Budget hives

[parkranger]

Has anyone tried a M***SEMORE budget hive?.
I have a few T****es and wondered if they are the same quality? (which to be honest, so far have been quite acceptable.)

 

[Illo]

I haven't tried the budget range, but most of my (ever increasing hoard of) kit is masies seconds that they make available in the winter and seasonal sales. You may need to shave a bit off here and there, or do a bit of judicious woodworkery, but overall the quality is just fine. I've never had any problems with big knots falling out of brood boxes/supers or that sort of thing. Frames - expect to lose a few through knot placement. But no complaints, and the prices are good.

LJ

 

[barratt_sab]

I too have been perfectly happy with the Th##nes budget nationals (14x12). This year I decided to see what the M##semore versions were like and put two together on Friday.

On the basis of my small sample:

The M floors are better than the T ones. They come made up and they seem to me to be more sturdy - and they've used staples not drawing pins on the mesh.

The boxes (14 x 12 BB and two supers) were seconds quality, but no better or worse than the T version. They all went together fine. One minor bit of filling was needed - but it was really tiny (smaller than a 5p coin).

The crown boards looked like first quality to me, and I couldn't see much wrong with the roofs either. I didn't like the nails they sent to attach the battens inside the roof, so I replaced them with 8 screws instead. The nails to hold the tin on were much better than the ones T send - thick enough to go through the tin without bending (only one layer).

I haven't made up the frames, but they look no worse than any other seconds frames I've had from T or W#nne J.

I have used the foundation (I had a job lot of frames I made up over the winter waiting for foundation). It was fine - good width and it seemed quite fresh.

Each hive came with an entrance block, two porter escapes and a varroa board. Unlike T, M don't send you any glue, but you get plenty of nails.

I am entirely happy with the hives - and will be using them again.

 

[parkranger]

Barratt & Illo - thanks for that !

 

[herefordshirehoney]

If you're going budget dont forget to balance up poly hive's as they tend to be cheaper again. I would not choose wood after my overwintering experience and also spring build up once it got going over excelerated wood. Don't forget the age old compatibility if you go this route though.

I only have two hives and never had bees before so im only comparing to what I see with the association visits, a lot is having a good queen too though.

 

[itma]

I've bought T's sale seconds in the past.
For less money, and zero assembly, I'm now buying P@ine's poly. The bees do VERY well in them. You can't put a shallow direct onto the floor (so no nadir-ing), and they are greatly improved by a rigid wire qx, a proper polycarb coverboard, and two coats of dark paint - looks are not a strong point!

// for real cheapskates, Maisies are offering flatpack nationals in 'deal' rather than cedar.

 

[astabada]

Got a "bees on a budget" hive from Th**ne last week, super cracked on the corner and these are the frames I got.

The following day I bought a spare brood box from Caddon Hives, only 36£ (14"x12")! It's ten times better! Better wood, better service. I even got a few frames for free!

I'm probably going to buy from T***ne on their sales day, their hives are really too expensive!

 

[Swarm]

I wouldn't buy a budget hive from T, the ones from Maiseys have much better joints and are sturdier looking. Nothing wrong with their deal hives either, still better than T 2nds.

 

[itma]

Got a "bees on a budget" hive from Th**ne last week, super cracked on the corner and these are the frames I got.
...

Phone them up about it. Offer to send photos.
You'll be knocking on an open door.

One big justification for T's prices is their excellent customer service.
They really don't like customers to be dissatisfied.

 

[theeggman]

I'm now buying P@ine's poly. The bees do VERY well in them. You can't put a shallow direct onto the floor (so no nadir-ing), and they are greatly improved by a rigid wire qx, a proper polycarb coverboard, and two coats of dark paint - looks are not a strong point!

With P's you can put a wooden shallow direct onto the floor + mix and match bits above.

Tim

 

[davnig]

Funny about people's diff experiences. I found M's seconds boxes to be of poorer quality than T's seconds, wood was much softer, and I prefer flat rebates and runners to chamfered wood.

I have heard very good things of Caddon's but no personal experience

 

[VEG]

All of my hives are the budget/seconds range. Not had anything really bad with them, they are what they are a budget range. The bees dont mind one bit, I have seen some expensive hives put together very badly by new beeks lol.

 

[astabada]

Phone them up about it. Offer to send photos.
You'll be knocking on an open door.

One big justification for T's prices is their excellent customer service.
They really don't like customers to be dissatisfied.

I tried today and the answer was:
"... it is a discolouration in the timber. It should be absolutely fine to use."

Not really an open door, which I have to say, it's really unsual.

Caddon Hives was a real surprise, the brood box is exactly like (if not better) the one you would get from T***ne and more than 1/3 cheaper.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Funny about people's diff experiences. I found M's seconds boxes to be of poorer quality than T's seconds, wood was much softer, and I prefer flat rebates and runners to chamfered wood.

Never had any problems with T's or Maisies second quality stuff, never had bad dead knots or anything, true you get the odd frame failure but at the price you're paying for them you're still the winner and, Astabada, it is only discoloured wood so it doesn't affect the frame thus i wouldn't have expected them to change it - as for the chamfered edges - I prefer them in the supers (castellations sit nicely against them). But I don't like them in the brood so I shave them off to put the runners on. so my hives are a mix - Maisies supers and big T's broods on the whole.

 

[itma]

I tried today and the answer was:
"... it is a discolouration in the timber. It should be absolutely fine to use."

Not really an open door, which I have to say, it's really unsual.

...

Unusual indeed for them.
As I believe the manky-looking frames would be.

But what did they say about the cracked super?

 

[davnig]

Unusual indeed for them.
As I believe the manky-looking frames would be.

But what did they say about the cracked super?

manky looking but look fit for purpose and they are seconds, won't be able to notice after a cpl months

 

[psafloyd]

I have had failures with T seconds. One super where the lug WAS a knot and fell off.but they replaced the piece immediately as accepted not fit for purpose.

Had a crappy brood box, too, but wood looked ok, just split. Will complete with no 8 wood screws.

 

[barratt_sab]

...I prefer flat rebates and runners to chamfered wood.

Sorry - I forgot about that difference. I'm with you on this one - ages ago I got a job lot of runners from a "metalwork for beekeepers" company and I set the sides of the bb a couple of mm lower and fit runners to the M hives.

 

[astabada]

Unusual indeed for them.
As I believe the manky-looking frames would be.

But what did they say about the cracked super?

That is the only reply I got, they didn't mention the crack in the super.
I'm very dissappointed, I mean I understand I bought second choice products but still, I paid 175£ ! You would expect it to be ok, am I wrong?

Especially when you're buying online and have no way to see the hive before paying!

 

[BeeJayBee]

That is the only reply I got, they didn't mention the crack in the super.
I'm very dissappointed, I mean I understand I bought second choice products but still, I paid 175£ ! You would expect it to be ok, am I wrong?

Especially when you're buying online and have no way to see the hive before paying!

I'd be disappointed too. Seconds should be serviceable and fit for purpose.

It isn't very good PR.