Modified Paynes nuke for queen rearing

[gwizzie]

This has been on the cards now for some time after seeing the modified paynes nuc's that the apiarist did. I decided to try and take out the side of the feeder without damaging it so that I could reuse it for separating the queens!

Here are a few pictures of what it looks like just now:D not finished yet as need to add a few small blocks to the top of each side to stop the queens from meeting:eek:

2594


2595

tools used a Vibrating Oscillating Cutting Saw 2596

glue used gorilla glue as it fills up the cracks and is easy to pick of when cured ;)

As for feeding them I will use a Panyes top feeder that I will have to do a small modification to ;)

I will post more pictures later when its finished.

Any suggestions welcome

[mbc]

I like it, good work.

[fatshark]

Nah ... too neat, no obvious blood splatter. Almost looks professional. Nobody will believe you when you say "all my own work" ... where's the satisfaction in that (other than still having your fingers)?.

PS Seriously, nice job. You filled the gap between the bottom of the wall and the mesh I presume? Is that saw the sort of thing they cut plastercasts off with? I did mine with a breadknife ... I still have the scar tissue :(

[Jon]

You could probably position the wall to allow 4 frames on one side and 3 on the other and eliminate the extra space.
Looks good though and that makes an inexpensive double mating nuc.

[prakel]

not finished yet as need to add a few small blocks to the top of each side to stop the queens from meeting....

....Any suggestions welcome

Other tham complimenting you on a nice job all I can think of off hand would be to suggest that, if possible, you reduce the height of the division slightly and fit one single piece of wood across the top rather than seperate small pieces.

[Beefever]

Can't see any entrance(s) yet?

[gwizzie]

Thanks for the nice comments guys, I have been giving this a lot of thought the last few months as the new season is nearly here and my first year trying my hand at queen rearing :eek:

I will try and answer any questions comment where I can :D


mbc
I like it, good work.

Thanks ;)


fatshark
Nah ... too neat, no obvious blood splatter. Almost looks professional. Nobody will believe you when you say "all my own work" ... where's the satisfaction in that (other than still having your fingers)?.

Hahaha need the fingers


PS Seriously, nice job. You filled the gap between the bottom of the wall and the mesh I presume? Is that saw the sort of thing they cut plastercasts off with? I did mine with a breadknife ... I still have the scar tissue

Not yet all you see in the picture is just dry fitted as thinking of having the center part removable ? (to make 8 frame nuc) so will need to add a thin piece of poly yet to fill that gap. The saw is a DIY saw for cutting wood,plasterboard,plastic pipe ect ect you can buy diff blades for them.


Jon
You could probably position the wall to allow 4 frames on one side and 3 on the other and eliminate the extra space.
Looks good though and that makes an inexpensive double mating nuc.

Thanks for the comment jon, did think of that but might make it a bit on the tight side (but will try it) ?
inexpensive yes that's what I am aiming at :)


prakel
Other tham complimenting you on a nice job all I can think of off hand would be to suggest that, if possible, you reduce the height of the division slightly and fit one single piece of wood across the top rather than seperate small pieces.

Thanks for the comment ;) The smaller bits will be glued the sides and screwed for added support. BUT you might be onto something there ? using a frame top and gluing and screwing it to the polly part could be a possibility to ??


Beefever
Can't see any entrance(s) yet?

LOL thats because I have not made any yet ;) I am thinking of making one at each end and closing up the center one (but not permanent as need if using as nuc)

[prakel]

thinking of having the center part removable ? (to make 8 frame nuc).

Thanks for the comment ;) The smaller bits will be glued the sides and screwed for added support. BUT you might be onto something there ? using a frame top and gluing and screwing it to the polly part could be a possibility to ??

Using one single top bar will solve the issue of having the divison board moveable; this is something which I would think is very desirable as it's not only good for uniting pre-winter but (perhaps more importantly) it offers a quick solution when one side fails to get a queen mated. Much better in my oppinion to unite to the queenright side and then divide again when you're distributing the next round of cells. Averaged over the season I don't believe there's anything to be gained by pushing on, giving new cells to mating nucs which for one reason or another have already failed. Re-unite and give them heart by being part of a queenright family. It does neither side any harm.

