# mannlake?



## southeast-ct-newbie (Jul 27, 2013)

I have been looking at buying some frames and mannlake offers free shipping over $100.... I really want to get the foundationless frames from Kelly but the shipping costs as much as the frames themselves.... wondering how mannlake's quality was. If you did not know I am just starting to get into beekeeping and I am starting to gather supplies for next year.... and smoker and or suit suggestions?


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## mppatriots (Jun 11, 2013)

While I am very new to beekeeping, I have been buying from Mannlake a lot due to the free shipping. All my orders are always over 100. I have yet to receive anything that was poor quality. Boxes and frames fit together nicely with no issues.


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## southeast-ct-newbie (Jul 27, 2013)

thanks, I do not understand why the shipping is sooooooo high for most of the suppliers??


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## southeast-ct-newbie (Jul 27, 2013)

oh and go PATS!


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## falls pa (May 20, 2013)

No complaints


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Check Kelley`s free shipping for July


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## Creekside (Dec 29, 2011)

I bought 100 deep frames in the spring and they are the best I have bought yet! They fit together perfectly! Why your buying frames pick up one of there ventilated jackets or suit and smoker. I have bought supplies from Better Bee, Brushy Mountain, Dadant and others but the free shipping Mann Lake offers is hard to beat!


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## JStinson (Mar 30, 2013)

I order frames from mannlake because of the free shipping. No problems at all...and they ship them out pretty quick. You won't be disappointed.


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## mppatriots (Jun 11, 2013)

southeast-ct-newbie said:


> oh and go PATS!


Oh yeah! And the season is coming, i can't wait. As for shipping costs, a lot of beekeeping items are heavy or bulky, which equals higher shipping costs. Quite frankly i'm surprised mannlake offers the deal, but i'm not going to complain.


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## DJS (May 7, 2012)

JStinson said:


> I order frames from mannlake because of the free shipping. No problems at all...and they ship them out pretty quick. You won't be disappointed.


The also have great customer service.


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## Creekside (Dec 29, 2011)

DJS said:


> The also have great customer service.


X2


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## Stingboy (Feb 6, 2010)

southeast-ct-newbie said:


> I have been looking at buying some frames and mannlake offers free shipping over $100.... I really want to get the foundationless frames from Kelly but the shipping costs as much as the frames themselves.... wondering how mannlake's quality was. If you did not know I am just starting to get into beekeeping and I am starting to gather supplies for next year.... and smoker and or suit suggestions?


Free shipping adds a new meaning to freebee's ;-)


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## ANick (Aug 13, 2011)

The medium and deep split bottom / wedge top frames that I've gotten have been very nicely done. The fit and finish on them is spot on. Very consistent size on all features. Although the bees won't care one way or the other, I find the assembly goes faster. 

They are my Go To for frames.

Nick


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## medicmiked (Apr 18, 2013)

If you subscribe to amazon.com's Prime service for around $70/year, you get free second day shipping on most orders and Mann Lake sells most of their products through amazon.com. So for one initial outlay, you get free shipping the rest of the year, regardless of order size. In addition to the shipping, Prime also has a streaming video service like Netflix that is included with that price. I believe they also include ebooks too.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

You won't be dissapointed with anything from Mann Lake.


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## allniter (Aug 22, 2011)

don't for get about your MANN LAKE --BEE BUCKS --they add up also


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## NCbeek (Mar 23, 2011)

southeast-ct-newbie said:


> smoker and or suit suggestions?


I've bought a lot from Mann Lake also. Free shipping doesn't mean slow shipping either. Packaging is better than most. Woodwork is great and fits nicely together. As far as smokers go, the standard smoker will work fine and last for years. Suits need to be bought at least 2 sizes too big to allow for free movement.


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## nobull56 (Mar 30, 2013)

I travel a lot and have occasion to drive by man Lake's woodland California store. 95% of all my equipment I now buy there. 

In the store, unassembled wooden frames plus foundation runs about $2.20 per frame (big discount on large quantities) and if you buy a box of 20 assembled it works out to about $2.43 per frame.

Every other storefront from every other company that I've been to consistently tries to sell me stuff I don't need! The staff at man Lake will help me make a decision but don't try to sell me some new doodad.


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## Teddybear (May 25, 2011)

I have bought a lot from Mann Lake and have never been disappointed with their quality. You will not have any regrets.


