Maisemore seconds sale

[666bees]

Anyone ordered any, wondered what the quality was like. Rang them and they said they could contain splits.

 

[PaleoPerson]

Got some frames this week, absolute C**p.

Seconds should be seconds and still fit for purpose. Not unusable.

So disappointed, they are still in my car.

 

[Queens59]

Splits, knots both present and missing and 'tears' in the wood - but luckily my order was usable. Wood glue into the tears, and careful nail placement should hopefully cure any problems.

Just for info I bought the bits to make up a national - but you get what you pay for I guess - if I had bought best quality from them - according to their own pages it would have cost £211 for the national and almost £30 for my 14x12 WBC BB, I paid £95 in total...which I just afforded.

 

[666bees]

Thanks was going to order roof,brood boxes etc not now. Like you said seconds should still be ok just marked or extra knotts in them.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Thanks was going to order roof,brood boxes etc not now. Like you said seconds should still be ok just marked or extra knotts in them.

well i found maisemore second supers them better than the thornes seconds supers i bought last year though a floor has quite a rough split

sn1 frames though yes about 8 out of ten but then thornes arent that good either if you buy seconds

 

[Queens59]

666 my roof and BB kits seem OK - I see no reason they wouldn't go together. Haven't seen Thornes, but I would order from Maisemores again.

 

[PaleoPerson]

Comparing 'like for like' Thornes seconds quality is higher than Maisemores.

This is one reason why I have started trialling Poly hives.

1/ Financially, it makes sense.
2/ Assembly is quicker and easier.
3/ They are lighter.
4/ Claims about overall suitability seem better, but this is what I am testing for myself.

I also plan to give plastic frames a try to see how they go.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Comparing 'like for like' Thornes seconds quality is higher than Maisemores.

This is one reason why I have started trialling Poly hives.

1/ Financially, it makes sense.
2/ Assembly is quicker and easier.
3/ They are lighter.
4/ Claims about overall suitability seem better, but this is what I am testing for myself.

I also plan to give plastic frames a try to see how they go.

are you using langstroths or national polys

 

[PaleoPerson]

are you using langstroths or national polys

I have 2 Langstroths and one National, but only one of each in use at the moment.

 

[Ruth85]

my order arrived really quickly, the quality is good, i have even ordered more, ordered frames, 14x12 BBs, roof, OMF, supers etc all gd quality

 

[psafloyd]

Comparing 'like for like' Thornes seconds quality is higher than Maisemores.

This is one reason why I have started trialling Poly hives.

1/ Financially, it makes sense.
2/ Assembly is quicker and easier.
3/ They are lighter.
4/ Claims about overall suitability seem better, but this is what I am testing for myself.

I also plan to give plastic frames a try to see how they go.

Where did you get your poly from and where can you get plastic frames from, Paleo?

 

[BKF Admin]

Member Rooftops on the forum owns Modern beekeeping,I keep hearing really good feedback from members who have ordered from him.

Give him a shout or Google for his website,he maybe able to help as he does loads of poly/plastic stuff.

I dont very often push members companies on the forum but credit where it's due he seems to be doing things right.

 

[taff..]

Member Rooftops on the forum owns Modern beekeeping,I keep hearing really good feedback from members who have ordered from him.

Give him a shout or Google for his website,he maybe able to help as he does loads of poly/plastic stuff.

I dont very often push members companies on the forum but credit where it's due he seems to be doing things right.

I agree, and if he can manage to get poly 14x12's as well as nationals I feel he'll have a lot of customers for them

 

[PaleoPerson]

Where did you get your poly from and where can you get plastic frames from, Paleo?

As Admin says.

I got my Langstroth stuff from Modern Beekeeping aka Rooftops on forum. The National came indirectly from Highland Bees Supplies

The National has had a bit more use for swarm collecting than the Langstroths but now houses a colony. I am overwintering two colonies this winter and hope both are OK to do a full year next year. So by this time next year I will have my mind made up based on MY experience with MY bees.

I (we) had planned to have four colonies by this time of the year, and yes, it went a bit wrong as we are going into the winter with twelve. Financially, the seconds route is the only option for us. I would dearly love to have all my hives made by Tom Bick, we have some of his stuff, including a custom national and they are excellent, but again finances dictate.

