Build Your Own: Queen Castle Two Frame by Four

Here is a requested Queen Castle setup. It is a modified standard deep box, so your top cover will work with it. For a bottom board the easiest method would be to fasten a piece of plywood to the bottom. If I get ambitious enough I will make plans for a fancy bottom board so you can forgo cutting holes in the box. This plan assumes you are comfortable with making your own deep, if not check out the tutorial Build Your Own 10 Frame Hive Body.

It is in principal the exact same as a deep hive body except it is taller to accommodate individual wooden inner covers, and has additional dado cuts in the front and back to accept dividers. This queen castle plan uses same size compartments as opposed to other plans that typically have odd sized ones.

You will need:

Rough Pine
Sides - (2) 19 1/8" x 10 1/2" x 7/8"
Front/Back - (2) 16 5/8" x 10 1/2" x 7/8"
Inner Covers - (4) 19 1/8" x 3 1/2" x 7/8"

Plywood Dividers
(2) 19 1/8" x 10 1/2" x 1/4"
(1) 19 1/8" x 10 1/2" x 7/16" (if you cannot find 7/16" plywood, use 3/8" or take 1/2" and sand the ends down to fit)

Floor
(1) 19 1/8" x 16 5/8" (can be made out of anything, plywood works great, just screw evenly to the bottom)

*Sorry, been way to busy making these plans I have not had time to draw out a cutlist for you.

Next create all the dado and rabbet cuts to these dimensions. This may take some time and forethought to accomplish so I suggest laying it out in pencil before attempting to cut it.

When this is accomplished take your sides (they dont need any work done to them yet) and assemble the box.

 Next cut your dividers to these dimensions. You will need two 1/4" pieces, and one 7/16" (or 3/8"). Insert these into box. Do not bother fastening them. Removing them can create different spaces, and configurations to suit your needs.

Take scrap, or rip a 3 1/2" strip of 7/8" pine. Really any thickness will work for the inner covers.

Now take a drill and make a 3/4" to 1" hole for each compartment. Add your dividers attach a floor and you are on your way to making queens.

Variation

For those wanting to use a standard depth hive body. I have included these additional measurements. The inner covers sit on top of the frames, allowing bee passage underneath, whereas the above design does not allow that. This is very similar to the Brush Mountain Queen Castle.

All the measurements for your dividers remain the same. The hive body itself is standard 9 5/8" depth. You will however need to change:

Inner Cover
(2) - 20 1/8" x 4 3/8"
(2) - 20 1/8" x 3 1/2"