Mann Lake budget beehive boxes and how to glue box joints

My opinion on the Mann Lake budget boxes and also a quick and easy way to glue box joints.

[hardluk]

I ordered a few of these Budget Boxes last winter and didn’t get around to putting them together for a couple months. When I did I discovered I was missing one end panel. I wrote an email telling them of the situation and that I understood if I was too late in my discovery. They said it was late but they would ship the panel right out. Customer service is excellent at Mann Lake. Definitely would recommend to check them out.

[karlfowler]

I bought a cheap Crown Stapler that runs on air and stopped using the hammer. I make Rabbit cages too and it is a lot easier to use than poultry staples for attaching hardware cloth. When I built my Bee boxes it worked great. It will help your Carpal Tunnel pain. Anyone who doesn't like the glue overflow could wipe them down with a wet cloth before it dries and then sand it a little to remove the glue after it dries. Good work.

[chuckrobinson]

It took you about eight minutes, but you were making a video at the same time, which makes everything take longer. Id been looking at those boxes, and for the savings in time, i believe your way is the way to go. I like your set up.

[davidlewis]

I'd call that a hobby farmer! Looking in the background and seeing a 3 pt hitch rototiller alongside a chicken plucking drum!
I'm going to send my wife to Mann Lake on Friday. She's going to visit her kids in PA over the weekend. Her travel will take her through Wilkes-Barre where Mann Lake is minutes off I-81. I still have to get my wish list filled out. 😅

[aaronheard]

That’s all I use and I love them, the bees don’t care what they look like!

[dinkerdoglass]

Thanks for sharing good way to speed up production much appreciated

[scratchbuilder]

liked and subscribed ...thanks for posting this video...i liked the idea

[kylelieb]

We have always got the budget boxes, but ive noticed more gaps and broken wood, then they used too. I'm considering comercial in thr future.

[togo]

Great video. Best part is you seal the end grain.

[bradfordpearce]

I used to get on to my dad for his sloppy gluing techniques. He would always reply "If a little glue does a little good, a lot of glue will do a lot of good". At least he would use a wet rag to clean up.

[Peekul]

I am really thankful you made this video. A little too late for this season but still. I had been ordering from dadant and going to the local store and those prices are in the $20 range.

I even tried making my own boxes and bought ten 1"x8"x12' to make 20 medium supers for $250. That's $12.50 a box excludng the time I put in building them. And my box quality is really poor!

[kylelieb]

Thanks for the tip. Id appreciate a follow up where we can see a close-up of what those joints look like dried and painted.

[fezwhy]

I had a bad experience with Mannlake boxes. The box joints were cut wrong on half the boxes I ordered so they didn't even go together. Boards were split, etc. So I thought I would give them another shot and buy a few more boxes. Well my 2nd experience was as bad as the last time. The box joints again were not cut properly and only 2 of the 4 sides could even go together.. Kudos to customer service who sent me out some replacement boxes and they said all of them are made sure they fit together for each order.
I will continue to make my own boxes. But I only have a few hives. I have a lot of free time so building boxes doesn't bother me at all. All the boxes that I built are still doing great 3 years later. My mannlake boxes not so much...

[bernieburt]

The first batch of Mann Lake budget boxes I ordered look much like what you have, and I was completely satisfied. However, this last bunch of 50 I received this spring are terrible. I will be hard put to buy any more from them.

[colinvoss]

Everything I've gotten from them is well worth the price.

[raterus]

I just KNEW you were dipping panels in glue when you said sloppy! I just can't go there, sorry, but if it works for you and your girls don't mind, go for it!

[NolaSpiersMitchell-guiu]

Thanks your in America I’m in Australia I’m sure there great

[jamesspiker]

I was all was told when you bend a nail it means it’s not done growing yet👍🤣

[abstractdea]

And I though I put too much glue on these! I don't feel so bad now. It's always a sloppy mess but I know for a fact that there is no face that touches another that doesn't have a slobber of glue on it.
Too much is never enough.

[sharpridgehomestead]

a super B vitamin will go a long way to reducing your carpal tunnel inflammation and symptoms, its not a take when needed ... take one every day like your life depends on it .... life time drummer and woodworker and I was able to skip surgery just by taking b vitamins daily for the last 25 years