If you had to start again..

[pargyle]

I started with national and 14x12s and wbc , I only have wbc and national now frames are interchangeable between them both and I love using single brood ,double brood and demaree I wouldn’t change anything I’m also more than happy with my bee choice as well .

I'm surprised you are running WBC's. Pretty though they are I would have thought that the lifts are a PITA for an operation of the size you have now. What's your rationale for keeping them ?

 

[Curly green finger's]

I'm surprised you are running WBC's. Pretty though they are I would have thought that the lifts are a PITA for an operation of the size you have now. What's your rationale for keeping them ?

I only have 10 and probably won’t have more .
I use a wbc as a demo hive ( no bees) at fairs and festivals.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I'm surprised you are running WBC's. Pretty though they are I would have thought that the lifts are a PITA for an operation of the size you have now. What's your rationale for keeping them ?

I run a few WBC’s for clients and to be honest they are not a great pain except for being too low for my back. Mine have national boxes within the lifts so they are basically the same.

 

[BigAshW]

I started on commercial kit as that was what my mento used. I now have commercial broods using Hoffman frames and a mix of national and commercial supers.

I'm slowly getting rid of the manley frames in the supers as I've settled on castellations with sn1 frames as the best for my set up.

If I was starting again however looking at the incredibly cheap wooden langstroth hives on eBay compared to the cost of national kit at the big suppliers, I'd go with langstroth especially as there's plenty of suppliers of frames, feeders etc whereas commercial kit is hard to find now.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I run a few WBC’s for clients and to be honest they are not a great pain except for being too low for my back. Mine have national boxes within the lifts so they are basically the same.

I agree the stands are low wbc brood boxes make good bait hives and use national instead

 

[Pembroke]

I used to use commercials but if I was to start again it would probably be in Warre's just for a total change, and the joy of keeping the bees rather than harvesting loads of honey every year.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the joy of keeping the bees rather than harvesting loads of honey every year.

yes, that must be a hell of a burden
have you thought of keeping ants?

 

[Tom_hib]

..what set up would you go for? Or would you go exactly the same? What is your beekeeping set up? I am undecided myself, I'd possibly find a cheap source of Langstroth all mediums