# mann lake or kelly



## abbee (Nov 2, 2014)

Mann Lake hands down.Kelly has customer service issues, lower quality frames and boxes, and takes them forever to ship. Almost impossible to get a hold of on the phone.


----------



## Fusion_power (Jan 14, 2005)

Alternative would be to drive to Lawrenceburg and purchase from Albert Zook. He makes cypress boxes, tops, and bottoms.


----------



## swarmtrap (Jan 14, 2017)

Albert Zook? i dont know about him, does he have all the supplies a new beekeeper needs to get started like smokers, frames, protective clothing and the like? what about the prices on his stuff?


----------



## Mdlark (Dec 18, 2016)

You could also drive to alberts brother Pete in Franklin Ky. Pete has just wooden ware, prices are extremely competitive especially since they both build with Cypress not pine


----------



## Marti (Jun 29, 2014)

Mann Lake


----------



## missybee (Sep 6, 2014)

I use Mann lake, usually get what I order within 2-3 days, sometimes faster. All good quality.


----------



## stan.vick (Dec 19, 2010)

I order from both, no serious problems with either one.


----------



## ron manos (Aug 24, 2016)

Mann Lake


----------



## Duncan151 (Aug 3, 2013)

Mann Lake!!


----------



## frogpondwarrior (Aug 2, 2016)

Mann Lake is really quite good.


----------



## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

abbee said:


> Mann Lake hands down.Kelly has customer service issues, lower quality frames and boxes, and takes them forever to ship. Almost impossible to get a hold of on the phone.


I use both and for the record, Mann Lake is not without customer service issues either. I have had some awful problems with them that I had to resolve myself.


----------



## Swampsquash (Oct 25, 2014)

I would buy from both....Kelley has the same smokers as Dadant. The mann lake smokers are like tin foil..they are garbage. Get a kelley or dadant one! https://www.kelleybees.com/Shop/11/.../4037/4-x7-Kelley-Smoke-Cloud-w-Shield...Also don't buy smoker pellets or any of that trash. Buy these from your local tractor supply if you want great smoker fuel that lasts all day...http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/equine-fresh-pine-pellet-stall-bedding-40-lb?cm_vc=-10005 One bag lasts forever. NTM it burns cooler then pine straw, pine cones, etc. Best thing is it's like 5 bucks and I bag will last years lol, unless you use them all day, everyday.

I Personally would never buy kelley frames, they feel like balsa wood, they were such a PITA! Air stapler that works fine for ML frames, would almost blow up kelley frames. I Love Mann Lake frames! They are my favorites(there may be better out there but I haven't run across them) I do hear good things about western bee, but I've never used them.

Good Luck and Have fun!


----------



## swarmtrap (Jan 14, 2017)

i could drive 350 miles to dadant and save a ton of money or about 300 to Zooks, all i know is i better make a decision quick. thanks for all the responses tho it really helps


----------



## Live Oak (Oct 11, 2008)

If you are just beginning and don't have the rest of the equipment bee suit, hive tool, smoker, etc. I would strongly recommend the Mann Lake Deluxe Beginner's package:

https://www.mannlakeltd.com/shop-al...-beekeeping-starter-kit-wood-frames-painted-2

Walter T. Kelley has good equipment as well and they are good folks to deal with also. I lean towards Mann Lake as their prices are better and free shipping is easier. 

Once you get started or if you already have a hive and beekeeping equipment, I would definitely make a trip to go see Albert Zook. Albert carries a good bit of beekeeping equipment like gloves, veils, suits, etc. as well.


----------



## Fusion_power (Jan 14, 2005)

Not sure of your physical location, but if it is Ripley TN as per your info, you are 160 miles from Zook.

http://www.k4vb.com/Misc Projects/amish_built_wood_ware_available.html


----------



## mri1 (Feb 9, 2015)

Valley bee supply in Virginia. free shipping on orders of $100. Price & quality is good too. https://www.valleybeesupply.com/contact-us.html 
I have bought from both Mann Lake and Valley Bee. Like them both.


