# Mann lake budget grade boxes



## beenoob (Jun 16, 2016)

Bobcatcharlie said:


> Mann lake has budget deeps for $7 unassembled, that's cheaper than I could buy the lumber let alone time to cutt everything
> 
> My question is to anyone who has used this grade, is it ok or is it really knotted and split


Hit or miss... Ive had budget grade be great, and my last batch was very knotty. Put double coats of paint and use the premium water proof wood glue and be done with it.


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

They will need some work. Glue in loose knots for sure and fill the voids in some knots. 
Some top and bottom edges may have a knocked out knot which will need to be filled or it
will be another entrance hole. I used bondo.
They are serviceable with a little work and should last as long as any box.
All said, I found them to be a good value.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

Bobcatcharlie said:


> Mann lake has budget deeps for $7 unassembled, that's cheaper than I could buy the lumber let alone time to cutt everything
> 
> My question is to anyone who has used this grade, is it ok or is it really knotted and split


Unless you're driving to a Mann Lake store you're not getting them for that price. 36+ on their website is 10.50/ea after 11% discount. The price you're talking about was in their mailed flyer.

That said, all but a handful of my boxes are budgets from ML. I love them. Almost zero issues with them. The odd knot that needs to be glued perhaps.


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## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

By the time you order it and pay for shipping and wait on Transit time it voids the purpose I suspect. I found a lumber yard that is pretty much on point with what I need for 3/4" pine. Since I have the ability to make everything I certainly won't buy anything.


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

I bought a bunch last year and they were all serviceable.All knots were solid.I will be buying more of these.It sure beats the price of lumber plus all the work cutting it up.


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## tpope (Mar 1, 2015)

I have many that are budget grade. Very happy with what I received.


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## Branman (Aug 20, 2003)

All my budget grade boxes from Mann Lake didn't need additional work. When done they didn't all sit perfectly flush, but we're taking like 1/32" - 1/16" off max, and with the weight of frames, the gaps completely disappeared.


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

> That said, all but a handful of my boxes are budgets from ML. I love them. Almost zero issues with them. The odd knot that needs to be glued perhaps.


 same here with hundreds of them


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## Swampsquash (Oct 25, 2014)

I bought some last summer, like 120 boxes when they were stupid cheap. I have assembled half and so far they are really nice. From time to time I'll get a board that's a bit of a mess, but nowhere near as bad as I expected.


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## McBee7 (Dec 25, 2013)

Picking some up today. They are in store U pick up prices . Am also getting pre-assembled frames with rite-cell foundation...Mediums for about $31 for 20 frames...and pro-sweet.. And check out the 9/18 motorized extractor  I had to restrain myself ;/


==McBee7==


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

Soup lids staple nicely over knot holes or wrap around an edge void. Budget boxes at the right price are good business.


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## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

Swampsquash said:


> I have assembled half and so far they are really nice. From time to time I'll get a board that's a bit of a mess,


They do get worse (as most boxes do), the longer they sit before assembling, but for the price, my bees don't seem to care.


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## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

my bees prefer budget deeps from mann-lake. who am i to argue with them? they are a best buy.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Most of them I've had I just put them together and they worked fine. One or two I had to use a clamp to get the twist out of the board and screw it together to get it to stay. They also worked fine after that. None were unusable.


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## Outdoor N8 (Aug 7, 2015)

jwcarlson said:


> Unless you're driving to a Mann Lake store you're not getting them for that price. 36+ on their website is 10.50/ea after 11% discount. The price you're talking about was in their mailed flyer.
> 
> That said, all but a handful of my boxes are budgets from ML. I love them. Almost zero issues with them. The odd knot that needs to be glued perhaps.


Considering the nearest store is 800 miles from me........


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## jvalentour (Sep 4, 2014)

They are a good value for the price. 
All said above is pretty much correct. 
You won't be unsatisfied.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

Outdoor N8 said:


> Considering the nearest store is 800 miles from me........


What I'm saying is... the price he's talking about was in-store only, that's what I was getting at...
They also had assembled frames w/ foundation for $1.65/ea... but in-store only.
Same with the 18 frame motorized extractor for like $985. In-store.


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## Tadpole (Feb 6, 2016)

That's all I use and have never had a problem with them. I have some that I didn't paint and other than looking weathered, they are fine.


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## Bdfarmer555 (Oct 7, 2015)

I have criticized Mann lake boxes before, but they were commercial grade. Have had 2 50+ orders of budgets from them and IMO, they are sweet. Occasional twist in a side, fixed with a screw, and a rare occasional knot in the box joint.

Stinks their sale on them is in-store only.


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

Here are some photos of Mann Lake budget box sides.


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## redfoxes8 (Jun 29, 2016)

All my hives are their budget bodies. No splitting but you do come across knots. But nothing that made me not use or think that it would not hold up. Definitely recommend



Bobcatcharlie said:


> Mann lake has budget deeps for $7 unassembled, that's cheaper than I could buy the lumber let alone time to cutt everything
> 
> My question is to anyone who has used this grade, is it ok or is it really knotted and split


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Many have large and small knots in them on the sides. I covered them with the TB-3 glue just in case. Some end boards are shorter so you have to match them up for a tight fit. Had one board that got saw blade ran through it on the surface. Not much damage just put some TB-3 on it and some saw dust to repair it. Then run a grinder on the surface to smooth it out a bit. A few coat of paints will 
cover everything up. Job well done. Overall they are usable!


With knots and saw line:


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Stinks their sale on them is in-store only.

I'm sure part of that is that they don't have to pony up the shipping. That's what happens when you have free shipping...


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## Cjj (Dec 12, 2015)

Went up to man lake in Wilkes-Barre Pa yesterday I got the last 20 boxes of medium frames they were expecting another truck over the weekend I picked up 20 deep boxes , 20 medium boxes 200 deep frame and 200 medium frames and saved over $500 and I don't have to put the frame together it was worth the 2 hr trip


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## missybee (Sep 6, 2014)

I like their stuff, we get it here within 2 days of ordering, right to the front door. And I always have free shipping..............spend way to much on those buzzing bees.


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## wood4d (Jun 22, 2015)

Im a fan, buy them every year when they are on sale.


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## newbeek79 (Mar 21, 2017)

I have put 36 8 frame deep 36 10 frame supers with out any issue I did screw and glue sides together, but not because of issue, just like the extra security. Also coated the outside with linseed oil, looks good and re-coats well. As cheap as paint and more forgiving.


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## costigaj (Oct 28, 2015)

I have a couple. They are knotty pine. I seal the knots before painting.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

I've just finished painting 20 of them last night. I've bought them before and I'd not hesitate to buy them again.


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## kaizen (Mar 20, 2015)

got 36 supers I have to put together. delivered in dec was 9.75 a piece. if you do woodworking its no problem. here are some pics. these have been sitting in my heated living room.......yeah i'm single lol. you can see some have twist/warp but I've never had to trash a box or found them unusable. if the bees don't care about pretty wood I sure as heck wont.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

I went to Menards today, in my area a 6 foot 1x12 is $6.00 plus they have 11% rebate. I can get one deep out of a 6 foot board. For me that's over half the price of what Mann Lake will send them out for. I have the tools to make the cuts so it goes quick. Still worth building them myself. My $16.00 harbor freight air nailer/stapler combo speeds things up a lot. Last year they had 3 foot 1x12 cut off pieces for $1.50. I bought all of those that were serviceable. $3.00 a deep is hard to beat.


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