Well.. i was going to, but....

Sniper338 · February 03, 2017, 10:55:31 AM

Well i was going to make nuc boxs/swarm traps today... BUT, i figured out while measuring how freaking goofball all the measurements are, and my hardware store doesnt sell wood in the sizes i wanted, id have to get a full sheet of plywood...

BUT i dont have a table saw, or saw horses to help make that easier... and i dont have a saw to cut 1/2 inch frame rest on the inside of the front and back panels...

Im anal, i could do it sll with the right tools... but itd turn into a contraption fast without them...

I wanted to make them the same sizes as hive bodies to stack on... but looks like cutting a hive body in half is way easier them just adding sides to each... but i still dont have the right tools to even cut that right... a circular saw can do a lot, but i hate ripping boards with one..

Rant over...

Rather just buy 5 frame nucs now..

Aroc · February 03, 2017, 11:05:20 AM

I haven't tried nuke boxes yet. I do have the tools to make deeps and supers but even then it takes me a while to put one together.

I decided to make swarm traps out of existing old deeps. Seems to work well.

jalentour · February 03, 2017, 02:59:26 PM

If it makes you feel better, I have all the tools and I still buy the ML nuc boxes. Only when they are on sale Black Friday.
A swarm box doesn't need to be anything special or sized perfectly, it's all about bait and location for swarm boxes.

BobMac · February 03, 2017, 08:52:29 PM

try these plans could all be done using a circular saw
video included

https://cheapbeekeeping.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/easy-and-cheap-5-frame-nuc-assembly/

220 · February 03, 2017, 10:57:38 PM

If ripping with a circular saw I just clamp a straight edge to the sheet and use it as a guide/fence.
I didn't cut frame rests in the one I made from ply, just cut my ends shorter by the depth of the rest and the nailed and glued a piece to the outside to create the rest and give the correct depth.

GSF · February 04, 2017, 07:36:32 AM

The only swarms I've caught in nuc boxes were late season population control swarms = very small. I've caught 100s over the years out of the trees around my apiary. I'd go 8-10 deeps when catching or hiving a swarm. They'll take one look at a small box and say,
"I don't do the tiny house thing". However, there's plenty of folks that has caught plenty in nucs I'm sure. During the spring flow last year it took about 7-10 days for my bees to completely draw out and near 'bout fill up a 8 frame deep. That's with them starting with one drawn comb only.

little john · February 04, 2017, 01:26:50 PM

First, I'll explain the context of what follows, else you'll think I'm some kind of nut !

When manufacturers of (say) tins of paint load a pallet, they usually insert a sheet of plywood - or something similar - between layers of tins. This plywood then ends up in pallet yards, where nobody wants it - because it's rubbish, and only ever intended as a one-time-use material. So - I've ended-up with about 50 sheets of this stuff - the question now is what to do with them ?

I've been mulling-over the idea of making some 'carry-home' nuc boxes, for anyone who turns up here to buy a nuc, but forgets to bring a box with them.

The basic idea then, was to build a disposable box made from as little as possible, (say) just this cheap and nasty 6-8mm plywood and a few feet of 1"-square battens. These nuc boxes could be made with nothing more than a table and handsaw, but a circular saw would certainly make life easier. Although these are 'carry-home nuc boxes', I'm sure the 'design' [pause for laughter ...] could be modified to make proper nuc boxes with better quality plywood.

So - here's the drawing. Ignore the numbers, they're for British National frames, in millimetres:

And here's 'one I made earlier' just to create some templates for cutting out.
You'll notice that it's missing the frame lug support battens (coloured blue in the drawing) - that's because the end plate top batten (coloured red in the drawing) needs to be 35mm deep, rather than 25 - so that each lug support batten can then be nailed through to the end-plate top batten. Just as well I made a test build to discover that !

Needs ventilation and so forth, but hope it's of interest 'as is'.
LJ

wadehump · February 05, 2017, 12:55:53 PM

http://beesource.com/build-it-yourself/5-frame-nuc-d-coates-version/

yes2matt · February 05, 2017, 05:34:21 PM

Quote from: wadehump on February 05, 2017, 12:55:53 PM
http://beesource.com/build-it-yourself/5-frame-nuc-d-coates-version/

I have half-built 8 of these this weekend. Two full sheets of 15/32 ply from the box store. The first one I did mostly with a Dewalt 18v circular. Then I figured out that the cut layout he gives has a cut right at the 48" mark. So the next one I did with the table saw, after I made that first cut.

