Budget hive vs "normal" hive

[Zante]

Looking at Thorne's site (as an example) I see the budget complete hives for £175 and the "normal" complete hives for £300.

https://www.thorne.co.uk/hives-and-bees/bees-on-a-budget/bees-on-a-budget-kits?product_id=5312
https://www.thorne.co.uk/hives-and-bees/hives/national/national-hive-flat?product_id=2092

Now, I understand that they are made of different quality wood, but what does that mean in practical terms? Will the cheap hive fall apart after five years while the expensive one still be good after twenty, or something like that?

 

[denise washington]

ive got thornes and mann lake buget hives had them for 4 years still ok but thornes are a better quality

 

[misterbee82]

The quality of the hive could determine if you have to replace parts of the hive sooner or not. If you think you can make good with the lower quality and get more stuff necessary then it justifies the decision. However if you decide to go with quality either decision has it merits.

 

[Karsal]

Have you not considered a Pynes poly hive.. Ready assembled. Bees love them (warm) cheap.
All I have are poly.

 

[Robbo8916]

I have Thornes budget or 'seconds' that I got in the sale. Two complete hives for £175.

Apart from the odd knot they're perfectly serviceable.

 

[Zante]

I have Thornes budget or 'seconds' that I got in the sale. Two complete hives for £175.

Apart from the odd knot they're perfectly serviceable.

How long ago did you get them, and in what condition are they now?
Did you paint or stain them?

 

[Zante]

Have you not considered a Pynes poly hive.. Ready assembled. Bees love them (warm) cheap.
All I have are poly.

I have, but since they are going to sit in my garden I prefer wood as it looks nicer.
I was even thinking of getting WBCs, but I decided that wooden nationals would be a good compromise between the looks and practicality.

I might still insulate them in winter with a sleeve, but that depends on how cold it gets.

 

[WoodenBeam]

Looking at the links the difference is the budget is second quality so may contains knots (but shouldn't have holes). Perfectly serviceable and should last for years - all mine are seconds & have had no issues with in the last 7/8 years. As they're cedar no requirement to paint.

 

[drex]

All my bought stuff is Thornes seconds. Still looks good after seven years. Painted with Cuprinol clear. You get the occasional knot but the seconds are always serviceable. Of their seconds frames I may have to throw one component out of fifty frames.

 

[Zante]

Ok, looks like I'll be helping myself to seconds, then...

 

[tonyofarr]

We have been using the Thrones 2nd quality/budget hives for years without a problem, you just need to make sure you get everything square and have some wood filler handy for the knots. We have replaced the plastic runners with metal ones to make it easier to clean the equipment between uses with a blow torch. We have also been using the Pa*nes poly nuc boxes for years and we are really happy with them and are thinking of using the poly hives when we need to get more equipment.

 

[Eyeman]

Hi
Take a look at Wynne Jones they have some cedar seconds hives for £109.00.
Great service from Wynne Jones and probably postage free at that price.
Mann Lake have some good offers if you are happy to buy the individual components- there cedar national brood were £12 and supers £9 and if your prepared to do a bit of carpentry then making a crown board and floor isn't tricky.

 

[Cussword]

Solway Bees hives work well.


.

 

[nantmoel]

We bought a load of supers from Thorne in the sale, the are excellent value.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Had a Big T budget hive for seven years or so, now only used as bait hive as I've moved to 14x12, but still works fine

 

[Robbo8916]

How long ago did you get them, and in what condition are they now?
Did you paint or stain them?

Sorry missed that.

I only bought them in January so they are going into their first season this time. One already houses a colony.

I haven't painted them with anything with them being made from cedar. Will see how this one goes and possibly paint the other.

The only issue I came across was that one of the OMFs is slightly raised (1mm or so) at the back corner when on its own. I don't know if that is down to the seconds quality or my poor woodworking skills but soon lays flats once the BB is placed on top.

 

[Zante]

The only issue I came across was that one of the OMFs is slightly raised (1mm or so) at the back corner when on its own. I don't know if that is down to the seconds quality or my poor woodworking skills but soon lays flats once the BB is placed on top.

Hmm... from the description I'd say that's the wood being very slightly warped or misshapen, enough to not qualify for first quality, but not enough to throw away, and the weight of the BB must be bending it back. No real issue though.

Just out of curiosity, is it a deep BB?

 

[Robbo8916]

Hmm... from the description I'd say that's the wood being very slightly warped or misshapen, enough to not qualify for first quality, but not enough to throw away, and the weight of the BB must be bending it back. No real issue though.

Just out of curiosity, is it a deep BB?

Its a standard size. Do you mean 14x12? If so then no lol

The lot I got from them in the sale for my £175 was two brood, two OMFs, two roofs, 3 supers. 100 super frames, 50 brood frames, runners, foundation for one brood and two supers, all nails etc, QE.

Was a bargain really!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just out of curiosity, is it a deep BB?

Its a standard size. Do you mean 14x12?

Just to clear up any misconceptions/confusion the correct terms for national boxes is as follows:

A 'super' taking 14X5½" frames is a shallow

The 'standard' or brood size box taking 14x8½" frames is a deep

The 14x12 box taking (funnily enough) 14x12" frames is a Jumbo but most usually just called a 14x12

 

[Zante]

Just to clear up any misconceptions/confusion the correct terms for national boxes is as follows:

A 'super' taking 14X5½" frames is a shallow

The 'standard' or brood size box taking 14x8½" frames is a deep

The 14x12 box taking (funnily enough) 14x12" frames is a Jumbo but most usually just called a 14x12

Indeed. I got my bad habit of calling the 14x12 "deep" while I was looking at Dartington's long deep hive which uses 14x12 frames.
I dropped the idea of having a Dartington, but the word has stuck with me.