As for that vent in the floor, fill it in :). Irrespective of whether you think mating nucs should have floor vents (I don't) I can confidently say that in this case the mesh is definitely in the wrong place (both sides next to the division). It will complicate management of a twin unit....


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Although I've been a big advocate of the miniplus hives (and still like them a lot) I reckon that you're going the right way using standard frames for mating nucs but that's another thread!!

[gwizzie]

Using one single top bar will solve the issue of having the divison board moveable; this is something which I would think is very desirale as it's not only good for uniting pre-winter but (perhaps more importantly) it offers a quick solution when one side fails to get a queen mated. Much better in my oppinion to unite to the queenright side and then divide again when you're distributing the next round of cells. Averaged over the season I don't believe there's anything to be gained by pushing on, giving new cells to mating nucs which for one reason or another have already failed. Re-unite and give them heart by being part of a queenright family. It does neither side any harm.

As for that vent in the floor, fill it in :). Irrespective of whether you think mating nucs should have floor vents (I don't) I can confidently say that in this case the mesh is definitely in the wrong place (both sides next to the division). It will complicate management of a twin unit....


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Although I've been a big advocate of the miniplus hives (and still like them a lot) I reckon that you're going the right way using standard frames for mating nucs but that's another thread!!

Hi Prakel,
Yep I think that having a wooden top bar would be an advantage as you have said ;) (I will try and get this done this week) and post a few pic's.
As this will be my first year of trying to raise my own queens I have a lot to learn, one of the reasons that I wanted the divider to be removable is for the very reason that you have said.

As for the mesh floor, when I look at other kinds of mating nuc's your right they don't have that!!! what I think i will do is add a piece of ply to the bottom (which can be removed) for when I want to return it to normal usage for overwintering bees ;)

As for an entrance NOT sure what i'm going to do as don't think normal one is big enough ? am thinking along the lines of bigger in length (but not to big)

[fatshark]

You'd be surprised at the number of bees that can use a small entrance perfectly well. The old-style Paynes boxes had an entrance about 2cm x 0.75 cm. That's just fine even when run as an eight frame unit. For queen rearing you'll be working with 'weaker' colonies so a small entrance is important. I'd use a piece of plastic pipe glued in place (flush on both inner and outer wall) that I could block with a wine bottle cork.

[The Drone Ranger]

They look pretty good Graham
Better box than a keiler for overwintering a queen either side

[Adam]

Your cutting is much neater than the one I first did with a curved knife. :)

Unlike Prakel, I don't have a problem with mesh floors in nucs. A block of plywood in the hole to ease management when used as a double box is a simple and effective solution. I do agree with Prakel that a 3 frame polystyrene nuc using standard frames is probably a good way to raise queens.

If both sides of the box get good queens, you just need to be careful seperating the two colonies into two boxes (if you don't have an out apiary). It can be done though.

My Paynes boxes are original ones without the rotaing disc and the standard entrance is fine for a very full 8 frame colony. (I had one that was so full that a fist-sized clump of bees hung outside the entrance at night as they couldn't all get in!)

[prakel]

Unlike Prakel, I don't have a problem with mesh floors in nucs.

lol, I have a problem with mesh floors in any hives, it's not restricted to nucs! :).

[mbc]

...... what I think i will do is add a piece of ply to the bottom (which can be removed) for when I want to return it to normal usage for overwintering bees ;)


I believe small colonies overwinter better without a massive draft along the bottom of the frames anyway, so I have cut out push fit bits of cellotex for all my paynes nucs, a simple oval of cellotex with the edges taped with duct tape which pushes in from the bottom and can be removed for transporting the bees without disturbing them. To keep the lids on I have used simple nuc straps from mannlake, at 50p a pop theyre great, and have the added benefit of keeping the cellotex ovals in place.
Maybe a precisely cut bit of ply would be better than the cellotex because they are often chewed a bit by rodents and I shudder a bit at the thought of all the unbiodegradable material accumulating in the environment.

[mbc]

lol, I have a problem with mesh floors in any hives, it's not restricted to nucs! :).

Great for added ventilation when moving bees but apart from this I'm in agreement with you prakel, especially now I've started using oav for varroa control.