Super cheap cedar nationals

rolande said:

Why? -only answer if it's relevant to this thread pleae, I'm not interested in other, personal gripes.

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Not a personal gripe - just can do without being bombarded with marketing stuff that I can find if needed.

Arfermo: Thanks, I wasn't aware that beeman's firm and ML were connected.

rolande said:

Arfermo: Thanks, I wasn't aware that beeman's firm and ML were connected.

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I have no connection in any way shape or form to ML and have not sent out any marketing for any other company. So i would say Arfermo is mistaken and owes me an apology

thebeeman said:

I have no connection in any way shape or form to ML

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That's what I'd originally thought. Some honest confusion over who he's bought stuff from no doubt.

Have never bought from the UK venture of Mann Lake but have bought equipment from them direct from the USA in the past. In my opinion an excellent company to deal with and goods supplied always turned up in good order and as expected. Highly recommended. Frames were very well engineered.

However.......

A lot of UK buyers are extreme perfectionists, and do not like the odd fast knot or staining etc in the wood. You get excellent functional boxes from Mann Lake, but if its furniture grade you want you might need to pay the extra for a more hands on UK made product.

Chrisfnvs said:

For me the most important line is "From now on our key products will be at permanent sales prices" something I have has been asking for, or at least access to seconds all year round from the big UK manufactures, i will try a few and judge for myself, it`s got to be good news in my opinion

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Pretty-much my view as well. I've always thought that attending periodic regional sales was an unsatisfactory method of making purchases - so I've never indulged in those scrummages.

Looking forward to quality reports of their frames and supers. Good luck to them.
LJ

Little John said:

Pretty-much my view as well. I've always thought that attending periodic regional sales was an unsatisfactory method of making purchases - so I've never indulged in those scrummages.

Looking forward to quality reports of their frames and supers. Good luck to them.
LJ

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Good post.
It seems to be practically the only way most buy frames and they are sub standard to begin with. An alternative that is well machined and at a good price has to be good news to beekeepers.
I'm not a great fan of boxes offered by thornes either so it will be interesting to hear the feedback on mann lake quality. As for any alternative sizes, they can offer whatever they like it doesn't make anyone buy them, if you want 14x12 just order that size, same goes for standard.

Swarm said:

As for any alternative sizes, they can offer whatever they like it doesn't make anyone buy them, if you want 14x12 just order that size, same goes for standard.

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Totally agree with this.

I do wonder if they might have been better off adding a commercial box to their new range rather than a totally new one. Will also be interested to see what the hybrid shallow consists of, being a pound cheaper than their national shallow.

Arfermo said:

Not a personal gripe - just can do without being bombarded with marketing stuff that I can find if needed.

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I don't get this. If someone hears about a genuine saving for equipment or supplies why not post it here? On other non beekeeping forums such information is welcomed as long as it is not spam from the vendor.

Competition is good - I hope that the other suppliers take note of the ML pricing and try and beat it.

Any Idea where they are made, It would be nice to know if they employed British workers to make them otherwise I don't mind paying the extra pound or two

Moggett said:

I don't get this. If someone hears about a genuine saving for equipment or supplies why not post it here? On other non beekeeping forums such information is welcomed as long as it is not spam from the vendor.

Competition is good - I hope that the other suppliers take note of the ML pricing and try and beat it.

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some find pleasure in moaning or putting someone down

looking at the web site products are made in America. Selling cheaply is the usual ploy to break into the market if you can undermine the competition you can raise prices when they go bust.

If they did 12x14s I'd buy from them. I'm going to get my queen rearing stuff from them next year.

Best to just buy and find out for yourself about the quality, everyone has different ideas of what they consider good quality, but i do also take note of comments from guys like, Mike.

Michael Palmer said:

I used to buy kit from Mann Lake. No more. Too many cheap knockoffs. The smokers fall apart, the bellows skins crack, the excluders leak bees.

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It would be nice to know if their National boxes have metal rails - also, whether their method of construction lends itself to modding to top bee-space.

Has anyone actually seen any of their National boxes or frames yet ? Nothing in their catalogue yet ...
LJ

Hivemaker. said:

Best to just buy and find out for yourself about the quality, everyone has different ideas of what they consider good quality, but i do also take note of comments from guys like, Mike.

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And the old saying, buy cheap buy twice
And if you have money you have an option, no money no option

REDWOOD said:

And if you have money you have an option, no money no option

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Life is like a sh*t sandwich, but the more bread you've got, the less sh*t you have to eat.

Hivemaker. said:

Life is like a sh*t sandwich, but the more bread you've got, the less sh*t you have to eat.

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I still eat lots of sh!t, have you seen our canteen at work

l

looking at the web site products are made in America. Selling cheaply is the usual ploy to break into the market if you can undermine the competition you can raise prices when they go bust.

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The fact that they may appear to be shipped from the USA doesnt mean they were made there. They may never have been in the USA. Half the stuff from Europe/UK for sale on ebay comes from Pakistan/India/China etc.
You can buy hives from China for a few £..and frames for pennies.. but you have to buy a minimum amount................and then flog the excess on ebay.

REDWOOD said:

And the old saying, buy cheap buy twice
And if you have money you have an option, no money no option

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If you want cheap you make your own.

Merry Christmas...