# Any nifty ideas/ plans for nuc bottoms ??



## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

I don't, the nucs are smaller and I get a lot of free short pieces of pine to use for their bottoms. Also these bottoms are removable for cleaning, storage etc. With seperate bottom boards, you can add two deeps if you need to and run two nuc deeps until transferring them into standard hives. Some people are beginning to use two nuc deeps, and shallows, harvest as the honey is ready, or leave strickly for pollination. They are calling them "Garden Hives". Google Garden Hives and read about them.

cchoganjr


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

All of ours are screened, built out of scrap 2x4 or 2x6 from construction sites.


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## beecole (Nov 25, 2011)

Heres a 5 frame made from 1x8 and 5mm underlayment lauan board. I drill a 3" holesaw in bottom and cover with small pc of #8 screen. Add two small metal brackests on ends to attach bungee cord for wrapping around a tree for swarms if needed.

Larry


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## millerwb (Oct 31, 2011)

beecole said:


> Heres a 5 frame made from 1x8 and 5mm underlayment lauan board.


Larry, Where is the entrance? Is it at the top? Can they enter from either side or only one side?


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## beecole (Nov 25, 2011)

The entrance is at top one end only. just leave out the end shim on the cover.


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

I've never had much success in using luan. It just breaks down too easily on me. Maybe I'm too rough on it though.

I use furring strips, cut up into boards and just use it as a flat top or bottom. If I'm making some plywood nucs, I'll use the scraps for extra tops and bottoms. Cut a hole in the side of the hive body, and you have your entrance.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

I like one piece nucs that I can easily pick up and move when I want, but here is something that you could use on any bottom - a built in double screen. Also, the bottom is inset about a quarter of an inch to preserve bee space. That way you can either stack them up or winter them on a strong hive without any additional equipment. I sized my last batch of nucs so that two of them just fit on top of a full size hive - very handy.










BTW, the nuc ends are made out of 3/4" advantech which is a nearly ideal material for nucs - relatively inexpensive, strong, doesn't swell much, and nearly impervious to weather. It is pretty ugly though.


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## spunky (Nov 14, 2006)

David:
So you don't coat the exterior with any paint or stain ?


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

I like double nucs so use a bottom like this. Less equipment, you can carry two at a time, don't tip in high winds, help each other through the winter.


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

I use pieces of polystyrene for bottoms and covers of my nucs. The 1-1/4" thick for bottoms, with a hole cut out for Summer ventilation, the entire bottom covered with a piece of #8 hardware cloth to close the ventilation hole to unwanted visitors and to also keep the bees from damaging the foam. In the Winter I put a piece of plastic under the hardware cloth (between the foam and wire cloth) to reduce drafts. I use a piece of old towel, then a piece of 3 mil plastic trash bag as inner covers, then top the nucs with another piece of polystyrene foam. Entrances are where the cover is slid back a little bit, where the second story is slid back a little bit, or where a small diameter hole has been drilled in the front end of one of the boxes.


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## windfall (Dec 8, 2010)

I will second the opinion that luan falls apart very quickly when exposed to rain...


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