Mann Lake side bars?

[BeeJayBee]

Do Mann Lake side bars have Hoffman shoulders with a triangular section on one side and a flat face on the other, or do they have shoulders with a flat face to each side?

 

[Roger]

Their Langstroth side bars have no triangular section.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Kelley, in the States does....at least they used to.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Thanks.

@ Roger - have you tried using these? If so, are they as awkward to separate as Manley frames?

 

[mjt68]

Thanks.

@ Roger - have you tried using these? If so, are they as awkward to separate as Manley frames?

The spacer doesn't run the whole length of the side bar. I'd say they're not much more stickyy than standard hoffmans.

 

[REDWOOD]

If you buy side bars from China they are the wrong way around, so the flat side of a british one will butt up to a flat side of a chinese one but still workable if not correct

 

[BeeJayBee]

The spacer doesn't run the whole length of the side bar. I'd say they're not much more stickyy than standard hoffmans.

Thanks, it's useful to know because their frames are so much cheaper than anywhere else outside the sales.

If you buy side bars from China they are the wrong way around, so the flat side of a british one will butt up to a flat side of a chinese one but still workable if not correct

Not sure how that works. Sorry.

Langstroth frames don't have a groove for the wax, so the triangluar part of the side bar can face in either direction.

 

[Bee Bumble]

They are flat but I have not had a problem separating them. They are not as tight a fit in the box as Manleys.
Also the best quality frames I have ever found - no faults in manufacture and all parts fit well. I wish they made Jumbo Langstroth frames.

 

[mjt68]

I'm also a big fan of the plastic foundation in wood frames. Best of both worlds in my opinion. Bees like them fine, very deep guides to foundation, don't warp (can drive round with them in the car for swarm collecting for ages), black makes seeing eggs trivial and they're also a whole lot faster to make. YMMV of course, not a commercial endorsement etc.

 

[chrisb]

all my lang frames are from mann lake. not had a bad one

 

[BeeJayBee]

Lots of very satisfied customers, so I might try some but probably not the plastic foundation because I prefer to use starter strips.

Thanks.

 

[Roger]

Thanks.

@ Roger - have yn ou tried using these? If so, are they as awkward to separate as Manley frames?

I like the quality of the frames, used some last year with many more made up with plastic foundation for introduction this year. No problems separating frames so far.

One issue to be aware of is the thickness of the lugs, they are thicker than UK manufactured frames and are tapered. I have reduced mine to match existing frames to maintain same top bee space.

Hope this helps.

 

[chrisb]

they are thicker because they are right for lang frames ( 1/2 ), us brits have habit of making them like British national,( 3/8 ) hence why I have only bought from mann lake

 

[BeeJayBee]

Thicker as in deeper? By how much?

 

[chrisb]

the ears on the mann lake frames are 1/2" this is actually correct for lang frames.
mann lake lang frames are based on the dadant design I beleve

interesting link about lang frames
http://beesource.com/product-reviews/wood-frames-for-the-langstroth-hive/

 

[BeeJayBee]

interesting link about lang frames
http://beesource.com/product-reviews/wood-frames-for-the-langstroth-hive/

Thanks for that, more useful stuff to read.

Wouldn't it be useful if somebody did the same with the UK-made frames, which do seem a lot less robust by comparison.

 

[chrisb]

yes I know. pity you can not just get one frame from people id give it a go

one thing though is the frames from mann lake UK are from the USA, as you see they are one of the 7 biggest makers over there.
based on what is deemed as the std for lang frames, there top bars are 1/16 narrower at 1" wide however this is neither here nor there as the side frames are what give spacing.and they are spot on
they now have a thicker bottom bar in 60 frames I just made up did not split one and thats stapling them

the part about dont mix and match frames from different makers unless there dimensions are the same is so true.
so if you get frames from someone who makes the ears less than 1/2 you are stuffed as they are actually wrong so when you get frames that are correct at 1/2 thick your bee space is all messed up if you mix them

 

[chrisb]

I like the quality of the frames, used some last year with many more made up with plastic foundation for introduction this year. No problems separating frames so far.

One issue to be aware of is the thickness of the lugs, they are thicker than UK manufactured frames and are tapered. I have reduced mine to match existing frames to maintain same top bee space.

Hope this helps.

if you do not mind me asking who did you get your first frames from ? as the mann lake are the correct thickness for lang frames

 

[Roger]

if you do not mind me asking who did you get your first frames from ? as the mann lake are the correct thickness for lang frames

I bought most of my frames from Thornes but may have bought from other suppliers over the years including Steele & Brodie when they were still trading. The first bees I bought around 1990 were on the same size Langstroth frames with approx 3/8" thick ends.

Roger

 

[chrisb]

thank you for that Roger. most informative indeed
I have noticed quite a lot that British made frames seem to be with 3/8 ears
I take it this is to save tooling time when making frames as they produce them same as national just make the top and bottom bars different length.