Double Nuc

[andy-glide]

Has anyone experience of converting a standard National Brood box as a double nuc by putting a more substantial dummy frame as a central divider to the box? Would also split the cover board into two equal parts. Floor would also have to be modified to allow for separate entrances perhaps on the side rather than 2 on the front.

Thinking inspections may become an issue with such a set up, but at least the set up would allow use of standard components.

 

[mbc]

I have a number of split national boxes, I have attached the floors and partitions and stapled a sheet of plastic tarp to the partition as a crown board so that each side can be inspected separately.
I've had them in use for a dozen years or more and still use them, but prefer separate poly nucs or mini nucs now when I'm increasing mating capacity. The advantage of a split box is the shared warmth, a feature which is largely superseded by the use of cosy single poly nucs, and a separate nuc is far more flexible when it comes to moving, selling or restocking.

 

[Little John]

Has anyone experience of converting a standard National Brood box as a double nuc by putting a more substantial dummy frame as a central divider to the box? Would also split the cover board into two equal parts. Floor would also have to be modified to allow for separate entrances perhaps on the side rather than 2 on the front.

Thinking inspections may become an issue with such a set up, but at least the set up would allow use of standard components.

Checkout:
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32234

I find the simplest solution is to use a flat board for the floor, take the divider right down to meet the floor, and simply drill a couple of holes in the box sides.

If you make the sides of your wide divider out of thin plywood, say 3 or 4mm, then heat will be shared between the two halves by convection currents within the hollow divider. Unfortunately I only figured that out after I made the ones shown in that link - which are not as hollow as they could have been.

Many ways of skinning the proverbial cat - that's just one way of doing it.

LJ

BTW - there'e a lot to be said for making half-width boxes, rather than splitting a full-sized box in two - a la Mike Palmer. Such boxes can then be configured as nucs with the frames running lengthwise, or mating nucs with half-sized frames running cross-wise. That makes for a very flexible system and one which can be used 'mix 'n' match', such that - for example - mating nuc frames could be drawn out by simply plonking a mating-nuc box on top of a nuc box, as they will have exactly the same footprint.

 

[oliver90owner]

I have never split a brood to make two nucs, but have split 6 frame nucs to make pairs of 3 framers (14 x 12), so plenty big enough. I kept the roofs and used plastic sheet as a crowncover, stapled to the divider. Worked well enough. Entrances were at opposite ends, of course.

Having a shallow box over any nuc makes them into rock solid overwintering unit, IMO.

Not sure why inspections should present a particular problem. Make 'em, grow 'em and use 'em is the usual summer method, so not in there long enough to need regular intrusive inspections; over winter is a simple case of either building them up or removing brood to weaken them, until autumn comes along.

You are not going to have so many if only three colonies is the starting point and you want a honey crop?

 

[alanf]

...the set up would allow use of standard components.

I have made one and used it for a few seasons now. You have seen the "twinstock" in the T catalogue? Simplest approach I found was to use an off the shelf deep brood box and crown board plus some recycled ply. Cut a section out of the top crown board rim each side to make openings. Either pivot the cut section on a nail/bolt or leave them open and plug with foam. Cover the feed/escape holes - drawing pins and sections of ice cream tub lid will do. Screw the "crown" board to the bottom of the brood box from below to make the solid floor. A top bee space is simplest, a batten around the top rim of the brood box allows twin flat crown boards. Offset feeding holes covered with plastic (like the floor) allow two rapid feeders when needed. The only woodwork that does need some care is that the partition and crown boards have to be bee proof. The partition can either be carefully cut or made up of strips of scrap wood - chipboard offcuts are fine, it's not stressed or wet. If you use top space/battens, the partition has to match the height. Screw the partition in position through the box side and floor, a moveable partition is far harder to make bee tight.

Pros: A quick twin nuc from spares in the store. I first made it to split a Demaree into two mating nucs. Footprint sits on existing hive and shares the roof. Some heat from hive below, I've not gone all the way to overwinter the nucs but they cope well with cool periods. If you don't like it you still have a deep brood box and crown board by removing a few screws/nails.

Cons: Inspecting a colony underneath involves closing the entrances and lifting the twin box off for a few minutes, replace it the same way round. Difficulty depends on what you can lift. On top of another colony it moves the entrance if you add/remove supers below, try to avoid that if the queen is unmated. You have to work the twin boxes together, for instance you can't tip out one side into another nuc box without disturbing the other.

 

[andy-glide]

Thanks for the suggestions. Think given that I can buy a nuc for £40 flat dont think there is much cost saving in modifying a standard brood, roof & floor.

Like the idea of splitting a 6 frame nuc though, as attending a BBA course over the weekend that explained the virtues of splitting several frames of swarm cells to form several mini nucs early in the season