# 10 Frame Deep With Rabbet Joint Plans



## Branman (Aug 20, 2003)

Go back to the main beesource page and click "build it." There are plans there. Just know that for the nuc plans every manufacturer has a different width. The plans there are 9" wide, but a lot are 9 1/8 or 9 3/8. I personally like the 9".

I just realized they have finger joints. Just keep the end lengths the same for the shorter sides and dado off both ends 3/4", 3/8" deep. Do the math on the long ends knowing you have a 3/8" dado on both sides.

Edit: I did the math for you, the shorter sides are 16 1/4, with a 3/4 dado taken out of both ends and 5/8 dado taken off the top, all 3/8" deep. The long sides are 19 1/8". Obviously everything needs to be ripped to 9 5/8". Use the plans to make the rest.


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## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

I don't have the link unfortunately. I am lazy right now. You can look up Dummies series bee hives langstroth and then go to the Nuc box version. Convert that nuc over to langstroth hive dimensions and it works just fine. All your doing is cutting the front and back 3/8" deep x 3/4" (Half the thickness of Pine 3/4") 2 times around the height of the sided front/back board. 3/8" x 5/8" I think is the frame rests. The side boards are shortened to accommodate the sides that are in the rabbit recessed wood. 
So just remember, just go measure a bee hive you have. On the front and back measurement pieces the 16" or whatever it it suppose to be that's the rabbit pieces on to fit the sides. This has the frame rests on it that are 3/8" x 5/8". The sides are measured by subtracting 3/4" of what your measurement is on the long side (I can't remember if it's 19" or if it's 21"). This is because you are fitting that on the inside of the front and back 2 pieces of the box (16" have the 3/8" x 3/4" to fit that side in) 

Sorry it's premative, but it's pretty easy if you just remember 3/4" pine wood needs to be be fit inside, so your cutting 3/4" half the width and that's 3/8" depth. The frame rests are 5/8" Depth ( TOP TO BOTTOM FOR FRAME TO drop IN) Cutting away 3/8" depth half the thickness of a 3/4" pine board. The sides (LONGEST BOARDS) fit inside the rabbit joints. 

Cheers


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

For 10 frame equipment...depth varies depending on type of super. Deep, medium, shallow, half depth, etc.

Length of sides remain the same. 

Long side boards are 19 1/8 long by depth of super...9 5/8, 6 5/8, 5 3/4, etc.

Short sides are 16 1/4 long by depth of super. A 3/4" rabbet is cut on each end, 3/8" deep. These accept the long boards. A 5/8" rabbet is cut along one long edge, same depth as the 3/4" rabbets. This is the frame rest.


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## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

Michael Palmer said:


> For 10 frame equipment...depth varies depending on type of super. Deep, medium, shallow, half depth, etc.
> 
> Length of sides remain the same.
> 
> ...


'

You must still be in the house. Seeing snow still?


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## jbraun (Nov 13, 2013)

Branman gave you the information that I use and it works well for me! The 16 1/4" piece is the only one that you use dadoes on.


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

frustrateddrone said:


> '
> 
> You must still be in the house. Seeing snow still?


Still snow here. Good general cleansing flight yesterday. In Detroit airport, headed for Winnipeg. Still a few weeks of shop work. Should be looking at bees later in March.


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## Gumpy (Mar 30, 2016)

Matt J said:


> Anyone have a link for plans to build a 10 frame Deep with rabbet joints? This would be with 3/4" 1x12's


Don't rip your 1x12 first. When you build the box, build it to the full width of the 1x12. After the glue cures, set the table saw to the width of you box (9 5/8) and run the 4 sides across to give you your proper deep height, plus a 1 1/2" shim which can be used for a feeder shim or top entrance or candy board, or insulation board, etc. Saves time, eliminates waste.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

We had 4-5 days in the upper-60s into the mid-70s... bunch of maples bloomed, bees got all excited... now showing no flying weather until mid-March...

Typical. Glad I've got sub on them early this year.


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

Matt when using those 1" x 12"s cut that top 1 1/2" or so off the top as a whole one piece.You will have lots of uses for it later.Pieces for bottom boards,pieces to go around top covers,side handles on boxes and other things.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

Didn't mean to bump off topic. The math is pretty simple if you think it through.

Otherwise:
https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/aben-plans/6231.pdf

Shows plans for a hive made out of 3/4" plywood, but the dimensions shouldn't be any different than for 3/4" dimensional lumber.
I always dado'd everything before I ripped it to final width... mainly so that if I screwed up the frame rest, I'd still be able to get a good one in the other side and then rip off the bad part. I don't think I had any issue. Dado blades are awesome.


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## Gazelle (May 17, 2015)

Gumpy said:


> Don't rip your 1x12 first. When you build the box, build it to the full width of the 1x12. After the glue cures, set the table saw to the width of you box (9 5/8) and run the 4 sides across to give you your proper deep height, plus a 1 1/2" shim which can be used for a feeder shim or top entrance or candy board, or insulation board, etc. Saves time, eliminates waste.


Wow! Great idea!!


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

If you are going to use a rabbet joint then cut the rabbets on the end board (so that you don't have to cut a tab to fill the frame rest rabbet. This means that you cut the side boards 3/4" shorter than for a box joint, or 19-1/8" while the end boards are the same size as a box joint board, or 16-1/4". 

