Bulk Buying Frames & Foundation

[Somerford]

Along similar lines to that of the jars thread, could interested parties combine their orders for frames and foundation perhaps for Spring next year ?

I was having a cheeky beer (or 4) in the local with PeteinWilts last night and realised that he will probably need something like 12-15 supers & frames next year for his hives, along with well over 100 frames and foundation. I myself will probably need something in the order of 100 super frames & foundation, 50 or so 14x12 frames & foundation.

I am sure the big suppliers would offer a discount if we all joined forces and then we could all save £.

What does everyone think ?

What frames would you want and quantity ?

ditto - foundation ?


I think we'd need to try and get them early 2010 as I for one would want the frames made and ready to go for next season, even if the foundation isn't in them at the time.

thoughts ?!

S

 

[Poly Hive]

Good thinking.

KBS certainly offers a foundation bulk discount and I for one would not consider using any other vendor.

DISCOUNTS
(Payment with order and
applicable only to beeswax foundation.
No discounts for bee-keeping sundries)
Orders over £150 - less 10%
Orders over £300 - less 20%


PH

 

[Somerford]

20% is a very good discount on foundation, PH.

 

[oliver90owner]

PH,

I note the prices are much the same as the Thorne catalogue - excepting these include VAT and Thorne don't! So a fair saving already if the distribution costs can be minimised.

Regards, RAB

 

[thurrock bees]

Good thinking.

KBS certainly offers a foundation bulk discount and I for one would not consider using any other vendor.

kbs?? who are they??

TB

 

[oliver90owner]

Google with bees.

Regards, RAB

 

[hedgerow pete]

yes i would be interested , but i think you will find just like my jar idea everyone loves it untill you ask for names so you can get an idea of what size your looking at then it all goes quiet, i have decided to buy a pallet of jars anyway and what i am planning to do is to sell them one to people who want them

 

[Poly Hive]

I used to bulk buy foundation and do a similar deal with my friends up north, worked well.

KBS foundation has deeper walls on it and the bees love it. Would I buy a certain large suppliers in the UK foundation again, not for the past 20 years or so.

Buy the best forget the rest...

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

Long winter,make your own frames.

 

[BKF Admin]

Would timber not be a problem though Hivemaker?
You would need something that was well seasoned so you dont end up with Banana sticks when the sun comes out.

I would be happy to make my own but would not trust the timber supplier.

 

[Hivemaker.]

I've never had a problem with the timber,dry yes,good quality Scots or Corsican pine.Some are using low quality spruce,warps like hell, utter rubbish for frames.

 

[plumber]

wood for frames

I've thought about makeing my own. 5/6 months till needed and a saving of £200 for the hives I've made. was looking at hemlock nice stable timber what's your opinion of that timber Hivemaker. Have the tools and time but sorcing the wood is the challenge

 

[Somerford]

Long winter,make your own frames.

I value my fingers too much !!

 

[hedgerow pete]

i personal have looked into making my own frames several times up to the point of looking into buying the old machines from mike at easy bee and having a commercial set up going but sevral problems stopped me
1, i dont own a building where i can set up and run the machines,
2, I dont have the staff to do it either
3, staff costs money
4 cost of materials, evan if i were to buy the wood from the dock side at bristol which is one of the cheapest places to get it from in the uk, yes there are other places but bristol is the closest to me, evan at there prices plus transport plus electric plus staff plus other costs plus aardvark what evers, dont forget the aardvark what evers i can still buy them cheeper than i could make them and that is firsts by the way seconds are cheaper still,

so lets turn it upside down and have another look at the proccess????,

why use the classical frame design there was a guy at the spring show that was selling plastic corners so you can build frames from 12mm ply ripped into 20mm wide strips, dont know what they cost but they were there next to his filling cabinate sliding super chamber hive.

why not my old way of doing it get in the car drive to hamburg its about 10 hours from brimingham to germany you know, have a great weekend /weeks holiday go to bienen-voigt and warnholz and we used to but them for around 12pence each for supers and 14pence for 12" by 14", why not try poland for the frames or evan france there are several bee suppliers within 4 hours of dover and i am sure that finman could pass over several more if asked, dont drive ? wht not fly instead of bringing back 2000 **** why not bee equipment !!!!!!!!

and breath.
and start again ,
i am experimenting with an idea with a few friends about another design of frame keeping to the standard outside diamentions of old but building them differantly the joints used normaly were used because the old en days glue only came from dead horses not from the chemists cabinate now we have better and stronger glues to hand could we not use a stable but cheap timber , seal it to prevent the timber absorbing or releasing the moisture and so changing its shape and gluing the joints rather than a old wooden mechanical fixing , hereacy i hear you cry , hive maker get the noose it a fine wake we want for the weekend, but hold on has the town loon not got an idea here ????

ps its harvest moon and a full moon so maybe i am just a luna tic

 

[Hivemaker.]

Hi Plumber
plenty of hemlock growing round here,most of it goes for pulpwood.The hemlock we mill usually gets pressure treated for any farm use,yes it is really a nice timber and have made several interior items of furniture from it,but never tried it for frames,so cannot say if it would distort in small items like this. Tried larch for frames,this was a waste of time,warped,and split too easily when nailing frames together,hemlock is prone to this splitting as well,so now really just stick to the pine..redwood,among other names.Once you have your tools jigged up,it really does not take long to make the frames,and much cheaper than you can buy them anywhere.

 

[mikethebee]

I will need 36,000 B.S.Brood Hoffman anyone want a job for the winter? I have all the equipment and building space required.
NO time wasters

 

[sahtlinurk]

what about using these brackets to fix the sides to the top bar?

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/11529...races-Zinc-Plated-25-x-25-x-16-5mm-Pack-of-10

I need loads of super frames and my head is thinking how to get them as cheap as possible. Making the top bar out of 12 mm ply and using the brackets was the idea.

Lauri