The circular saw is totally doable on this pattern, only be smart about how you cut the 2" bits, and you might find a safer way to put some rails on the lid. The table saw is faster and easier and the cuts are prettier. The bees won't care anyway.

I'm waiting for some glue to dry on the prefab parts before I put them together. I'm thinking of leaving the bottoms off, or maybe screws only, so I can stack them.

@rober is this you? Thank you thank you.

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Sniper338 · February 05, 2017, 08:37:09 PM

Ya i finally borrowed a table saw snd made some too. Pretty easy. Half in plywood dont nail together well though.. kinda a bleep to nail... i need a small nail gun and air compressor... maybe if i keep building stuff for my wife she will let me get more tools!!

gww · February 05, 2017, 09:56:45 PM

Sniper

Quotemaybe if i keep building stuff for my wife she will let me get more tools!!

You might get the tools doing that but if she likes what you make her, she might keep you too busy to build bee stuff.

Ask me how I know.
Cheers
gww

Hops Brewster · February 06, 2017, 11:30:08 AM

buying plywood in full sheets is usually less expensive than buying pre-cut sizes, so not having the right tools at the time saved you some change :)

You can buy an electric staple/nail gun at Harbor Freight for real cheap. I have one that's done a good job for a few years so far.

yes2matt · February 06, 2017, 12:12:21 PM

Quote from: Sniper338 on February 05, 2017, 08:37:09 PM
Ya i finally borrowed a table saw snd made some too. Pretty easy. Half in plywood dont nail together well though.. kinda a bleep to nail... i need a small nail gun and air compressor... maybe if i keep building stuff for my wife she will let me get more tools!!

I used Titebond iii and tacked together with finish nails. The nails are only to help the glue set.

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hjon71 · February 07, 2017, 12:03:23 AM

Quote from: Sniper338 on February 05, 2017, 08:37:09 PMi need a small nail gun and air compressor... maybe if i keep building stuff for my wife she will let me get more tools!!

That's my tactic.
Works so well sometimes I can just show her a tool and it shows up for holidays/birthday.

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yes2matt · February 07, 2017, 06:23:54 AM

Quote from: little john on February 04, 2017, 01:26:50 PM
First, I'll explain the context of what follows, else you'll think I'm some kind of nut !

When manufacturers of (say) tins of paint load a pallet, they usually insert a sheet of plywood - or something similar - between layers of tins. This plywood then ends up in pallet yards, where nobody wants it - because it's rubbish, and only ever intended as a one-time-use material. So - I've ended-up with about 50 sheets of this stuff - the question now is what to do with them ?

I've been mulling-over the idea of making some 'carry-home' nuc boxes, for anyone who turns up here to buy a nuc, but forgets to bring a box with them.

The basic idea then, was to build a disposable box made from as little as possible, (say) just this cheap and nasty 6-8mm plywood and a few feet of 1"-square battens. These nuc boxes could be made with nothing more than a table and handsaw, but a circular saw would certainly make life easier. Although these are 'carry-home nuc boxes', I'm sure the 'design' [pause for laughter ...] could be modified to make proper nuc boxes with better quality plywood.

So - here's the drawing. Ignore the numbers, they're for British National frames, in millimetres:

And here's 'one I made earlier' just to create some templates for cutting out.
You'll notice that it's missing the frame lug support battens (coloured blue in the drawing) - that's because the end plate top batten (coloured red in the drawing) needs to be 35mm deep, rather than 25 - so that each lug support batten can then be nailed through to the end-plate top batten. Just as well I made a test build to discover that !

Needs ventilation and so forth, but hope it's of interest 'as is'.
LJ

It looks like you could prefab the ends, then tack the box together with a "heavy duty" staple gun. That would allow you to store a whole bunch of them "flat pack" style, then fabricate as needed.

Which makes me think to fabricate these nuc boxes with hinges...

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dclamby · February 07, 2017, 01:50:11 PM

Geesh, you can use a skill saw and a sheet of plywood and get 4 nucs with a single sheet of plywood.

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220 · February 07, 2017, 03:48:53 PM

For swarm traps I was going to try foam vegetable boxes next season as I have a unlimited supply.
They see a bit of use in Aus as a temporary nuc box and nothing is better than free equipment.
Here's a link to modifying them into a nuc
http://www.canberrabees.com/making-nucleus-hive-bait-hive-from-broccoli-box/