Thornes of stockbridge sale day

[BKF Admin]

If any members are brave enough to attend,Thornes have a sale day on Saturday 26th September at Stockbridge Hants.

 

[JCBrum]

Not cost effective in fuel for me to attend, but would have loved an 'eyeball' with other forumeers.

JC.

 

[steve1958]

Is it worth going.
As this is my first year as a Beekeeper I probably could do with a few odds and ends

 

[JCBrum]

Steve, see the other threads about Thornes Windsor sale last Saturday. If you go for bargains get there very early and queue. Popular stuff is gone in 10 mins or less. Normal stuff at normal prices is available but you don't have to go on sale day to buy that.

Perhaps you might see some local forum members there and have the opportunity to say hello.

 

[wbchive]

Thorne's sales are definitely for the early birds. I went to one at Wragby a few years ago. I got there early but there were still people who'd had time to half fill the back of pick-up trucks and were going back for more. The sale was a bunfight, but the displays and demonstrations were very interesting, particularly a gentleman called Malcolm Fisher who was showing how to make skeps.

Steve

 

[Vortex]

Does anyone have a sale list?

I'm after some Langstroth Brood and Supers, and a couple of queen excluders.
Roofs/floors/crown boards I can makke myself.

 

[andynorton]

I'm going to pop along. Just to clarify the original post, its on Saturday, not Sunday. I got sent the following list via e-mail

Cedar hive parts in economy grade timber and frames in lower grade timber all at less than half normal first quality retail price.
National super 11.00 National Roof 15.00
National Open Mesh Floor 11.00 National Solid Floor 15.00
National Brood 14.00 Nat Ashforth Feeders, unpainted 20.00
National Crownboard 6.50 National 14"x12" Brood 25.00
Langstroth Brood 15.00 Langstroth supers 12.00
Bees on a Budget Hive 125.00 (limited to 2 per customer)
Bees on a Budget Honey Processing Kit 125.00

50 DN1 frames 24.00 50 SN1 Frames 24.00
50 SN4 frames 27.00 50 DN4 Frames 27.00
50 14" x 12" frames 38.00 50 BS Manley Frames 33.00
50 Dad Shallow Frames 33.00 50 Langs Deep Frames 33.00
50 Langs Shallow Frames 33.00 50 Langs Jumbo Frames 38.00
Miscellaneous.
500g 3/4" Gimp Pins 3.00
100 Narrow Plastic Ends 3.00 Hive Straps from 1.50
Beekeepers Perch 1.00 Secateurs 1.50
Hive Tools 5.00 100 Irish Sections 15.00
Frame Grip 5.00 Uncapping Knife 5.00
Galv Mesh 12" sq 1.00 Pair Swarm Lure 3.50
Hat and Veil 3.00 Occasional J & Veil 5.00
Jacket and Veil 20.00 Jacket and Hood 20.00
1000 Tamper Labels 10.00 1000 Sq Bear Labels 25.00
100 Plastic Mini Pots 3.00 Nylon Valve 5.00
50 '4C' 7.00 100x 63mm decorated caps 9.00
700 Gold Plastic Screw Cap 40.00 Conical Tap Strainer 10.00
8oz Comb Cutter 10.00 Double S/S Strainer 12.50
Honey for Sale sign 50p Rapid Feeder 3.50
Plunger Marking Cage 2.50 Telescopic Queen cage 50p
Clip Catcher 2.50 Queen Catcher 2.50
S/Steel Grafting Tool 8.00 Pollen Trap 6.00
Blow Torch 25.00 Thermos Flask 5.00
WBC Pollen Trap 20.00 Hand Truck 40.00
100 Bee Pins 4.00
20 Honey Servers 5.00 Belinda Bee 2 .50
10 sheets coloured fdn 4.00

I'm going to take a 2 seater car with me, as a cunning tactic to stop me spending too much money!

 

[Ewok]

I see they have limited the 'Bees on a budget' hive to two per customer, and taken them off sale on the website untill after the sale.

Too many people buying them to build & flog on Ebay???

I'll be there, but a lot earlier than I was at Windsor!

 

[andynorton]

First one of these I've been to. I was amazed how busy it was. I was at an immediate disadvantage being there on my own, and without a trolley!
Managed to buy three supers, a roof, and 100 frames. Couldn't carry any more!
Worth it though. £200 of stuff for £100 - and its only a 10 minute drive for me.
I should imagine there will be a lot of stuff on ebay next week!

 

[starflex]

Yes, my first sale as well, and it was well worth the visit. Must have been a good 150 plus folk all ready to go when the sale started. You definately need a "minder" to watch your pile of stuff and help carry it away.

A well organised sale, that took about 30 minutes for the majority of the main hive items to be sold out.

Very different to popping in to see Lin, when you only need a few odds and ends.

 

[Ewok]

Not quite as busy as the Windsor day.

