# Quick Deep Divider to Make 2 Nucs



## BjornH (Nov 8, 2013)

Blue styrofoam board cut to size.


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## JohnBruceLeonard (Jul 7, 2015)

BjornH said:


> Blue styrofoam board cut to size.


A fine idea, thanks BjornH. I had the same question as Adam; styrofoam board will work quite nicely indeed.

John


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## Fusion_power (Jan 14, 2005)

Bees will eventually gnaw through styrofoam. Also, styrofoam has to be fairly thick to have the mechanical strength needed. The hack I've used is to cut notches using a skillsaw into the inside of the deep to accept a piece of 3/16 plywood. I put a thick rim on top and bottom of the plywood to maintain physical strength where it butts to the bottom board and top cover.

Be sure to use two small top covers so you can open up one side or the other separately. This is critically important to avoid losing queens. The top cover can be anything from a plastic bag to a small inner cover, you decide what works best.


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## Dominic (Jul 12, 2013)

I have a hard time imagining styrofoam lasting for any significant amount of time. Not only might the bees chew on it, but if they put burr comb or propolize it, moving the side frames will quickly tear chunks out.


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## BjornH (Nov 8, 2013)

The styrofoam like ESP 80 or 100 and 1 to 2 inches thick will survive bees. If you like ( since you can cut up a lot to have ready) you can roll them with acrylate ( waterbased) paint. I have those as simple , insulated nuc hive tops. Im in Sweden and we just got out of three weeks of -20C . still buzzing.


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## lemmje (Feb 23, 2015)

I don't do that, but i hear Masonite works great.


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## Dan P (Oct 29, 2014)

I took a frame and just added a piece of wood around it.


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## Dave H (Aug 23, 2014)

Do y'all reckon a corrugated election sign would work? I got a heap of 'em from the last election. I've used them for a coupla things around the beeyard.
Thanx Dave H.


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## Barhopper (Mar 5, 2015)

I've thought about this but figured I would need a bottom board with landing boards on opposing sides. Do you think you'd have a problem with both entrances on the same side?


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## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

Just a guess but the foil from one of those throw-away baking pans might work.
Bill


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## stan.vick (Dec 19, 2010)

Fusion_power said:


> Bees will eventually gnaw through styrofoam. Also, styrofoam has to be fairly thick to have the mechanical strength needed. The hack I've used is to cut notches using a skillsaw into the inside of the deep to accept a piece of 3/16 plywood. I put a thick rim on top and bottom of the plywood to maintain physical strength where it butts to the bottom board and top cover.
> 
> Be sure to use two small top covers so you can open up one side or the other separately. This is critically important to avoid losing queens. The top cover can be anything from a plastic bag to a small inner cover, you decide what works best.


 I do the same, but have learned to use these for the queen-right half of my equal splits, because when I let them make their own queen I usually only get one side with a queen.


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## kramerbryan (Oct 30, 2013)

I use the election signs and just run a spacer down the center of the bottom board so the entrances are right next to each other. I then cut odd shapes out of different colored signs and pin one above each entrance to allow them to tell the difference.


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## AdamBeal (Aug 28, 2013)

kramerbryan said:


> I use the election signs and just run a spacer down the center of the bottom board so the entrances are right next to each other. I then cut odd shapes out of different colored signs and pin one above each entrance to allow them to tell the difference.


I do have some of those coroplast signs I may try this. Can you explain the spacer thing more or have any pics? Doesn't the bottom of the election sign just rest on the bottom board?


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

Dan P said:


> I took a frame and just added a piece of wood around it.


Plastic frames? - yes. I shim both ends and the top with wood strips. The bees draw them out & use them - no wasted space.


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## kramerbryan (Oct 30, 2013)

Adam, I just run a saw down the inside of the box to give a channel for the sign, then add a 3/4 x3/4 piece of board with a groove down the middle to the bottom board for the sign to fit into. It makes sure there are no gaps and keeps the election sign straight


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Dan P said:


> I took a frame and just added a piece of wood around it.



Great idea. I was just about to start on some medium double nuc queen castles but will just fatten up some free plastic combs I got instead. Add two entrance discs, top and bottom and I am finished. Plus easily converted back into a super. What kind of glue best for wood to plastic? Or should I use some other material than wood for the fattening material? 

Wasn't there a supplier selling a plastic expanding divider?


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

I use wood shim strips, and Titebond 3 to glue. Remove the wax coating with a knife or razor blade, and rough the surface with sandpaper to improve adhesion. They are holding well up so far. We'll see how they stand up to a few more years. 

It's so simple, and an obvious choice if you have spare plastic frames. I don't know who came up with the idea first ( or care). I came up with it on my own, last spring.


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

JohnBruceLeonard said:


> A fine idea, thanks BjornH. I had the same question as Adam; styrofoam board will work quite nicely indeed.
> 
> John


The bees can and do dismantle styrofoam quickly and efficiently. Your plan would be better if you protected rhe epe with shrink wrap or plastic food film.


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## BjornH (Nov 8, 2013)

I dont think we are speaking of the same kind of styrofoam. All my hives are EPS100. ..Ants, little yes, bee no. 
My lack of correct name. In Sweden we use that type under the concrete when you build houses. The hives though are bought.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

What material other than wood could be used to fatten up plastic frames to be used for dividers?
Pool cover foam? Those green woven pot scrubbers? Insulation tape? Plexiglass?


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

http://www.zoro.com/scotch-brite-sc...gclid=CJjViNHhzcoCFUNgfgodAWsB6Q&gclsrc=aw.ds


Scotch Brite pads are 1/4" thick, just what is need for a cushioned material to expand a plastic frame into a divider. they are made of Polyester/Polyimide. Do we think bees would eat though that?


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

I had a request for some pic's of my plastic frame dividers. I came up with the idea last summer while contemplating Palmer style nucs. I had a "few" extra plastic frames and figured I'd see what I could do to maximize the space in a standard box. Replacing the divider board with a shimmed solid plastic frame just seemed to make sense. A full wood shop gave me an advantage, but the final product could probably be duplicated well enough with paint sticks and a hand saw.

I used a wood strip across the top & down the ends of a frame.










It's placed in the middle, in place of a divider board. A "half frame" ( see below), placed along the outside edge, results in 2 full five frame units fitting into a standard (bottom) box. A 3/4" strip of wood is place down the middle of the bottom board to "finish off" the division.










The 4.5 frame boxes fit flush on top. The inside divider is 3/8" thick, so two are 3/4", fitting nicely on top of the divider frame. The divider boards "steal" a frame of space in upper "split" boxes, but two halves give a little back. 4.5 vs just 4 frames.










A "half frame" - with top, end & bottom shaved off down to the "foundation" on one side, goes against the outside in the bottom box. The trimmed side goes against the wood in whichever box. With this outside half frame, and the middle divider frame, the divided bottom box offers 5 full frames of comb on either side. 










The half frame goes against the "shared wall" of the two upper half boxes. It all ends up as a standard size 4.5 over 5 nuc, with no "wasted space" - 9.5 frames of comb, fitting in a standard dimension double nuc, vs just 8.










I made up some of these last summer. The bees built out all available comb space, and packed it full of brood & honey on both sides & top to bottom. My bees have been drawing these out, wall to wall, including the half frames, which led to another idea. Now that using the half frames Palmer style nuc is functioning, I'm working on a simple half frame "breeder queen frame" based on the Hopkins approach. I'll take more pics as that progresses.


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