Self build nuc

[clv101]

Based on Martin Adams' plans, I've built myself a 6 frame 14x12 nuc from 12mm ply:

Blog about it here: http://chrisvernon.co.uk/2012/06/building-a-nucleus-bee-hive/
No bees in it yet - but there's always a chance a swarm will take a likely to it.

 

[VEG]

looks good but why is the entrance hole in the middle and not the bottom of the hive?

 

[jackbee]

Inspired to build one this summer, off to price wood this weekend

 

[Insy]

I built a few myself but using a hand saw they came out a bit crooked, from now on ill try use a tablesaw or something.

1 thing i can say is don't go to cheap with the plywood sheets, i found someone selling them alot cheaper than everything else and i found out why after i purchased many gaps and poor quality.

Your Nuc looks lovely

 

[Tom Bick]

Looks OK but perhaps the hole lower down helps the bees clean the hive

Have you now fitted the frame runners?

 

[clv101]

Looks OK but perhaps the hole lower down helps the bees clean the hive

Have you now fitted the frame runners?

No, I haven't found any suitable bits of metal yet, so currently the top bee space is few mm too large.

I did wonder about the entrance - the next one I make will have a much lower hole.

 

[REDWOOD]

Good job if you had angled the front and rear boards on the top where your frame runners would have gone would have eliminated the need for frame runners, did you use a varroa mesh floor

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

For runners you could use the smaller tile edging strips.
As for plywood - have a mooch around your local industrial units - I've just been directed to a small company who 'fit out' vans for tradesmen; they use loads of 4,8 and 10mm ply to line these vans and there's loads of big offcuts.
The bloke I spoke to said I'd be doing him a favour by taking the stuff away as he has to pay for the disposal- I've now got separate crown boards for all occasions. (now thinking I need to build a shed for all the ply I'm collecting) just need time now to build all the bait hives and nucs - need bees to put in them as well

 

[ratcatcher]

just finished making one myself, would have put pictures up, but need to make another 4 posts/replies before I can

 

[hedgerow pete]

looks like my drawings and ideas have spread, ha ha ha ha

proberly not of a rough enough construction design to be a hedgerow version, ha ha ha ha

very nice though very happy for you,

 

[REDWOOD]

Don't forget to put a waterproof covering on the roof

 

[NoBBy]

B&Q sell alsorts of bits of metal that could be used as runners.

Like the idea of Van fitters for Plywood. I have done a similar thing for felt for Nuc roofs, got a few off cuts from a place that makes Garden Sheds.

 

[Skyhook]

For runners you could use the smaller tile edging strips.

 

[protheroe]

yes,tile edgings make tidy runners for nucs

 

[clv101]

I was up at the MM sale yesterday, for £1.30 I picked up a pair of WBC runners which looks like they'll do the job nicely.

 

[Beanwood]

looks like my drawings and ideas have spread, ha ha ha ha

proberly not of a rough enough construction design to be a hedgerow version, ha ha ha ha

very nice though very happy for you,

I'd like to thank you HP - I finished a 14x12 nuc based on your plans yesterday - worked a treat - and the swarm of bees I collected recently are in there tonight!!

 

[jackbee]

Mathematically, based on area of an 8 x 4 board and the individual pieces (minus crown board, which can be thinner than 12mm really and cut from thinner ply, or other wood/material) you can get 3 nucs from one sheet of 8x4 12mm ply.

But I have tried manually fitting using visio and scaled shapes and can't quite do it , Grrr!

sad I know lol, but I had to do something - it's raining!!!

of course it might be possible area wise but actually impossble topographically, anyone got a method apart from manual arrangement to confirm/deny

 

[Little John]

Just thought I'd stick my oar in ...

I've just run out of waterproof glue, and nearly had a heart-attack at some of the prices being asked. Eventually found some D4 at £6 from ToolStation (page 216 in their June catalogue). Ok, so you've gotta spend £10 to get free shipping, but that's not hard to do.

(as you probably know, D2 is internal, D3 is for gluing wood that gets wet every now and again, and D4 is the real McCoy)

 

[Beanwood]

Mathematically, based on area of an 8 x 4 board and the individual pieces (minus crown board, which can be thinner than 12mm really and cut from thinner ply, or other wood/material) you can get 3 nucs from one sheet of 8x4 12mm ply.

But I have tried manually fitting using visio and scaled shapes and can't quite do it , Grrr!

sad I know lol, but I had to do something - it's raining!!!

of course it might be possible area wise but actually impossble topographically, anyone got a method apart from manual arrangement to confirm/deny

I did mine with a half sheet (4X4) having calculated using Excel, but I don't know how I'd get three out of a full sheet. If you can work it out (I'd accept 5 from 2 sheets) let me know.

 

[clv101]

I wasted half an hour thinking about getting 3 from an 8x4 sheet. Not happening. Maybe it would not including the crown boards though? Anyway - I built up the 2nd one this evening with a couple of changes. The entrance is now much lower down and the roof vents are a good inch lower so the felt can come down lower.