5-Frame Mating Nuc

thingiverse

This project is inspired by, but not a modification of, Johno's mating nuc w/frame posted by @milsimlabs: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:335627. Johno also created a 5-frame version with a top-feeder, so I cobbled up my own take on that idea. Most parts are based on my original Mini Mating Nuc with an internal feeder. The frames and entrance disk are interchangeable. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5155282 The Plexiglass inner cover allows opening the nuc without immediately letting the bees fly. The clear inner surface should enable them to get used to the light and settle down before opening the inner cover. It is an optional part. There is an integral queen excluder designed into the bottom of the feeder, allowing bees access to the feeding area. These were created in Tinkercad and are available there if you want to remix them: Assembled 5-Frame Nuc: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/eYHJiG0Zhrq 5-Frame Nuc: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/ipSjURZS5M2 5-Frame Nuc Lid: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/2xbphcmDnmi 5-Frame Nuc Inner Cover: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/g3AGN2hxCIF 5-Frame Nuc Feeder: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/jxSLNCHxRVf 5-Frame Nuc Feeder Lid: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/kYrtNJTyya4 Mating Nuc Entrance Disk: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/4uQS8D5YCL2 Mating Nuc Frame - with Foundation: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/8izvw1QIwaH Mating Nuc Frame - for Commercial Foundation: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/lGRn3Uawez0 Mating Nuc Frame - Foundationless: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/enKmli0ALtO Attach the Entrance Disk with an M3x6 screw. The threads should be snug enough to allow screwing into the box without using a nut. If you wish to use a piece of Plexiglass over the frames under the lid, a piece of 3/16" or 5mm thick, 132mm X 178mm, will fit over the frames. I have also included an SVG for laser cutting the piece. The frame to hold the commercial foundation will accept a typical 4mm thick foundation, cut down to 88mm W x 100mm H. The honeycomb scad library is from @pruby's OpenSCAD Parametric Honeycomb & Foundation Library: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4025172 12/29/21 Update: **Updated Frames** Stiffened cross-bars to reduce flexing, limited queen cell notch to one side **Updated Inner Cover** Increased size of cut-out to match queen excluder passage to feeding area 01/09/22 Update: I was informed that there was a very tight clearance between the nuc and the feeder. After I did some checking I realized this was because I measured a dimension incorrectly, resulting in the mating groove not being where it should have been. I fixed this and if you already have everything else printed you should be fine. As I was checking the layup, I noticed I was off by a mm in thickness on the long walls of the nuc. This is likely something only I would have noticed, and if you already have it printed the new feeder will fit it fine. I had to also make a new inner cover for the change to the nuc.