The end board has a 3/8" deep by 3/4" wide rabbet across the two side edges, and a 3/8 x 5/8" deep rabbet across the top edge for the frame rest, bottom edge has no rabbet.

Edit to another tip, depending on how well your shop is set up. If you have a planer, or a bandsaw that can resaw 12" then 2x12 douglas fir lumber is usually less expensive than 1x12 white pine. 

I take a 2x12 and plane the crown side flat.
I resaw it on my bandsaw to 7/8" thick from the side I just flattened. 
I plane the bandsaw cut side until the board is 3/4" thick. 
If you don't have a bandsaw then you can skip step 2 and plane it all the way down, its just a lot of passes. 
Keep the planer shavings for smoker fuel and quilt box fill.
The result is a nice flat board that isn't warped for less money.


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

Gazelle said:


> Gumpy said:
> 
> 
> > Don't rip your 1x12 first. When you build the box, build it to the full width of the 1x12. After the glue cures, set the table saw to the width of you box (9 5/8) and run the 4 sides across to give you your proper deep height, plus a 1 1/2" shim which can be used for a feeder shim or top entrance or candy board, or insulation board, etc. Saves time, eliminates waste.
> ...


It is a great idea but a word of caution is called for.

If you use any nails, screws, or staples, be careful to not place any close to where you will make the cutoff. Your table saw blade won't like it very much, and worst case you might have to make a trip to the ER where your doctor will become your seamstress.


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## GSkip (Dec 28, 2014)

Matt J said:


> Anyone have a link for plans to build a 10 frame Deep with rabbet joints? This would be with 3/4" 1x12's


Lots of good info here only thing I would add is your interior measurements are very important so measure the interior of a box. As they say "don't ask how I know"!!!!&#55357;&#56900;


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## Matt J (Feb 26, 2016)

Lots of great info. Thank you for all the replies!


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## tazke (Mar 23, 2015)

Since I make all my own boxes I do a 3/4 rabbet all three sides of the end boards. The 1/8 difference is negated since all my boxes the same. Also I handle the board one less time. I do batches of 100 at a time and use a shaper to cut the rabbets. 

Keep in mind square cuts are very important, if not you can end up with a wobble in the box after assembly. 

I built a jig to square each box and clamp it in place. I mounted it on a old chair swivel mounted on a post on a old tire rim. I drill the holes and my wife puts in the screws.


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## patncin (Jun 10, 2016)

Michael which boxes last longer rabbet or finger?


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## Mike Gillmore (Feb 25, 2006)

Gumpy said:


> Don't rip your 1x12 first. When you build the box, build it to the full width of the 1x12. After the glue cures, set the table saw to the width of you box (9 5/8) and run the 4 sides across to give you your proper deep height, plus a 1 1/2" shim which can be used for a feeder shim or top entrance or candy board, or insulation board, etc. Saves time, eliminates waste.


Great suggestion. I do the same thing to make feeder rims and SBB's. 

Something else to consider. 

Clamp or nail the boxes together upside down, with the top edge of the box on the table. You want all of the top edges to be flush when they are assembled. 

Sometimes you will end up with uneven edges on the bottom side due to minor variations in board width. Before cutting off the excess material for rims, set up your fence so you are able to just barely trim all four sides of the bottom edges. Then proceed with cutting off the excess material. You'll end up with rims that are nice and flush on both the top and bottom edges.


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## Gumpy (Mar 30, 2016)

Also, if you happen to end up with a box that wobbles a bit because the corners are not quite level, use a jack plane to take a few shavings off the offending corner and get the corners true again. That way you won't have gaps between your boxes.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Have built lots of rabbeted boxes.
My procedure:
1) Cut everything to length
2) Rips
3) Dado the fronts and backs
4) Assembly
5) Paint

I save the rips for shims and bottom boards. If you're careful on #4 you get perfection.
When I buy a stack of 1 x 12's there is always a few that are not exactly the same width. #2 makes every piece the same exact width.
Can make them hasty quick and fairly cheap compared to the supply houses. 
Am different I guess.


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## Matt J (Feb 26, 2016)

$28 for a 1x12 in my area. I think it's gonna be hard to beat finding a sale on precut boxes. Thanks for all the info!


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## Branman (Aug 20, 2003)

Matt J said:


> $28 for a 1x12 in my area. I think it's gonna be hard to beat finding a sale on precut boxes. Thanks for all the info!


That is insanely expensive. You should be able to find a 1 x 12 x 8' for like $13 at a Lowes and a local sawmill for half that.

https://m.lowes.com/pd/Common-1-in-...75-in-x-11-25-in-x-8-ft-Pine-Board/1000070173


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## Ddawg (Feb 17, 2012)

Matt J said:


> Anyone have a link for plans to build a 10 frame Deep with rabbet joints? This would be with 3/4" 1x12's


http://www.dummies.com/home-garden/...g/cut-list-for-the-ten-frame-langstroth-hive/

I have built the complete hives with these plans using rabbet joints, I really like them. They do give the dimensions for rabbet joints too, even though the pics show finger.


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