# Nice NUC box



## tibadoe (May 18, 2013)

I am in the market for a nice 5 frame NUC box. Found a few on a web search but don't know which would be the best. I was thinking of going with the box Dadant supplies, mainly because they are down the road a few miles from me so no shipping. I want a good box but don't have the tools to make one myself. If you purchased a good one that actually fit together right let me know. Nice to hear from someone with first hand experience.


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## LeonardS (Mar 13, 2012)

I like the Brushy Mountain 5 frame. It comes with an inner cover and telescoping cover so you can stack another box and use a pail feeder.....or add another 5 frame Nuc box if the bees expand fast.


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

I use Mann Lake for most of my supplies. Their NUC boxes are fine, but they do not have a queen excluder, inner cover or telescoping cover for a NUC :-/

Dadant does offer those accessories for the NUC hive. Only down side is that Dadant's equipment is about a quarter inch narrower than Mann Lake equipment so I don't like to interchange them. Go exclusively with Dadant and you will be fine. I have judged Mann Lake wood quality and fitment to be slightly better than the Dadant kits I've assembled this year.


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## tibadoe (May 18, 2013)

LeonardS said:


> I like the Brushy Mountain 5 frame..........


I'm going to check out the web site.


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## Bill91143 (Jun 7, 2013)

Check on ebay. I bought a really nice one for $30.00 totally assembled. Seems like shipping was around $8.00


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## tibadoe (May 18, 2013)

Bill91143 said:


> Check on ebay...........


Good idea, didn't think of that!


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## hilreal (Aug 16, 2005)

Kelly has free shipping this week if you spend $200. There items are excellent quality.


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## dphillipm (Mar 27, 2013)

hilreal said:


> Kelly has free shipping this week if you spend $200. There items are excellent quality.


I buy mind from Mann lake . I only buy the body,and make my bottoms,and tops. I believe that they are $9.50 a piece for the economy grade. What I really like about them is that when you clamp the four sides together the box is square. It is hard to beat their prices also. Yesterday I compared a few things that I need to the price of Kelly. Mann lake beat their price on everything. Their ritecell foundation is the closes thing to wax that I have found in plastic. I don't understand why small cell foundation is more expensive than regular foundation. I don't believe they offer small cell in the rite-cell foundation. I want to buy some frame feeders for my mating nucs. I like the one that Mann lake has that have the two ladders better than the lone Kelly offers. I have been pleased with the plastic tray top feeder that Mann lake carry. I believe their top feeder is $21.00.


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## Robbin (May 26, 2013)

tibadoe said:


> I'm going to check out the web site.



They also have Medium nucs with tops, inner covers if you use them and you can get SBB for them as well. Basicly, a mini hive. I really like mine. 
Much nicer than some of the nucs I've bought.


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## tibadoe (May 18, 2013)

From what I have checked out, looks like Mann Lake and Brushy Mountain have the best kits quality wise. Decisions - decisions!


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## GLOCK (Dec 29, 2009)

I'd go with Brushy Mountain I have mann lakes and Brushy Mountain and Brushy Mountain is much better.


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## tibadoe (May 18, 2013)

Finally went for a Brushy Mountains 9 1/2"Complete NUC. Opened the box this morning and was impressed with the quality.


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## WilliesHoneyCo (Jun 23, 2013)

I had the same question. I came to the conclusion way cheaper to build than to buy but I have tools so I made about 200 of them this winter. Got white pine for 70 cents a foot so I figured why not lol. When I did buy a few Mann Lakes worked really well, plus its free shipping if you order enough


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## Belewsboy (Jun 6, 2012)

I prefer the Brushy Mountain Nuc. Good quality, screened bottom, IPM board and inner cover. I've bought a few...all went together well.
I'm sure you will enjoy yours.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

Here is a tip if you want a queen excluder to fit a nuc. All you have to do is cut a 10 frame plastic one in half. My nucs are 9" width, which means there is about 7.5 inches inner space. 

It is easy enough to cut the excluder into 8 1/4 inches. This does not give a perfect fit on a 9" wide nuc, but allows you to get 2 excluders for the price of one. Alternatively, you can cut off a 9" strip and have a 7 1/4" piece left over to play with.


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## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

After checking most of the big name vendors, Brushy Mountain seems to have the most complete selection of 5-frame equipment. Their equipment is high quality, too.

However, I would consider buying from the vendor down the road. The savings on shipping costs would be substantial.


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