Wholesale beekeeping supplies in Oz

[OzBuzz]

Hey everybody, just wondering if any suppliers in Australia sell wholesale?

[ula ula]

hi
   i got on to a mob in Brisbane $14.60 for 8 frame deep cheap compared to allot places.i deal with factory.some are charging $25.00 for same super.their have bee some one down that way that you can deal direct.

[Pete]

How'd you get on with this? I found redpaths.com.au to be as cheap as anyone and i like their service and the location...but this caper does ger costly, especially as i try to expand to my hive per acre limit :) so am keen on the saving money too if its possible.

[OzBuzz]

I've found a guy in Central Victoria who does the following prices for timbers:

- Completed 8 frame super wax dipped and painted $25
- Completed 8 frame base wax dipped and painted $17
- Completed 8 frame lid wax dipped and painted: with vents $22 without vents $20
- Frames assembled $3.20
- Frames unassembled $1.10

I haven't found any wholesale prices on smokers, veils, tools etc yet

[jdaley]

 I have used the poly hives in the past and am considering getting a few more for my hobby sized operation.
Has anybody had experience with them, the lower maintenance was what attracted me.

[OzBuzz]

I have used the poly hives in the past and am considering getting a few more for my hobby sized operation.
Has anybody had experience with them, the lower maintenance was what attracted me.

Startup costs with those are quite high though aren't they?

[philinacoma]

I have heard the people who make some of these hives down here around Melbourne talk and some people who are trying them out talk about them too.

The feedback I heard from the person trying them out was that the bees from that hive are out much earlier in the morning than his other hives. Better insulation properties is them assumption. I'm not keen on them because they're 10 frame boxes and I'm an 8 frame keep.

[OzBuzz]

I have heard the people who make some of these hives down here around Melbourne talk and some people who are trying them out talk about them too.

The feedback I heard from the person trying them out was that the bees from that hive are out much earlier in the morning than his other hives. Better insulation properties is them assumption. I'm not keen on them because they're 10 frame boxes and I'm an 8 frame keep.

Yeah, i can see benefits of the better insulation properties i.e. earlier starts. I wonder how that would translate in summer though? Would they get hotter than a timber hive?

[philinacoma]

I wouldn't have thought so given they fire up the evaporative cooler when it gets too hot. It may even help them more.

[OzBuzz]

I wouldn't have thought so given they fire up the evaporative cooler when it gets too hot. It may even help them more.

Very true - would certainly be interesting to do a comparison - i'll wait until they bring out an 8 frame though

[philinacoma]

What the guy was saying was that it costs thousands to set up the injection mold for a box.

When they were deciding what size to make, they looked at what size was most popular in Australia and the ratio was 60% 10 frame so that's the way they went. I don't think they were planning on bringing out an 8 frame.

[OzBuzz]

Yeah, moulds are incredibly expensive! it's a shame! maybe a commercial beek will come along who wants to amoratise the mould costs...