# Coates 3/4" Nuc Plans?



## dynemd (Aug 27, 2013)

Back and front are unchanged. Sides are 19-5/8" in length instead of 19-1/8". Bottom is 9" by 20". Hive cleat 9" by 2". Top cleat 9" by 3/4". Top wil be 9-1/2" by 23". Your frame rests will be extra wide at 3/4" each side, with standard being around 3/8" and coates being about 1/2". Might want to place 3/8" wide by 3/4" high wooden spacers to maintain bee space between the end bars of the frames and the front and back.


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## DirtyLittleSecret (Sep 10, 2014)

You just made my day.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

The shelf width is the thickness of the plywood. 3/8th's is the recommended shelf width as per http://www.beesource.com/build-it-yourself/10-frame-langstroth-barry-birkey/. However, they don't sell 3/8" plywood. I've used thicker plywood (including 3/4") which widens the shelf. The only problem this causes is a little more propolis on the ears of the frames and a little gapping if you're stacking an open bottom nuc box on top to give the hive more space.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

Here's how I solved the gaping issue on mine. They are 7/16 or 15/32 plywood. Can't remember exactly. Just short of a half inch.
The bottom pieces are what were originally cut for the cleats on the lid. I prefer just to hold mine down with bungees or rachets.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?315573-My-D-Coates-nuc-supers

Pics of a couple in use:









To the OP, why the thicker stuff? Even my thinner ones are HEAVY. Each super weigh like 5 or 6 pounds before frames/bees/honey. Not like that's prohibitive or anything, but 3/4" ones are going to be pretty hefty.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>However, they don't sell 3/8" plywood.

My guess is that it's 1/32" less (they always cheat you) but I'm sure I've bought what passed for 3/8" plywood many times. Maybe you mean it doesn't come in CDX? Maybe not. I don't know.

Actually here's some 3/8" CDX (actually 11/32)

https://www.menards.com/main/p-1444452504049-c-13331.htm?tid=2740003991517075448


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

Michael, they claim 3/8" but when measured I always find 11/32. I assume it's for the kerf or something else but I know it's not 3/8".

JW, nice. I believe I'll be doing that to mine next year. I've always used only bricks as weight on my nucs. I find they propolize everything together in very short order so straps aren't needed. The only time I wished I would have had a ratchet strap is when one blew over. I was going to split it as it was growing too fast and about to swarm. I added another nuc body 2 days prior (4 total) as I awaited for an ordered queen and a thunderstorm blew in. All turned out well but they were not amused as I stood it back up. I knew better but was reminded not to stack them 4 high.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

D Coates, you're right, because of the more narrow base they are a little tippy. I had a couple of mine 4 high with feeder shells on this fall for a few days and you should have seen how I had them battened down to the fence.  

They are three high going into winter, 15 frames total. Can't wait to see how they survive winter. Got top entrance shims/vents done last night.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

I've got 5 3-high nucs set for overwintering the other 10 or so are doubles. Only one single. Fed the all heavily so they're pretty weighty right now. Good luck overwintering.


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## JimD (Feb 3, 2018)

How have the 3/4" plywood nuc worked out when you have some from ~1/2 and the others 3/4 plywood?

I have a double deep but not higher. See pxs of 4 high with some list, or tilt.

Reading you see some references to the migratory tops warping after a while. Built some Migratory tops for 10 frames and they used some lath strips on the inside. Will that help the warpage on these tops or just give a better seal?

Also started putting 1" holes on the top back for ventilation with the hole covered with some screenwire and 1/8 mesh. Screen wire keeps the SHB's out.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Michael, they claim 3/8" but when measured I always find 11/32.

Yes. As I said.


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## warp1 (Apr 15, 2019)

I was just thinking about this today....mainly because I bought some of that "advantech" board and at my Lowes...it only came as 3/4. I thought about cutting in the frame rests on the table saw....just like with pine board. Any reason to avoid that?


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## JimD (Feb 3, 2018)

Warp 1

Do a search there are multiple posts on using this material with results.

I am Suspect of the search engine here from time to time to find articles that I have seen and need to see again. I could not get this old post to come up except for searching by date posted for some reason.


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## Jim_in_PA (May 17, 2016)

Michael Bush said:


> >However, they don't sell 3/8" plywood.
> 
> My guess is that it's 1/32" less (they always cheat you) but I'm sure I've bought what passed for 3/8" plywood many times. Maybe you mean it doesn't come in CDX? Maybe not. I don't know.
> 
> Actually here's some 3/8" CDX (actually 11/32)


Most plywood is manufactured in metric dimensions which accounts for the "nominal" sizing, but even so, thickness continues to shrink, veneers get thinner and so forth. Thickness isn't consistent within the same sheet, either. Nature of the beast...always measure before determining final dimensions where things need to fit together and maintain a particular size for whatever's being made.


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## JimD (Feb 3, 2018)

When you are using these boxes for regular hive boxes do you always need to add a lower 3/8 shim on the front and the back of these nuc boxes similar to the top piece? Swapped one out today and noticed the almost gap and glued a piece on that was 8.5" x 2" x 3/8" on the bottom. Is it better to have one on the front and the back? I happened to have a piece that glued on to cover the near gap.


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