[Absinthe]

I know that as long as they have the correct width for the number of frames and the correct length to hold a frame and honoring bee space is important.

I see 2 main designs of making 5 frame nuc boxes. One of them involves shorting your end pieces and adding cleats. And the other uses the 5/8" x 3/4" frame rail. Other than wanting to use thinner material such as 1/2" plywood, is there any other benefit to the cleat style?

Also, if you make them with the cleat style and want to stack them, does it make sense to add a second cleat to the bottom to have a more weather-tight connection between the boxes?

 

[My-smokepole]

I like the cleat type. I make them for my nuc sales. One I prefer solid wood for the sides and bottoms. They can be made fast, And cheap. I hate OBS for nuc boxes. It flakes. And don’t like to staple into the end grain.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

How you make it doesn't matter as long as the inside dimensions are correct for the number of frames you are intending to be in the box. Use the method that you find to be most convenient.

 

[Akademee]

Cleats seem best for bee space. I would be worried that bees could build wax between the end of the frame and the inner wall making inspections harder.

 

[Absinthe]

Cleats seem best for bee space. I would be worried that bees could build wax between the end of the frame and the inner wall making inspections harder.

How do you mean?

 

[capitalbeesupply]

Cleats work well for handling the boxes. We make the ones for our own use with a wedge style cleat whereas the boxes we make for others have our standard handhold in them unless people ask for the cleat. If you place the cleat so that it is just a tad lower than the strut/end support for the lid you can grab the cleat with your fingers and put your thumb on the lid when moving the boxes around...it just feels more shure handed than with handholds doing the same.

I know that as long as they have the correct width for the number of frames and the correct length to hold a frame and honoring bee space is important.

I see 2 main designs of making 5 frame nuc boxes. One of them involves shorting your end pieces and adding cleats. And the other uses the 5/8" x 3/4" frame rail. Other than wanting to use thinner material such as 1/2" plywood, is there any other benefit to the cleat style?

Also, if you make them with the cleat style and want to stack them, does it make sense to add a second cleat to the bottom to have a more weather-tight connection between the boxes?

 

[Absinthe]

Cleats work well for handling the boxes. We make the ones for our own use with a wedge style cleat whereas the boxes we make for others have our standard handhold in them unless people ask for the cleat. If you place the cleat so that it is just a tad lower than the strut/end support for the lid you can grab the cleat with your fingers and put your thumb on the lid when moving the boxes around...it just feels more shure handed than with handholds doing the same.

I get you now. When i was saying cleat, I was referring to the concept of making the ends shorter and covering them with a cleat instead of using 3/4" or thicker material and cutting a 3/8x5/8 rabbet as a frame rest. Not the idea of using cleats as handles instead of cutting in handles.