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## biggraham610 (Jun 26, 2013)

I just recieved a shipment of woodenware and foundation from Mann lake. It was packaged nicely. arived in a timely fashion and the wooden ware could not be better. Perfect joints, and best of all, no shipping. They will be seeing alot more buisiness from me. A+


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## ggileau (Feb 19, 2013)

southeast-ct-newbie said:


> I have been looking at buying some frames and mannlake offers free shipping over $100.... I really want to get the foundationless frames from Kelly but the shipping costs as much as the frames themselves.... wondering how mannlake's quality was. If you did not know I am just starting to get into beekeeping and I am starting to gather supplies for next year.... and smoker and or suit suggestions?


Hey! We're almost neighbors!!!! I now buy almost everything from Mannlake. I made the mistake of buying a suit and a smoker off eBay. After a couple of months the suit is in the closet with a bad zipper, I'm still using the smoker although the bellows came apart. I had to pull it apart and re-staple it. I now have one of Mannlake's ventilated jackets and I love it. Mine has a brass zipper instead of the plastic one. The jacket and veil is just fine for me and SOOOO much easier to get in and out of. You will have to make that decision yourself. If they still have the discontinued models I would grab one. There is nothing wrong with them at all. They just don't come with gloves. I check around for prices and once and a while you will find something a little less but I end up getting it from Mannlake. The few times that I had to call they were very nice to talk to and knowledgeable as well. I can't speak of the hive bodies though as I have built my own. 

I have a massive six hive apiary and I wouldn't mind showing them off. Give a yell if you are interested.


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## Spinner (Jun 2, 2013)

Mann Lake is a top-tier supplier. I wouldn't worry about their quality. Sure, you might find one bad item once in awhile, but their customer service will promptly take care of it.

Since you are beginning to collect items for next year, you have some good options available to save some money on shipping costs: Suppliers, such as Kelley, will bring your order to local events with no added shipping charge. Watch your state bee event calendar and plan ahead. Also, watch for "free shipping week" that Kelley has (they had one just a few weeks ago). I took advantage of the free shipping offer and placed a large order with them.

And finally, you have ample time to think about building some of your woodenware. I'll leave frames to my suppliers, but hive bodies and supers are an easy afternoon project that will save you quite a bit.


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## minz (Jan 15, 2011)

I wanted to chime in and say if you are buying for next year foundation gets tricky in spring and it may get back ordered. Also wax shipping is dependent on the weather where frame shipment is not. I think I have got three different frame sizes, all in the 100+ price break range from ML this year, all were nice fitting and wood quality. I did have to wait for foundation a couple of weeks (actually had to go buy some local to bridge the delay).


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

Which Mann lake frames are best without foundation?


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## rob brinkerhoff (Dec 25, 2012)

southeast-ct-newbie said:


> I have been looking at buying some frames and mannlake offers free shipping over $100.... I really want to get the foundationless frames from Kelly but the shipping costs as much as the frames themselves.... wondering how mannlake's quality was. If you did not know I am just starting to get into beekeeping and I am starting to gather supplies for next year.... and smoker and or suit suggestions?


I have both Mann Lake and Kelly Frames. I prefer the Mann Lakes since they are so much quicker to assemble, they feel much more solid and the free shipping is a big plus. I buy the wedge tops, since they can be used for both foundation and foundationless. I've just been popping the wedge off and the remaining edge is all the bees need to grow strait comb....granted you start it between two strait combs.


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## pharmbee (Jun 21, 2013)

The only thing I don't care for with mann lake is no screened bottoms on nucs or 8 frames. I'm not even sure they offer them in 10 frames sbb


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

Are Mann Lake and kelly frames and super compatible? I have all Kelly now. I don't like to pay for shipping Amazon has me spoiled, I guess. Im very happy with the quality at Kelly.


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## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

I use just about Mann Lake exclusively - mostly because of shipping. I do foundationless for the most part - I just order wedge frames and turn the wedge sideways. Works great. My only isses with the Mann Lake frames, and it's a minor one, is that they have flat edges on their sidebar spacers, and not the ridged spacers found on the Kelley frames. Sometimes the bees glue them together pretty good. Another thing - the Kelley frames are slightly longer and depending on how your boxes are built, may be a tight fit. usually this is not a problem though.

So they both are great frames, but both have certain minor workable issues - very minor in my opinion. Now, don't get me started on plastic frames....


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