Duragilt foundation??

[mlewis48]

 Hey folks,
 I hope that Spring has found its way to you.   I am getting ready for some new packages that will be coming soon and looking at all of the different choices for foundation I came across Duragilt. Last year, I used the Pierco frames that came with my kits and the bees did not like them and it took forever for them to draw them out. The drought that we were in did not help out the cause either. I have used plain old wax foundation but that was another mess. Not too good with the wire. This Duragilt looks like it has the strength of plastic and the wax foundation to go with it. Has any of you used it  and what did you think of it. Any advice would help.
                                             Thanks,
                                              Marcus

[Bigeddie]

I used it and was happy with it,easy to install and tough.

[bassman1977]

The Duragilt worked good when I used it.

Your results surprise me.  Not so much the plastic Pierco, as I've heard this tune sung before (I haven't had a problem with it), but the waxed foundation. 

When you say "Not too good with the wire" what do you mean by that?  They didn't draw over it properly? 

I wouldn't be surprised if a dearth or the dry weather didn't factor into the drawing of the comb more than you think.

[mlewis48]

 What i was getting at was with the plain wax foundation, you use wire for support. Mine didn't give much support, at all. Last year was my first year and I did not know much about anything. Kind of figured it out as I went. When doing and inspection, last year, I had a section of foundation fall out of the frame. Not a pleasant experiance. I like Pierco products, don't get me wrong, but the cost is high starting out. I can save a few dollars with Duragilt and wood frames. I hate to cut corners there but you got to do it where you can. It looks like Duragilt will offer the same strength as Pierco and easy to install. Plus,I won't have to coat the foundation with wax. Another expence that I won't have. Next year, I will have some wax to use, I hope. Anything that I could have harvested was used to support my weaker colonies through the winter. Dadant cut us a little deal, with all the we bought from them, this Spring so there was not much difference in the price versus plain foundation. We will give it a try and hope for the best. Thanks again for the replies and lets hope for a good season.
                                                   Take care,
                                                    Marcus

[bassman1977]

What i was getting at was with the plain wax foundation, you use wire for support. Mine didn't give much support, at all. Last year was my first year and I did not know much about anything. Kind of figured it out as I went. When doing and inspection, last year, I had a section of foundation fall out of the frame. Not a pleasant experiance.

Oh yeah, not good at all.  After you weave it through, just make sure that the wire is guitar string tight and you should be good.

I like Pierco products, don't get me wrong, but the cost is high starting out. I can save a few dollars with Duragilt and wood frames. I hate to cut corners there but you got to do it where you can.

I use the Pierco as a starter foundation for regressing my bees to small cell.  The nice thing about the Pierco is that you can't damage it.  Just let them rebuild if you need them to start over.  The Pierco I got was waxed.  I didn't add anything to it and they took to it right off.

It looks like Duragilt will offer the same strength as Pierco and easy to install. Plus,I won't have to coat the foundation with wax. Another expence that I won't have.

Yes, it is strong.  The downside is that once they build on it, you can't scrape the wax off and have them restart it like you can with the Pierco.  Also, Pierco has a bit smaller cells so, like I stated above, helps start aid in regression.  Even if you don't plan to regress, the size is still better than the large cell size.

Next year, I will have some wax to use, I hope.

If you want a lot of wax for making candles, soap, etc., I wouldn't use Duragult or Pierco.  Personally, I would go with unwired wax foundation in the supers, starter strips, or foundationless.

Anything that I could have harvested was used to support my weaker colonies through the winter.

Good thinking.   :lol:

Thanks again for the replies and lets hope for a good season.

No problem.  I hope the extra stuff above helps too.

[Scadsobees]

Duragilt - tough, easy to install, accepted well.  However, if it gets messed up its done for.  If you put foundation in and some of the wax flakes off, or if the bees chew it down, its done for.  Any where the smooth plastic shows they won't touch it.  I won't bother with it any more.

I love the plastic foundation.  I've only bought it pre-waxed.  Sure, it is a little more expensive, and there are some acceptance problems (easily surmountable!).  However, you will only have to buy it once.  Getting old?  Just scrape it off and put it back in!

I also use some foundationless (wired if deeps) and yes, you do need to handle it  a little easier, especially during hot days, but it's easy enough to do if you are aware of what frame is what.

Rick

[dlmarti]

I use the Pierco as a starter foundation for regressing my bees to small cell.  The nice thing about the Pierco is that you can't damage it.  Just let them rebuild if you need them to start over.  The Pierco I got was waxed.  I didn't add anything to it and they took to it right off.

Pierco doesn't manufacture small cell, that I know of.
I think the smallest they have is 5.1mm

[bassman1977]

Pierco doesn't manufacture small cell, that I know of.
I think the smallest they have is 5.1mm

I use the Pierco as a starter foundation for regressing my bees to small cell.

[Michael Bush]

Most foundation if the bees mess it up or the wax moths eat it, the bees will clean things up and fill things in.  With Duragilt they will not.  Once it's down to the plastic, they will never rebuild on the plastic, so the comb on the opposite side is expanded to fill the gap.  It's a mess after that.

That said, I used a lot of it with good results for many years.  But you end up culling combs that otherwise  you wouldn't.

[tngold]

I have some duaguilt in my hives. As comparison goes i would use  something else. Some of my bees striped the wax coating down to the plastic. They will not drow it back to fix the plastic. I cut some of it out, they pulled it back with drone size. This is not all bad, i can now use it for drone, mite removal.

[MustbeeNuts]

I'm starting out with duragilt, and some plastic foundation, one type for each hive. As a beginner is duragilt NOT reccomended. I found it easy to work and assemble. My other thought on this , isn't foundation replaced yearly anyway?

[Bigeddie]

I'm starting out with duragilt, and some plastic foundation, one type for each hive. As a beginner is duragilt NOT reccomended. I found it easy to work and assemble. My other thought on this , isn't foundation replaced yearly anyway?

No,It's used again and again

[Michael Bush]

>isn't foundation replaced yearly anyway?

Some people never replace it.  Some replace it every five years.   Some every eight years.  No one that I know of replaces it yearly.