When I left at about noon there was still a couple of 'Bees on a Budget' hive kits & quite a few national supers left.

I thought I'd get there early - 8:30am - but there was still about 20 people there already, two of them from Cornwall who'd started off at 3:00am!.

I didn't see Mark there - Did you make it Mark?

 

[Melbourne12]

We went along, and had a very successful day. 20 brood boxes for the local BKA, and all of our personal shopping list too. Having been to the Windsor sale, we went equipped with a sack truck & strap, which proved a real boon!

Chatted to quite a few people, but I don't know if that included anyone on here.

 

[BKF Admin]

I did manage to get to the sale as well,arrived about 9.40 and came under starters orders at 10am.

I seemed to spend more time chatting than buying,I had a green baseball cap on for anyone who may of spotted me.

It looked to me like anyone who arrived before opening went away happy having purchased everything they came for.

Thornes staff seemed to be old hats at the sale business and I dont think to much blood was spilt.

I took one of my daughters with me(The youngest)and primed her on what to expect,I pointed at the pallet that contained what I wanted her to get for us and I went off another way to get something else.

I then left her with a trolly of kit telling her to guard it with her life,that was a silly thing to say as a few people who arrived late would of been happy to commit murder to grab stuff off our trolly,

I do wonder how many people put stuff down in a pile only to find it gone missing when turning around.

Something else that does make me wonder is why do you always get one or two beekeepers who turn up in a hive suit for the occasion,its like the kids you see two days after xmas,shopping in spiderman/buzz lightyear suits.

A fun morning out and only 10 minutes drive for me.

 

[Somerford]

Something else that does make me wonder is why do you always get one or two beekeepers who turn up in a hive suit for the occasion,its like the kids you see two days after xmas,shopping in spiderman/buzz lightyear suits.

I guess there are a few eccentrics in every walk of life. Have you ever had a request for a beekeeping course at a nudist colony ?? LOL

 

[darrenperrett]

I guess there are a few eccentrics in every walk of life. Have you ever had a request for a beekeeping course at a nudist colony ?? LOL

I didn`t know they did them, I`ll only sign up if they do a club 18/30 course

 

[jezd]

I did manage to get to the sale as well,arrived about 9.40 and came under starters orders at 10am.

I seemed to spend more time chatting than buying,I had a green baseball cap on for anyone who may of spotted me.

It looked to me like anyone who arrived before opening went away happy having purchased everything they came for.

Thornes staff seemed to be old hats at the sale business and I dont think to much blood was spilt.

I took one of my daughters with me(The youngest)and primed her on what to expect,I pointed at the pallet that contained what I wanted her to get for us and I went off another way to get something else.

I then left her with a trolly of kit telling her to guard it with her life,that was a silly thing to say as a few people who arrived late would of been happy to commit murder to grab stuff off our trolly,

I do wonder how many people put stuff down in a pile only to find it gone missing when turning around.

Something else that does make me wonder is why do you always get one or two beekeepers who turn up in a hive suit for the occasion,its like the kids you see two days after xmas,shopping in spiderman/buzz lightyear suits.

A fun morning out and only 10 minutes drive for me.

nice1, congrats

 

[PaleoPerson]

Yep, I went. After the fiasco at Windsor where all my brood boxes were swiped. The Stockbridge one was a lot more civilized.

Admin, I think I may have had a chat with you prior to the scrum (sorry, start).

I managed to get all I needed and teamed up with another guy so that we both got an opportunity to have a leisurely look around whilst knowing our goods (that we had already paid for) were safe.

Most of the stuff purchased is now in use (re-hive) and getting ready for winter.

 

[Ewok]

Sorry I missed you,

Something else that does make me wonder is why do you always get one or two beekeepers who turn up in a hive suit for the occasion,its like the kids you see two days after xmas,shopping in spiderman/buzz lightyear suits.

The only guys I saw with bee suits were locals, suiting up to go straight to their apiriaries after the sale, you'll have to point the kids to me next time

 

[andynorton]

And as predicted, brood boxes from the sale on ebay!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BEEKEEPING-NA...m41495a484b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_500wt_976

Now why would anyone pay £28.99 plus £9(!!!) postage, when I can get a 1st quality one from Thornes for £31.28?

A good mark up on the £14 purchase price, if you can find anyone stupid enough to pay! I will watch with interest, and maybe buy a few extra myself next year!

 

[MuswellMetro]

And as predicted, brood boxes from the sale on ebay!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BEEKEEPING-NA...m41495a484b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_500wt_976

Now why would anyone pay £28.99 plus £9(!!!) postage, when I can get a 1st quality one from Thornes for £31.28?

Having never seen a "Thornes Second" are the knotty/shaked supers and thornes Beehive currently on EBAY typical of Thornes Seconds?

Can you buy seconds frrom them normally or are they only available at their sales?

i assume their £125 budget hive is the same second type quality,

i have a flat pack hive that is non thornes and it appears not much better than those on Ebay