Im about to start my building again as I have queens and need nucs for them now. Sooo, I got to tweaking on the dimensions for the D.Coates style box. I can build 6 nucs from one sheet of plywood. I build the lids out of 1" x 3/4" strips that are scrap from my bottom board builds. I also use a luan type material for the lids. Anyway, here is the layout in google sketchup on the 4x8 sheet. enjoy
http://bigthicketbees.com/?page_id=434 (http://bigthicketbees.com/?page_id=434)
oh yeah cut your entrances on the bottom edge of the front panels of course hehe, and Im using 1/2" blondewood from lowes.. I like a nicer sanded finish on em. Its 29.80 a sheet soo it comes out to 5.00 a nuc box minus the lids.
Edit: I guess this should have been in that sticky above didnt see that.
Luan doesn't last long in our weather up here. I looked for a photo on my computer of the mess it created here, but I couldn't find it. Problem is the stuff delaminates something awful. I used the stuff for some of my hive/nuc entrance tunnels. I made them 9mm wide to start with and before long the dang luan started to delaminate and closed the things down to 5mm, and less. A good queen/drone excluder/includer!
yeah I used luan at first, then the lumber yard switched to a different material it is from a hardwoord and they are calling it hardwood utility panel. I still call it luan even though it isnt. I have been having good luck with it so far. of course I cover everything in metal.
Thanks for the layout measurments duck!! Gonna build some nucs next weekend in preparation for spring splits!!
ripping the sheet longways for the first three cuts is the easy part! Its the others that are tricky.. a table saw can get away from you if not careful, i speak from experience!