. I then do a 3/8" rabbet down the side. Mind have slots so that I can divide into 3 - 4 mini frame queen mating nucs or 2 - 3 frame regular deep frame larger queen rearing starts.
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