It looks like that is in store only. I wish we had a store closer. They also have deeps for $7.95 which is also a great deal.

https://www.mannlakeltd.com/shop-all-categories/mann-lake-madness-2018

 

Just wait at some point this summer they will have a sale on boxes the last couple of years they sold for $8 for a deep 10 frame. You have to buy 36 boxes no shipping cost. I just wait and buy then Pretty hard to beat that price

 

$6.95 would be very difficult to beat if you're building your own boxes, especially if you figure in the cost of your time and labor.

If you have to add shipping costs to this price, that could change things quite a bit. A great bargain for someone close enough to visit the store and pick up.

 

I found an Amish family selling assembled glued/stapled (rabbet joints not finger joints like the ML boxes) for about this sale price last year. Unfortunately, it's about a 5 hour drive, but I got a 12' enclosed trailer and went and spent over $3,000 on bee boxes. I had cranked out the pricing... not including my labor to assemble ML boxes, driving down there saved me something like $2,000. I do have a ton of ML boxes, but this Amish joint was hard to beat. He said they wholesale to Dadant, I think?

$7 supers isn't bad though, I've only had a couple of issues with ML Budget boxes. It all comes out in the wash over a few hundred boxes though. The year before I made a good number of boxes myself, found Menards having a sale during winter. I think 1x8x6 was about $3.50. Wasn't a great grade of wood, but MORE than good enough for bee boxes. In my opinion, there's no money to be saved by cutting your own boxes. Assembling your own there is. But as I start dealing with 50ish colonies I just don't have the time to do that either. Winter is down time to catch up on everything I neglect all spring/summer.

 

Right !?!
the 560 mi. one way trip to the nearest store is kind of a deal killer though-

 

I have built way than I need for the next two years and that add made me open it up. Good thing it was in store only or I would have picked up more!

 

How are you guys beating 6.95 a box that build your own .

If you are making your own bee boxes I suggest a switch to Advantech 3/4" flooring sheets. They are waterproof and do not shrink or warp. I can get a sheet of Advantech from a local lumber yard for $29.98.

I can make 8 medium supers from one sheet, or 17 from two sheets, or a lumber cost of $3.53 each. (60/17)

You can get five deeps and one medium from one sheet, making the lumber cost for deeps about $5.30 ((30-3.53)/5)

Bonus, every four sheets you have enough left over to make one more deep or medium hive body.

Advantech is 23/32", not quite 3/4". If you build to outside dimensions the hive interior grows by 1/32", or 1/64" at each end, something that I think is insignificant. A solid wood hive will change more than that during a season just due to normal wood shrinkage/swelling.

This layout includes kerf and allowance for the tongue and groove sides of the Advantech sheet. Because of the T&G I make my layout centered. I make the cross cuts first, then one of the middle cuts, that way I'm cutting the outside edges where the T&G is off last.

 

I can make 8 medium supers from one sheet, or 17 from two sheets, or a lumber cost of $3.53 each. (60/17)

You can get five deeps and one medium from one sheet, making the lumber cost for deeps about $5.30 ((30-3.53)/5)

Wish I understood the dimensions on the cut sheet. Sorry all thumbs with no ruler :ws:

 

I was looking for advantech one year and no one seemed to have it but i might have skipped over it looking for a sheet without the T&G does lowes and home depot have it .

I'm only 15 mins. from the Pa Mann lake store so no shipping either , anyone have any experience with budget grade box's from them , how do you fix loose knots other than trying to get some glue in it .

 

I staple loose knots and glue them. I save soup can lids to staple over holes from missing knots. 303 can lids can bring out your inner tin smith. As yoy tap them over voids on edges.

 

Yes, Lowes carries it, but maybe not all stores. In mine, they have it on an end cap above their Zip system sheets which are NOT what you are looking for. Ask at the 'pro' desk, they will know what you are looking for but the average employee will likely not.

 

I know Lowes used to carry it but I think they switched to a cheaper lower quality product, or maybe they just quit carrying it here. I shopped around and found a lumberyard that carries it and it was less than Lowes charges. (That'd be Probuild for any of you beeks on the Wasatch Front.) When building in the winter around here a lot of builders use it since snow can sit on it for weeks and not phase it, but when building in the summer and they'll have the building dried in the contractors use something cheaper.

 

Do people who live in Texas get supplies at the Texas Mann lake tax free?

 

I plan on trying to make the drive down there for some of the in store sales.

 

Do you router your advantech frame rest or set them up like Mr. Coates nuc boxes? I am considering going with 8 frame deeps with Advantech. Any pictures would be nice when you have time ..

 

the texas store didnt have any of the 8 dollar budget deeps for sale in store. FYI

 

I cut a frame rest with a dado blade before assembly.

 

I buy 1x8x12 pine from local lumber yard for 8.39 a piece. I can get two mediums out of that. It is pretty clean with no loose knots.

 

I bought some cheap Menard’s lumber to make boxes with. Boxes are relatively easy to build, but at ML prices, it makes more sense to buy them once I factor in time. Now, a lot of that lumber went into making 4frame boxes for double nuc hives, good luck finding those cheap.
Nobody around here seems to cary Advantec brand ply, but any subfloor ply rated with a “no sand” guarantee should work. I can get sheets of Georgia Pacific Drymax for $30 that have an exposure rating of 500 days. I’ve been making migratory covers out of it(still painting them of course). It’s all in the binder resins. After cutting the covers I still have enough for a medium box.

 

Just bought 10 1x8x10' standard grade pine boards from the local Menard's. It appeared to be a new stack of boards and frankly, they were better quality than I've found before in their quality grade stack. Price was $4.95 each! I turned them into 16 medium honey supers. So, about $3.10 plus glue, staples and paint, and not including frames and foundation.

I found a deal on some old Benjamin Moore 100% Acrylic House Paint in white that was phased our a couple years ago due to government regulations on VOCs for $10/ gal. Bought one for the supers. Guy says he has 2 more gallons in the back room. I think I'll go get them for future boxes.

 

I was hoping there would be a memorial day special this weekend at mannlake because i'm already running low on boxes again. I have the tools, but I dont really want to spend the time if I can get the unassembled box cheap enough. Now the nuc boxes I build from plywood sheets because they much cheaper than the kits. Has anyone seen any memorial day specials for unassembled boxes or frames?

 

I just bought 4, 1x8x12 at a local lumber yard. 25.00 for all 4, like 6.00 each. This will make 4 med. Supers. Lowes and home depot are like 20.00 each board at their stores. Of course these boards are yellow pine, and a bit heavier that the 20.00 prime in white pine. But these boards are rated at #2grade, and are nicer boards than the prime boards at h.d. , and Lowes. Sometimes they have poplar, and allot is bought out before it hits the yard. So, I'll go with this, and not complain about a little heavier wood.