Paynes sale

[jimbeekeeper]

The clear poly sheet seams a good idea, the WPF ones I used last year did not have them.

I will use them, but feel they will be of little or no use very quickly. I did not feel the need for them last year.

I do how ever think the simple hole entrance and disc are great.

 

[drstitson]

"I will use them, but feel they will be of little or no use very quickly. I did not feel the need for them last year."

i have to disagree - the roofs are very thin and i was frightened that if well stuck down with propolis would be prone to snapping on prising open.

also a nice clear "crownboard" enables a quick whip off of roof, assess status and close in all weathers without disturbing the colony.

yes they get covered with propolis and wax. probably good idea to have spares to rotate - that is the route i have taken. look for polycarbonate offcutso on ebay or bite the bullet and order some from a proper supplier.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

"
i have to disagree - the roofs are very thin and i was frightened that if well stuck down with propolis would be prone to snapping on prising open.

.

I used the nucs all last year, and no problems sticking down, or if they did no issue prising open.

They are very strong.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

mine have also ran very well, only issue is wasps eating corners...do the same with cedar and oaks bits as well!

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Interesting though - haven't yet seen a photo of one in action anywhere that is actually painted!!!!! loads of apiary shots have pale green (or grey) boxes scattered about (eg RP article in beecraft)

Here you are doc - beeless but painted

 

[oliver90owner]

They are very strong.

Can you jump up and dow on them like you were pictured doing on a beehaus? You know the one - was it the one that failed with loose legs, later?

 

[The Cumbrian]

They are very strong.

Can you jump up and dow on them like you were pictured doing on a beehaus? You know the one - was it the one that failed with loose legs, later?

I have seen Poly Hive stand on a roof of one and bounce up and down. Can't remember the make but I assume it conformed to the density he frequently quotes.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Didn't PH get onto one of his old Swientys at the demo?

Did anyone see / hear the Beehaus fall off it's legs at the NHS? Fair few sniggering on the neighbouring stalls!

 

[drstitson]

Mons Ab - bit early in the year to be doing an artifical swarm isn't it? Or are you aiming to have a double strength colony ready for the OSR?

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Monsieur Ab what version of green did you use?

 

[jimbeekeeper]

They are very strong.

Can you jump up and dow on them like you were pictured doing on a beehaus? You know the one - was it the one that failed with loose legs, later?

Yes, you can stand on them! Depends on how heavy your are

And the beehaus legs did not fail, I just noted some end flex of the base. Beehaus is still going strong + bees inside. I lookfoward to this year expanding it again.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Mons Ab - bit early in the year to be doing an artifical swarm isn't it? Or are you aiming to have a double strength colony ready for the OSR?

The upper chamber is to take my patent-applied-for bee disco-rama with flashing lights and glitter balls, where the girls can go to dance around their handbags after a hard days forage.

Monsieur Ab what version of green did you use?

The dark green was left over from a Modern Beekeeping order last year, good stuff and only required two coats - though as it was a present I dont know how much it was. Only remembered it after I had started on the cream

The cream was a standard exterior Sandtex which has had 3 coats, and could probably do with a 4th (which I'm not going to do)

 

[Swarm]

If you want green, you can use wood preserver as well.

 

[The Cumbrian]

Request for information.

As a comparative new comer to the forum (i.e. much less than 1 year) a thought crossed my mind on reading this thread today.

The forum is non commercial - and rightly so. Yet this thread has managed to keep a suppliers name almost constantly in view since Christmas Eve. If you mention a supplier in a post it generally ends up as a series of stars why hasn't this one and is it fair to allow one firms name to be so constantly on display when other suppliers names change to stars?

Just curious.

 

[drstitson]

Good point - and many of us do automatically type P*ynes.

However, i think the point is that this is a specific range of products rather than a generic provider of cedar items.

 

[oliver90owner]

I, at least, writted it as paines, when I joined in. I all'ays try to rite sweinty, and lison (or similar) gets the same treatment. Perhaps sweinty is too subtle as goggle picks it up and shows the required websites. Sorry for all those spllin erras.

I think nearly all on the forum (no, most) will know who we mean but other people reading the thread will be dismayed for great swathes, as digeressions are inserted.

The thead has, I feel, indicated that the sale has been a reasonable success but not without numerous glitches. As far as I am concerned (never yet actually purchased anything from them - sales or otherwise) the impression is one of them promptly fixing the errors to the complete satisfaction of the customer. That is very good and I would now shop with them, confident of customer satisfaction (even if not at the first attempt). That is something I cannot say about some other vendors.

I am now ranking them alongside Th8rne, taking into account the apparent relative sizes of operations. How about that for a recommendation?

RAB

 

[drstitson]

Having previously only used the big P for oddments (my 2011 poly nucs were of the WPF grey variety - purchase made solely on price not service grounds) I also have nothing but praise for the service provided for my two recent big orders of poly gear.

Plus good to support entrepreunerial brits beek small businesses that actually care about customer service!!!!!

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Yes it is a nice (British) company to deal with. My local association has now also started using them. Our nucs will be Payne$ for next year (did I spell that right?). I find Payne$, Thorns, Maysmoore and MB$ to be excellent.

 

[flytrapman]

I have got to agree that the major dealers appear to provide a first class service, have had equipment supplied by the big P , T, maise and would add C W Js to the list as well and would not hesitate to recommend any of them

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have got to agree that the major dealers appear to provide a first class service, have had equipment supplied by the big P , T, maise and would add C W Js to the list as well and would not hesitate to recommend any of them