Best Budget Beehive - Thorne Beekeeping - Bees on a Budget Kit Review

[@DiverPeg]

I was given a flat pack Langstroth hive for my birthday. Husband built it as part of the gift. I can’t wait to put bees in it. The first split is going in there.

[@gfp38]

Hell yeh!! You could sell ice to eskimos. I'm checking out Thorne's right now. Thanks for a really straight talking review for an absolute beginner.

[@bluelab5019]

I've got 2 of the 14x12 hives to get my beekeeping adventure started. Couldn't agree more with everything you've just said. Absolutely spot on👌

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Good to hear BlueLab. They really are a very well put together kit

[@louloucranston3640]

How timely. I had not looked at the budget package thinking it was inferior quality but following this review I will be getting 2 of these for my daughter's new hobby. Thank you for your unbiased review.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Fantastic! What a great present. She will be over the moon I am sure

[@markrobson070169]

I am about to purchase the plus kit with the 14 x 12 brood body, you have just confirmed I had made the right decision thank you.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Great shout Mark. You are in the draw!

[@joecreaser8885]

Bit late to the party with this comment. I went down the Langstroth route with these budget hives, completely agree with what you’ve said. After getting the 1st one, making it was easy. Realising I needed more kit bought 2 more, still only £115 at the time. Also bought a 1st quality at £330 and honestly can’t really tell much difference between them. Definitely recommend these hives.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Yep. Im a big a fan!

[@bluelab5019]

Any chance you could do a "bite size" video on the dummy board use? I literally thought it was to fill up the slight void left that the frames didn't fill, now I realise its got an actual purpose. How would you stop the bees building brace comb on the other side of it? My god, I've got so much to learn in the next couple of months 😳

[@BlackMountainHoney]

I certainly will BlueLab! I actually did one and deleted it the autofocus was out. Its a reallt simple technique. Your aim is to use it to reduce the size of the box to the size of the colony. If they build brace comb the other side, then its in the wrong place. Just need to stay ahead of the bees and move it out as they draw/fill the frames.

[@JanH-en1mx]

Dumb 🫏 question time - I notice the hive built is showing the frames in a cold facing way if you have the ‘handles’ displayed to the front. I am correct in assuming as it’s square you can build it warm facing? Many thanks.

[@JanH-en1mx]

Dumb 🫏 question time. I notice the hive has the frames cold facing if you are to look at the hive front facing with the handles on show. Can you place the frames warm faxing? Many thanks.

[@mustrumridcully3853]

Glad you like them. I have put put 2 on order today, not long before I saw your review lol.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Great to hear. Hope your bees do well in them 😀

[@mustrumridcully3853]

@@BlackMountainHoney Mine arrived. They were significantly more "knotty" than yours. There was also a significant amount of colour variation in the timber. Both of these things I kind of accept, but some of the knots were very rough and I wonder if their bladed needed sharpening. I also purchased some pine boxes elsewhere. Far superior quality and much better to paint. My 2 Nucs are now in their full sized Thornes boxes. I think I would probably spend more money next time and get better quality ones.

[@matthewshaw3470]

I love Thornes wooden hives. Fortunately for me the main shop is only 25 mins drive from me but I do wish they would send me a free one

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Yes. They are very good quality indeed 👌

[@Gyujju8ii]

Hi we need to give some hands with prime at the box hive? Thanks

[@merv159]

Im going to get some of their budget brood bodies from the BBKA convention. I was set on starting with a national hive based on the set up in your video with the poly ashforth feeder but the more i look into it all the more i want to start out with langstroth. Now I'm just stuck in limbo, am i making a massive mistake going langstroth in the uk?

[@tanacious21]

If you already had 1 of these and was looking to add a second hive what would you recommend then? poly or wood? starter kit or buy separately the bits as an when i need it?

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Its all a matter of circumstance and what you are looking for out of your bees. I like poly for practicality but much prefer wood for looks. You dont start making decent savings on frames/foundation until you start ordering in packs of 50s. So if its just 1 extra hive, you cant go wrong with this kit. If its lots more hives, best to start looking at buying frames/foundation in bulk and picking up 2nds boxes in the sales.

[@junior1138]

Hey dude. Been watching your vids for a bit now. Very informative: thanks for that. So I’m new to this gig. I have one of these hives that I’m due to build imminently. Any thoughts on using screws instead of nails?

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Thanks for watching. Screwed and glued is definitely superior but be sure to pre drill everything. It splits like mad. Titebond 3 is the best glue for it

[@junior1138]

@@BlackMountainHoney yeah, doubt if it would take screws unless it was drilled. I guess it’s best to start with the brood box then the frames? Don’t think I want to have the frames sitting around with a nosey/clumsy Newfoundland!

[@garycasey991]

My wife told me last month in the last two days of the month before that we can get some pallets and we still have not gotten any.

[@Peaboi_]

The only issue seems that it is ply and not cedar

[@garycasey991]

I have aluminum that I can put together to put on the top

[@Allotmentinthefield]

Do you leave varoa bord in or use it only during a treatment?

[@BlackMountainHoney]

We leave it out all year apart from treatments

[@GintasKadys]

I can see £259 for commercial hive. And you need to assemble yourself. How much you seed the price was?

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Mine was for a flat pack national. Around £130ish

[@GintasKadys]

@@BlackMountainHoney That link that you have in the description of your video not working, can you please correct that. I am in Uk and looking to bay 3 hive us beginning bee keeper. Thanks

[@BlackMountainHoney]

@@GintasKadys www.thorne.co.uk/hives-and-bees/bees-on-a-budget/bees-on-a-budget-hives/bees-on-a-budget-the-national-hive-flat-or-assembled.html

[@Photohonesty]

If 11 frames are needed why are they not sold in batches of 11?

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Some places do sell in batches of 11. It's on of those strange nuances that they are sold in 10s. Probably for stackability

[@ThorneBeehives]

​@@BlackMountainHoney Just for your info - we have started selling individual flat frames and sheets of foundation on our website. Then you can choose exactly how many you need. So just add a single frame or sheet of foundation to the pack of 10!

[@BlackMountainHoney]

@@ThorneBeehives That's great to hear. Gives excellent flexibility for when people need just the odd one or two frames.

[@Delibro]

One question is still open: Is this really English grown cedar? 😂

[@sigma_kappa]

Biodegradable plastic means it breaks into micro plastic in months instead of 10,000 years. Personally introducing micro plastics into the waterways does not excite me.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

There is lot of plant based plastics that just decompose as normal as they are fully plant based. I get a few magazines that are covered in celluose sheet. Definitely a lot of variation in the term biodegradable plastics though!

[@sigma_kappa]

@@BlackMountainHoney agreed