# 2 Frame Nucs



## msl (Sep 6, 2016)

2f Dcoats style I felt they ended up a bit tight to work so adding a little width would be good, adding some Z hight to the cleat would be helpfull as well to help them hold together
measurements are for 7/16 OSB IIRR... its huracane season so its over priced $25 or so a sheet, come spring it can fall as low as $8


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## little_john (Aug 4, 2014)

msl said:


> 2f Dcoats style I felt they ended up a bit tight to work so adding a little width would be good


Agree with that - there's not much room for fingers. I made a stand-alone 2 Framer once - more correctly called a *"wouldn't stand-up alone in even the slightest breeze 2F nuc box"*. Ended up on the bonfire - wouldn't even consider making another one.
LJ


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## Richinbama (Jan 15, 2018)

I've used 2 and 3 framers. They work good in/during spring flow. I add about 3/8" to the width. I like 5 framers best. 2 frames of food, 3 brood/ with eggs. Prefer queen cells if available. They will grow fast, so be ready to stack em up I let em get 3 high, then move to 10 frame medium boxes. As that's all I run.


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## msl (Sep 6, 2016)

I hear you LJ.. aside from loaning pair to the local club for a month, my 6 went empty this year, they are my last, last, last, box to put bees in. I certainly won't be building any more

They do ok screwed down to a 2x4 rail up on bicks. but what I like to do is put a cinder brick cross ways on them, keeps the right side up and the hole in the brick supports a pop bottle feeder so it doesn't blow away when empty.


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

These dimensions are for 3/4" material. The joinery is simple butt joints and 2-1/2" screws in pre-drilled holes. Pre drilling is required to not split the material.



Sides are 10-1/4 high x 19-7/8 Long.

The back and front are 3-1/4" wide x 9-1/2 high. The front requires a notch on the bottom edge that is 5/16" high by 1-3/4" wide to form an entrance. I use a notch for the entrance rather than make it full width so it is easier for the small population to guard. 

The bottom is 4-3/4" wide by 21" long. 

The two sides and front and back are assembled with the bottom edges flush. Then the bottom is attached. The top edges of the front and back are 3/4" below the top of the sides, making the frame rest. The bottom is attached so that it extends 1-1/8" beyond the entrance, making a front porch and a spot to attach a robber screen.

The 4-3/4" x 2" cleats are installed across the front and back top closing the frame rest. I inserted 3/8" shims behind the cleats to fill the frame rest to keep frames from sliding front to back, this is optional. 

Drill a ventilation hole in the middle of the bottom and in the back about 4" from the top using a 1-1/2" hole saw or forstner bit. Staple #8 hardware cloth over the holes on the inside. The holes are closed off from the outside using knockout test caps. Tip: Its easier to staple the hardware cloth on before you assemble the nuc box. 

The migratory style top is 21-1/4 x 4-3/4. 

For a feeder I drill a 1-1/2" hole in the middle of the migratory top and I insert a Gatorade or Powerade bottle of syrup with a few holes poked in the lid with a thumb-tack. The feeder hole can be plugged with a 1-1/2 knockout test cap.

Prime and paint - different colors recommended.

I also install a 1/4" tee nut in the bottom from the inside. I use the tee nut with a long 1/4" bolt with a knob nut to secure the nuc to the stand with an L block that I made. This is optional, there are many ways to secure them - this is something I added late this summer instead of strapping them down.

I only built four of these. They have been used through three summers now and I have no complaints. I also have a mini-frame quad mating nuc, that combined with my standard nucs lets me mate up to a max of 12 queens at a time, but I have never needed to do that many. The quad-mini is the same size as a ten frame medium, so it can store in the stack. The two frames don't have a neat storage stack, it seems I'm tripping over them when they aren't used.

I almost forgot: one huge advantage to the two frames: I pack one along with me when I'm inspecting and use it as a quiet box. When I pull the frame with the queen it can go in the quite box to keep her safe and secure while I finish up.


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## Steve in PA (Jan 26, 2015)

I put dividers in an 8-frame box and it became 3 2-frame nucs with space to work. Don't have issues with wind either.


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## elmer_fud (Apr 21, 2018)

Steve in PA said:


> I put dividers in an 8-frame box and it became 3 2-frame nucs with space to work. Don't have issues with wind either.


I am thinking of making a 10 frame box into 4x 2 frame nucs for next year due to the amount of queen problems that I have been having. I think it will be easier than mating nucs or full size (5 frame) nucs


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## little_john (Aug 4, 2014)

Imo - a lot depends on the intended purpose of the nuc box. 

For mating queens, a divided box is probably ok, although personally I've had a lot of trouble with colonies absconding into whichever section has the 'best' queen. But then - many people swear by them.

For raising nucleus colonies, I'd say the 4 or 5-frame nuc box is an optimum size: it can easily be dummied-down to 2 or 3 frames for mating purposes or for an initial nuc start-up, and then gradually expanded as the colony grows by simply pulling dummies.

Two 4's fit over a 10-frame Langstroth box, and two 5's fit over a British National box (which is why I prefer 5-frame nuc boxes).

The same boxes can then be used for other purposes at other times - such as making-up multiple nuc-box stacks - which are brilliant as brood factories or for over-wintering nucleus colonies.

In my view, flexibility of use is a key consideration when embarking upon a novel box-build. Other people's opinions may differ - of course. 
LJ


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

The best 2 frame nucs are 3, 4, or 5 framers. Cos you can still run 2 frames in it if you wish. But they are expandable (and 2 framers expand very quick), they are way easier to find the queen in, you can stick a feeder in if needed, and they don't cost a lot more to build.


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## msl (Sep 6, 2016)

The is more or less the opinion I came to as well 
I came up with the cut sheet for the 2fs as a outreach to the clubs.. ie here is a cheap work shop you all could do, get some local queens rolling, etc 
and at 6 per $8 sheet, $1.34 each they were cheap!!! but... then you look at a standard dcoats 5 frame and they are 4 per sheet.... $2 each, add $0.50 for a divider (16 per sheet) and its $2.50, and you get much, much more flexibility. AND its cheaper per mating nuc to build divided 5s 

There is something about the 2f... (there cute or whatever) that appeals to people, but they don't make a lot of management or financial sense to me after a bit of experience with them..

So this year I pushed homemade foam minis to help save queen cells that would otherwise go to waist, and this springs project will likly be divided 5f workshops


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## twinoaks (Sep 1, 2018)

I haven't tried 2 frame nucs, but have been very happy with my 3-4 frame nucs that I built over the winter last year. I reduced to 3 frames for mating in the Spring/early Summer. In July I removed the coroplast dummy board and added a fourth frame--though it is very snug. I piled them 3 high and essentially have 2 colonies in a total of 6 boxes sharing a solid bottom board for overwintering. In the Spring I will split them up into 6 or even 8 separate mating nucs for queen rearing and start over again.


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