Seconds in the sales

[deemann1]

I usually make my own kit but I see one of the big suppliers are selling 2nds supers at a great price , any1 buy these what kind of defects are on 2nds equipment?

 

[nantmoel]

I usually make my own kit but I see one of the big suppliers are selling 2nds supers at a great price , any1 buy these what kind of defects are on 2nds equipment?

I only ever buy seconds, nothing wrong with them, you might get a one or two bad frames in 100. Supers and BB's are just not worth making, I've been there, just not worth the effort, by the time you travel to but the cedar, diemention it then join it all. A super for £12.50 and a BB for £15.50 - do the maths.

 

[WoodenBeam]

90% of my equipment has been bought as 2nd’s which has been fine............I’m not in the mind to buy thirds again though

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I usually make my own kit but I see one of the big suppliers are selling 2nds supers at a great price , any1 buy these what kind of defects are on 2nds equipment?

They're not really seconds, they are actually sold as 'second quality' the main features are:
They are made from sustainable British cedar not imported Canadian timber, so they do have a few more knots
The 'quality control' isn't quite so stringent so you get a few dead knots and very occasionally a crack which usually is more of an issue with the odd unusable frame part than the boxes
The finish on the woodwork is a bit rougher

I have made up hundreds of supers/brood boxes, not one thus far has been unusable and maybe one, perhaps two have needed a minor repair (fill in a knot hole, fix a small split)
As for the frames, I think of the thousands I've made up, only a handful of frame parts have gone straight into the fire.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I only ever buy seconds, nothing wrong with them, you might get a one or two bad frames in 100. Supers and BB's are just not worth making, I've been there, just not worth the effort, by the time you travel to but the cedar, diemention it then join it all. A super for £12.50 and a BB for £15.50 - do the maths.

I agree, I enjoy playing with cedar (and get it very cheap) so continue to make anything special like nuc boxes but for the convenience and value for money you can't beat 2nds in the sales.

 

[simonforeman]

What's everybody's views on the super and BB 3rds? They are very very cheap if only need slight work to make them right?

I thought I bought some last year but I now think they were 2nds.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What's everybody's views on the super and BB 3rds? They are very very cheap if only need slight work to make them right?

I thought I bought some last year but I now think they were 2nds.

Apparetly the thirds are just that, pot luck what you get, some bits may be totally unusable and non returnable, but apparently well worth taking a punt, just be prepared to do some work on them

 

[Parsonage Bees]

What's everybody's views on the super and BB 3rds? They are very very cheap if only need slight work to make them right?

I thought I bought some last year but I now think they were 2nds.

More than slight work required. Managed to make 9 boxes and 4 ekes out of 10 last year. Took a few hours to plug all the holes and fill the rotten bits. Which you won't have to bother with if you splash out on 2nds. And I was careful to pick bundles where the pieces DIDN'T have bark on the outside.

 

[simonforeman]

Father in law lives in Lincoln so may go over and see him and take a punt on some of the super 3rds.....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Father in law lives in Lincoln so may go over and see him and take a punt on some of the super 3rds.....

even if you throw half of it on the fire, it's good value

 

[AndyJ01]

Not the prettiest, but completely serviceable. I bought some two years ago and had two planks that were unusable, I got in touch and they just posted out replacements. I think they still need to be 'fit for purpose' even as thirds.

 

[deemann1]

Ordered 10 supers after, thanks for feedback

 

[simonforeman]

I got to the sale at 08.15 and joined the long queue. 3rds started selling at 09.00 by the time I got to the front they had been picked over and only supers left of all Nat formats.

Just one observation that I disagree with and given feedback to the sales staff...

They were limited to the amount you could buy, But couples were getting double on a trolley and paying separately.
It was not against the sale rules but allot of people behind me were left with nothing so could of been set out better.

 

[Ian123]

Can’t you pre order whatever you want and collect on the day!

 

[simonforeman]

Can’t you pre order whatever you want and collect on the day!

You can everything else apart from the 3rds..... these are sold on the day and you have to queue for the sale to start at 09.00.

 

[Ian123]

Thornes sales are a very tame affair nowadays with all the pre ordering, in the good old days it was survival of the fittest and the number of times people would try and pinch gear off your trolley when your back was turned always made me chuckle!!!

 

[iann41]

I got to the sale at 08.15 and joined the long queue. 3rds started selling at 09.00 by the time I got to the front they had been picked over and only supers left of all Nat formats.

Just one observation that I disagree with and given feedback to the sales staff...

They were limited to the amount you could buy, But couples were getting double on a trolley and paying separately.
It was not against the sale rules but allot of people behind me were left with nothing so could of been set out better.

How do you know the people ahead of you were couples?

I took a female beekeeping friend and we both wanted the max number of brood and supers. I think her 6'4" husband would have something to say about us being a couple.

Can I respectfully suggest that you get yourself out of bed if you want something that badly. I was up at 03.30 to get ready for this sale. Got talking to someone from Bedfordshire with a 2.5 hour drive and he was there before the sun was up. Compared to last year, the que was tiny and as Ian123 says, it's a lot better than previous years where it was like a rugby scrum.

If any one from Thornes is reading this, Well done. All the staff were courteous and everything seemed to go smoothly.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

I got to the sale at 08.15 and joined the long queue. 3rds started selling at 09.00 by the time I got to the front they had been picked over and only supers left of all Nat formats.

Just one observation that I disagree with and given feedback to the sales staff...

They were limited to the amount you could buy, But couples were getting double on a trolley and paying separately.
It was not against the sale rules but allot of people behind me were left with nothing so could of been set out better.

I got my mum, a couple of my kids and a dog walker who happened to be passing to buy some 3rds for me.




Kidding. I turned up late to pick up my order of 2nds. . . . . Ben