# Cedar Nuc



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

Kenww... If you want to make five frame nucs you will need 9 inches for the front and rear.(7 1/2 inside width). If you are using butt joints the 7 1/4 placed inside the sides, would give you a tight fit, (maybe too tight) as the inside should be 7 1/2 inches. 

Most cedar (there are several kinds of cedar), does not really have to be painted. With glue and nails it should be O.K..

cchoganjr


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

Thanks. Guess Ill stick with the 7.5.


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## rweakley (Jul 2, 2004)

Kenww said:


> I just bought some cedar to build two double five frame medium nucs. Probably would have used pine but it was only about 20 % higher and i dont like painting all that much.I'm using 1x8s. I was thinking of using the full 7 1/4 width of the board for the height of the box. Will that leave too much room at the bottom? If the ends were 7 1/4 x 7 1/4, I could stand them up so the sides wouldn't have to screwed into the end grain. I believe this would be much stronger. Would that make the inside too narrow? If I don't paint them will glue hold up withou the paint to protect it?


 If you use a good glue like tite bond II the bond will be stronger than the surrounding wood after setting up. the nails or screws are there just to hold it till glue dries. So if the cedar can handle the weather then so can the glue.


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

rweakley said:


> If you use a good glue like tite bond II .


rweakley... Isn't Titebond III, allegedly, better than Titebond II for applications where the glue and wood is exposed to weather. If anyone knows, I would be interested in hearing which is better for bee hives.

cchoganjr


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## rweakley (Jul 2, 2004)

Cleo C. Hogan Jr said:


> rweakley... Isn't Titebond III, allegedly, better than Titebond II for applications where the glue and wood is exposed to weather. If anyone knows, I would be interested in hearing which is better for bee hives.
> 
> cchoganjr


 Everyone has their own opinion, but according to tite bond's website the only difference between II and III as far as waterproof is that 3 survives being boiled and 2 doesn't. So for our purposes 2 should be just fine and it's a little cheaper.


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Either Titebond is fine, but I prefer III because it's designed for constant immersion -- we can get weeks of wet weather in the winter. In a box joint, the glue really just seals the fingers to keep water out, the strength of the joint is in the construction. The nails just keep it from coming apart.

I would paint cedar anyway, but that's just me. 

I do recommend that you get ZINC GALVANIZED nails, preferably hot-dipped. Avoid the "galvanized" nails that are just coated with plastic that is silvery colored, as driving them always scrapes off almost all the coating on the head and they rust like crazy. Properly galvanized nails DO NOT RUST (the box says that the plastic coating is not there to prevent rusting!). Even if you paint non-rusted nail head look and work better.

You won't like the looks of the boxes with large black stains and rust streaks.

Peter


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

Thanks for the advice. 

I didn't know there were galvanized nails that didnt use zinc. MAybe that's what came with my medium boxes from kelly. They didnt seem galvanized at all. I didn't use them. The boxes were good quality and tight joints. I had a fixer upper house once with wood siding and some nails were rusty. I drove them into the wood as far as I could, filled the hole with caulk, and painted. The rust came through it in a couple years.

I had already ordered T B II. It sounded like the III sets up too fast?


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

rweakley... yes, I searched, and found the same that you found. I had always used III and had never even looked at Titebond II. I don't know how much cheaper it is, but, Titebond III has always served me well, so, I think I will stay with it. Thanks.

Edited to add...... I have never had any problems with Titebond III setting too fast. In reading the literature, the Titebond II may have a slightly better tack power if you needed it. But, tack is not a factor in most bee hive applications. Perhaps in 45degree angle cuts in making a top screen for movement or ventilation, but not in box/rabbet joints. 

psfred is one of the experts here on building, so I will defer to his judgement.

cchoganjr


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## arrowwood (Apr 11, 2012)

Titebond 2 resists water well, but can't take submerged applications, has a fast set up time, dry in minutes

Titebond 3 has about 45 minute dry time and is "waterproof"

For bee boxes either is great, for boats use 3

2 is a few dollars cheaper per gallon


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

I think they came out good and only costs about 30 for each double medium. I used solid bottoms and attached them. I can't decide what size hole to use. Any suggestions? Also would you put it near the bottom? Should there be any other ventilalation?

Thanks


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## rwlaw (May 4, 2009)

I use titbond lll personally, according to the distributor it's food grade after setting, plus observing my shirts after many washings, I have complete confidence in it LOL.
The nails I use are called Maze splitnots, they have a good galvanized coating and as they're a ringshank I don't have to worry about they ever backing out. And look ma, not rust! The ones I use {8d I think} are a pain as they're 3", just gotta start em straight.
As far a ventilationg goes, IMO one hole ins't enough, maybe make a couple in the top and put some screen on em, at least a couple 1"ers front and back


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