However, when you start comparing the prices of Poly vs Seconds or to put it another way, First Quality Poly (there are no seconds) vs Second Quality Cedar, Poly wins out.

I.E. Maisemore Sale National = £84.00 excl QE.
Poly Lang (4012) = £84.00 c/w QE

The poly hives are available 365 days of the year. You have to wait until the sales to get anywhere near the price with Thornes or Maisemores where some of the equipment will be firewood. No good mid summer when you open the hives in an out apiary and go "Oh crap, I need to spend money NOW!"

This all said, I have bought some equipment last week and I will buy more before the end of the year. Then, Hopefully, I will cease buying seconds from then on (That is the dream, but it may be ).

Sorry for the long post, but I have just been signed off work for a few weeks, so expect long rants whilst I have the time on my hands

 

[oliver90owner]

First Quality Poly (there are no seconds)

Beware! Some poly hives which are sold might not be called seconds but are of a lower quality - usually lower density of the material. That may mean that your not necssarily 'cheaper', but 'lower quality', hive is chewed away by the bees in less than 5 years.

I am trialling Modern Beekeeping nucleus hives as 14 x 12 and will be ordering a 14 x 12 National at my earliest opportunity. The 'most' adjacent BKA to us bought a pallet of poly Langstroths from there last year. Not heard, or seen, anything to complain about yet.

Regards, RAB

 

[jezd]

Just in the interest of balance as everyone keeps blowing smoke up a certain someones backside. My first expereince with Modern Beekeeping was far from perfect in terms of processing the order, I had no end of issues with it and it went on and on. All down to one person being on leave. I would/will buy from them again but I will be very carefull of the terms and paperwork side.

You cant fault the quality of the end product from Finland mind (is it Findland? forgot lol).

Everyone should also keep in mind that Poly kit is not the solution to all issues and does have its drawbacks. All needs painting for UV protection and the slightest gust will blow it away - dont just ignore this stuff.

Just on Maisemore, they seem to get these complaints every year regards seconds and from memory are well know for poor customer service on returning items.

JD

 

[Somerford]

Well, perhaps I'll buck the trend here and sing Maisemore's merits ! I have always got on with Eric, his sons and his team who work like trojans 7 days a week most weeks of the year to keep up with demand. His first quality hives are excellent and his discerning eye will reject any with knots in (as per 1st quality requirements!) Yes you get the odd hairline split in a piece of Canadian cedar, but that's life.

I have never had an issue exchanging a product on the rare occasion I have had to.

Just made up some softwood roofs, cedar 14x12s and they are great.

regards

Somerford

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

Can't comment on quality of there product yet, after spending £1500+ with them on the 04/10, they still have not arrived!!!!

 

[PaleoPerson]

Just in the interest of balance as everyone keeps blowing smoke up a certain someones backside. My first expereince with Modern Beekeeping was far from perfect in terms of processing the order, I had no end of issues with it and it went on and on.

JD

Yes, I had a problem with one order, however, I accept that mistakes will and do happen. What is important to me, is the way they are resolved. Modern Beekeeping resolved without issue. Thornes have always excelled at resolving problems to the point where I would accept that they went beyond the call of duty. If a company is bad at customer care or reneges on their word, then I do not deal with them again, simples.

So saying that, customer care is not what I am focussing on here, it is the quality of the actual product.

First Quality Poly (there are no seconds)

Beware! Some poly hives which are sold might not be called seconds but are of a lower quality - usually lower density of the material. That may mean that your not necssarily 'cheaper', but 'lower quality', hive is chewed away by the bees in less than 5 years.

I am trialling Modern Beekeeping nucleus hives as 14 x 12 and will be ordering a 14 x 12 National at my earliest opportunity. The 'most' adjacent BKA to us bought a pallet of poly Langstroths from there last year. Not heard, or seen, anything to complain about yet.

Regards, RAB

Agreed ref lower quality/density, but you will not find model abc sold as density 1 and a lower priced version of same at density 2 (least not that I have seen). This is down to manufacturers specifications.

I too have the Jumbo Langstroth with 14x12 frames in trial, the winter will tell.

 

[nonstandard]

I have 2 Langstroths and one National, but only one of each in use at the moment.

Just wondering where you got your national poly from, oh and I don't s'pose anyone does a 14 x 12 poly?