Author Topic: DIY Nuc Boxes (Read 104135 times)

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #20 on:** March 05, 2014, 11:04:19 pm »

Buying 1 x 12's would make that difficult to justify, though one of the club members uses 1 x 10 stock and just makes a taller ridge around the bottom board to set the 9.5 inch box on.. Another good reason for me to stick with all mediums. Making Nuc's is cheaper

the 1x8x12's cost less than six dollars at Menards. Not sure what the 1x10's are.

blueblood · « **Reply #21 on:** March 05, 2014, 11:33:54 pm »

OHHHHHH, I missed that you were making mediums...that makes sense. I was thinking, how the heck is he doing it with 8" boards! Ha!

Perry · « **Reply #22 on:** March 06, 2014, 07:01:09 am »

I bet you could drop that thing and not put a dent in it though. Solid.

blueblood · « **Reply #23 on:** March 06, 2014, 08:08:30 am »

I bet your right Perry. But, don't you thinks these would have better insulation for wintering over than the plywood nucs? I may use something like these to winter over.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #24 on:** March 06, 2014, 08:57:46 am »

agree with Perry. Paint that and it will look sharp as well.

Perry · « **Reply #25 on:** March 06, 2014, 10:27:04 am »

Quote from: blueblood on March 06, 2014, 08:08:30 am

I bet your right Perry. But, don't you thinks these would have better insulation for wintering over than the plywood nucs? I may use something like these to winter over.

I guess they might if you were to leave them as stand alone nucs. I have put mine altogether and insulated around the whole group, leaving the front exposed but tar paper covering the fronts. I don't know that the added thickness of the wood provides much help in that situation..

blueblood · « **Reply #26 on:** March 06, 2014, 06:13:31 pm »

I feel like I have became one with the wood dust today. Spent the better part of the day cutting and assembling eight 5-frame nucs. I have to paint and attach the flashing on the lids. That should be it for nucs this season. That puts me at 15 or so. It is finally starting to warm up and blueblood's workshop is coming alive!

I am finished with fighting long boards when I need to cut sections for nucs or hive bodies. It's dangerous to push long boards across the table saw perpendicular to the blade and the skill saw is not accurate. It is time to start looking for a bench top miter pull saw. I tried to push one strip of plywood across the table saw today to cut the sides on the nucs when F L I N G, Z I P, B A M! The section kicked back and flung nearly 18 feet and slammed into the door that enters the main part of the house. My wife opened the door and said, Dave are you okay, all the magnets on the other side of the door flew off! Ha, I was lucky that didn't hit me in the you know what or the neck or head. OUCH!

If you notice the shoes on my workbench, those are on work order from my daughters who believe I am also the family cobbler.

Perry · « **Reply #27 on:** March 06, 2014, 09:11:29 pm »

Nice to be prepared instead of running around isn't it? Your plywood looks like a lot better grade than the stuff we get up here.

Finally Home · « **Reply #28 on:** March 06, 2014, 10:05:33 pm »

Way better wood than I got at Menard's here. All kinds of gaps in it.
Nice work Sir

blueblood · « **Reply #29 on:** March 06, 2014, 10:16:52 pm »

You bet, I want to have enough equipment to gather all I can. That particular ply was the better grade at $16 and some change. The grade below it was a couple dollars cheaper but had several knots and open lines. I picked through and found the best of the best that I could. The cleats and lid ends are 3/4" pine. I failed to increase the lid length to accommodate the larger clean. Have to remember that for next time.

blueblood · « **Reply #30 on:** March 06, 2014, 10:17:35 pm »

Thanks Finally. I got it at Menards in Southport.

Yankee11 · « **Reply #31 on:** March 08, 2014, 09:22:08 am »

Blue,

For what it's worth. I bought the Kobalt (Lowes brand) sliding miter saw and for the money I am very happy with it. Laser guide. I saw they have a fold up stand on wheels for it also.

blueblood · « **Reply #32 on:** March 08, 2014, 10:01:47 am »

Thanks for the tip Yankee. The reviews are great on it! I couldn't get a price to show up but other places are selling it for the $150 range. In my honest opinion, this is a crucial piece of equipment for hive building. I just can't get my edges straight with a table saw (dangerous to cut long board across the grain on) or a skill saw.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_358936-46069-SM3055LW_0__?productId=3512781&Ntt=kobalt+miter&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dkobalt%2Bmiter&facetInfo=

Finally Home · « **Reply #33 on:** March 08, 2014, 10:57:47 am »

Quote from: blueblood on March 06, 2014, 10:17:35 pm

Thanks Finally. I got it at Menards in Southport.

We must get what your store rejects

Same here on using the table saw. Got lucky and got a nice radial arm saw at a great price. Also just picked up a planer. Now I just need quality lumber

tefer2 · « **Reply #34 on:** March 08, 2014, 12:05:35 pm »

I thought the planer was to make so so boards into quality lumber.
That planer coupled with a good table saw will fix most everything, except knot holes.
The larger Menards stores up here have fairly decent lumber.
You just have to watch for a sale and sort through a couple of bins to find a few good ones.
Gives me something to do when not shoveling snow!

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #35 on:** March 08, 2014, 12:26:59 pm »

With Menards you have to watch for WET boards. They sell enough wood that it has no time to air and dry. Unstack it and give it a day and it will be crookeder than a dogs hind leg.. Makes making frame bars a REAL pain sometimes.. for frame bars I usually pay the extra couple bucks to get a board at the local lumber yard that is dried like it should be.

tefer2 · « **Reply #36 on:** March 08, 2014, 12:36:10 pm »

I never buy more than I can put together in a couple days from them.
Their select brand is dried before shipping normally.
I always just buy wood frames in bulk, not worth my time to cut all those.

Finally Home · « **Reply #37 on:** March 08, 2014, 12:46:05 pm »

Even bought a 2x8 at a local lumber yard. 10 X's straighter than Menards but still wet. Have a buddy that builds homes. He's going to let me know when he has a pile of drops. Nice dry white pine. We'll see how those go because right now I'm not too excited about making frames. Too much movement (though they should be fine for the swarm box's - bad ones to the outsides)

rodmaker · « **Reply #38 on:** March 08, 2014, 09:39:48 pm »

Blue i use a skill saw bot i clamp a straight edge to the plywood and use that as a guide cuts very straight that way.

blueblood · « **Reply #39 on:** March 08, 2014, 10:04:16 pm »

Rod, as soon as you said that my mind instantaneously created a jig because I would be bothered by re-positioning the scrap wood and clamp every cut. If a person used a skill saw, they could build a jig where you could slide your board on and use the guides as measurements for long and short sides...well, shoot, let me sketch it real quick. It's Blueblood's crazy idea time....

This would potentially work for both nucs and regular hive bodies.