Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: labradorfarms on February 05, 2014, 07:06:50 pm

Title: Small Cell foundation
Post by: labradorfarms on February 05, 2014, 07:06:50 pm

I am still debating using Small cell foundation.  I want to be all natural when, I get a little exp under my belt... My question is the Small Cell Foundation from Dadant  a wax foundation or a plastic foundation coated in wax? I only ask because I noticed its a lot more money.. 

Title: Re: Small Cell foundation
Post by: Vance G on February 05, 2014, 09:33:45 pm

The cheapest way for you  to go would be to buy the 4.9 PFXXX small cell frames from Mann lake.  You get regression rapidly.  Then if you want you can just plug in foundationless frames and or, cut the inside of your plastic frame out and let them redraw it if you want to be that silly.  The plastic frame gets all covered up with wax and no plastic is touching your honey or bees.   Just so much simpler.  I use a lot of them and they are just fine.

Title: Re: Small Cell foundation
Post by: labradorfarms on February 05, 2014, 10:06:18 pm

Thanks for the advice , but back to my question. Are the small cell foundations made of plastic coated with wax or are they pure wax ?
I hope my question does not seem dumb, but I am a newbey.

Title: Re: Small Cell foundation
Post by: jim81147 on February 05, 2014, 11:11:01 pm

If I am looking at the same foundation you are I would guess it is wax even though they don't specify . I don't see any reason to wire plastic foundation . One way to be certain is call Dadant

Title: Re: Small Cell foundation
Post by: edward on February 06, 2014, 12:12:08 am

The small cell Foundation is sold by the Pound

Plastic Foundation is sold by an each price

so the small cells are of beeswax  ;)


mvh Edward  :-P

Title: Re: Small Cell foundation
Post by: Vance G on February 06, 2014, 12:22:23 am

I apologize for not answering your question,  Edward is exactly right.  I saw it in the Dadant catalog and I think the same product is in the Mannlake catalog

Title: Re: Small Cell foundation
Post by: Michael Bush on February 06, 2014, 09:31:35 pm

Dadant is selling wax foundation.  Not plastic.  Mann Lake is selling plastic one piece frames (PF100s and PF120s).  No reason to wire plastic.

The advantages of the Mann Lake plastic frames (be sure they are not the PF500 series, but the PF100 series) is that the bees will usually draw it exactly as it is laid out.  The wax 4.9mm will likely get reworked by the bees.  The cheapest is just do foundationless and let the bees decide:

http://bushfarms.com/beesfoundationless.htm (http://bushfarms.com/beesfoundationless.htm)