Beekeeping supplies.

[bmad12]

As a hobbiest or a professional, where is your #1 choice to do your shopping for supplies?  And how do they stack up to all the big names with price and service?

[Understudy]

The suppliers I deal with are :
Mann Lake. Nice place good people, prices are a little lower shipping is a little higher.
Dadant. Same as above except if you deal with the high springs, Fl office you shipping is a little lower. The problem is you either call or fax to the office directly to place the order. If you email it goes to the main office in illinois. Which means more shipping.

Bushey Mountain: has some unique items. No problems for the few orders i have place.

John Seets. The only way to get permacomb is to email or call him, he doesn't even have his own website just a page on someone elses. Always a pleasure to deal with. Answers my questions and has been very helpful.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[pdmattox]

I like Dadant and rossman.  They are both close by and very helpful.

[Michael Bush]

>As a hobbiest or a professional, where is your #1 choice to do your shopping for supplies?

All of them have a few things no one else has.  I probably buy the most things from Brushy Mt, but that's been because I'm running eight frame hives and they have the most eight frame accessories and they used to be one of only a few places that advertised eight frame boxes at all.

Brushy Mt also has a lot of interesting things no one else has, or, in some cases, no one else HAD since some of them are now stocked other places.  If you want a gadget there's a very good chance it's available at Brushy Mt.  There are a few things I can only get at Betterbee.  There are many things I can only get at Walter T. Kelly.  There are some things I can only get at Dadant and some things I can only get at Mann Lake.  I have bought a lot of woodenware over the years from Western Bee Supply (who I can't seem to find anymore... anyone know of a phone number?  Their web site won't come up anymore).

[thegolfpsycho]

works for me
http://www.westernbee.com/

[Kirk-o]

Brushy for me
kirk-o

[Toholio]

As a hobbiest or a professional, where is your #1 choice to do your shopping for supplies?

I do all my bee related shopping at Redpath's Beekeeping Supplies. Friendly staff, all the stuff I need. I don't get anything delivered as they're only a couple of suburbs away.

I can happily recommend them but unless you're in Melbourne I doubt you'll be visiting them.  :-D

And how do they stack up to all the big names with price and service?

I'm quite happy with their prices and range and their service, at least face to face, is excellent.

[BeeHopper]

Betterbee in NY for me.  :-D

MB, by the way, Betterbee now carries 8 frame supplies  :-D

[Rabbitdog]

Dadant gets 100% of my business.  Of course, I drive by their Lynchburg warehouse daily so, no shipping fees tips the scales pretty easily. :lol:

[Michael Bush]

>works for me http://www.westernbee.com/

Works for me now too.  It hasn't for the last six months.... I tried as recently as a week or two ago... hmmm.

>MB, by the way, Betterbee now carries 8 frame supplies
I see that Mann Lake and Betterbee are both listing 8 frame equipment now.  Both are 14" wide, though, and ALL of mine are 13 3/4".  Anything from 13" to 14 1/4" will work.  Western Bee Supply offers them in anything from 13 1/2" to 14 1/4" in 1/8" increments.  I wish they would standardize.  Since I already have all mine, I wish they'd pick 13 3/4". :)  But I'd settle for *A* standard between 13" and 14 1/4".  It seems to me, though that 14 1/4" is a 9 frame hive.  You can fit 9 standard 1 3/8" wide frames in it with a beespace left on the ends.

[thegolfpsycho]

Been trying to finagle some "free" shipping from kalispell (close to polson) to salt lake.  We have a truck out of kalispell every night, and I might be able to sneak a pallet on board.  We'll see.  It seems ya gotta kiss alot of salespeople butt to get something on a half mty trlr.

[Brian D. Bray]

I know how it goes.  Back in the 60's all of the 8 frames hives seemed to have a standard width of 13 3/4.  Then they fell out of favor as most commercial and hobbiests went for the "bigger & better" 10 frames.  Now that 8 frames are making a big comeback, with all the young being keepers getting older, the 8 frames were pretty much home made.  The width was whatever the maker decided upon for his own reasons.  Most manufacturers quit making the 8 frame stuff in the late 60's or early 70's.  Now that the 8 frame is making a comeback they are getting on board and wagon they should never have gotten off of.  I think the manufacturers should get together and build uniform equipment by outside demensions.  That way everything works.