----------



## westtnbeekeeper (Oct 26, 2015)

I have bought from Kelleys and Mann Lake as well as brushy mountain. Mann lake is usually my choice for the free shipping threshold. Never seen any issues with brushy mountain quality on anything purchased however, I spent several hundred dollars at Kelleys last year and was not pleased with the fifty deep frames that I purchased and there was also a cold uncapping knife that I bought for 21 dollars that when I unpacked it was such a joke. Very obviously hastily hand made. Didn't work very well either. The mann lake frames I have purchased seem to be quite a bit more robust as are the the brushy mountain ones in all sizes. 

I very much want to visit Mr. Albert Zook. I am not much over an hour and a half away from his location and I love the idea of having cypress equipment. He also receives very high praise from the members here at beesource.:applause:


----------



## lemmje (Feb 23, 2015)

Second on Valley Bee Supply. I have ordered a lot from them and it has always been good.

https://www.valleybeesupply.com/


----------



## swarmtrap (Jan 14, 2017)

yea, im in Ripley TN and i dont have anything related to beekeeping except for the will power and i have the tools and knowhow i can build the hives no problem its just that i need everything else. kiln dried cypress listed on craigs list right now near Brownsville and its pretty cheap too


----------



## swarmtrap (Jan 14, 2017)

well i ordered things from both places so i'll see how that works out, maybe i'll use them again or maybe i'll shop elsewhere next time anyway, thank you to all that replied it really helps me alot


----------



## Swampsquash (Oct 25, 2014)

swarmtrap said:


> well i ordered things from both places so i'll see how that works out, maybe i'll use them again or maybe i'll shop elsewhere next time anyway, thank you to all that replied it really helps me alot


Congrats...I remember my first bee stuff orders as being very exciting. Good Luck and have fun. You will determine what you like from each company. That will help you form your opinions on where to order your equipment from in the future!


----------



## kaizen (Mar 20, 2015)

swarmtrap said:


> yea, im in Ripley TN and i dont have anything related to beekeeping except for the will power and i have the tools and knowhow i can build the hives no problem its just that i need everything else. kiln dried cypress listed on craigs list right now near Brownsville and its pretty cheap too


I drooled a little when I read that. not much of that up here. lol.
For your first time I strongly suggest buying frames and boxes. Get unassembled to save some money. you can then make inner cover/top cover and bottom board. I made my own boxes out of recycled lumber my first year. took me ten times longer then just pounding some boxes together. and one of them was just bowed enough that I had problems with bee space and frames not staying put. get a setup from mannlake but I would pick and choose what you need. A suit, hive tool, and smoker are the main parts to get going. If you get bigger you can order 36 boxes and the prices come down considerably. just ordered some supers and they were here in 3 days. poor fedex guy. as it gets closer to the season they will get bogged down. for the free shipping i'll wait forever


----------



## swarmtrap (Jan 14, 2017)

the cypress grows just about everywhere around here and i have a really good friend that owns a sawmill, later on i will get him to cut it for me and then just let it airdry, probly alot cheaper that way to and it will be ready to use next year


----------



## rolftonbees (Jul 10, 2014)

I.have ordered man lake frames by the 100 count case from amazon.

I.have also bought frames from brushy and from a local or two. I really prefer the man lake frames.

The precision is incredible in the manufacturing and there are little extra touches. For example that portion or the top bar that rests on the rabbet in the box is tapered a bit. This means less surface area in touch with the propolis and frames are easier to lift out.


----------



## swarmtrap (Jan 14, 2017)

so i got all my stuff and im pretty pleased with the quality (except the flimsy queen catcher) and mann lake shipped within 24 hours and i received it in only 3 days, kelley shipped in only 3 days and i would of received it in 4 days except for that zip being wrong and i thought they sent the wrong smoker so i called them and was speaking to a really nice lady on the phone within about 4 minutes who knew exactly what i ordered and they did in fact ship the correct smoker, so in conclusion i would say 2 thumbs up for both companies and i will buy from the others and see how they compare as i have already heard of dadant taking your money for stuff thats on backorder but not telling you its gunna ba month till they ship it


----------



## Wingnut (Dec 8, 2016)

I prefer Dadant over most other places, but do like the Mann Lake top feeder...


----------

