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Author Topic: Duragilt? and Plastersill?  (Read 4612 times)

Offline atthelake22

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Duragilt? and Plastersill?
« on: February 02, 2006, 04:05:10 pm »
Okay, sorry to be back asking for help again so soon, but i know this lull in the weather is my friend when it comes to getting information ready for the spring management...so ..new question.
As i have mentioned we have a lot of "field" work and would put on and take off frames, spin, treat for dad, and maintenance too. HOwever, he has marked his frames with a DG and a PS, we know that means duragel and palstersill correct??? I know it has something to do with which hives he wanted cut comb from.  RIGHT?
I call this center board a foundation for that is what dad always called it, not sure i am being clear though as to what i mean. HOwever, could you share some wisdom on the foundations for cutcomb and for spinning.  We know how to cut the comb, package it, process it in the hive etc, but since I was a strong believer in "doing is knowing"  :oops: I have failed to know the behind the scenes ordering, styles of foundations, etc.  
Still awaiting that book at the library and hope it helps, but somehow I'd rather hear it from a REAL beekeeper/Apiarist or someone who at least has had some experience. That is why this site is absolutely perfect for us and I thank you in advance for any good advise you can lend.  
Oh yeah, took your advise on the varroa mite situation and confectionary sugar, ALSO on the burr comb, I was so worried that we shouldhave left it there but trust me we would never have been able to get that apart later (without some good old muscle straining teehe) THANKS!@
 :wink:
"...so shines a good deed in a weary world" dahl

Offline thegolfpsycho

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Duragilt? and Plastersill?
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2006, 06:14:42 pm »
As far as foundation.  For cut comb, you want unwired, beeswax.  Usually sold as thin surplus.  In the brood nest, duragilt, crimp wired, various plastic foundations like permadent or peirco would be fine.  Just as they would for extracting.

As for the burred up stuck together boxes, the old light weapons expert tool (garrot) comes in pretty handy.  Just make a couple handles, attach a piano wire, guitar string, etc, and work it through.

Offline Michael Bush

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Duragilt? and Plastersill?
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2006, 10:18:53 pm »
>HOwever, he has marked his frames with a DG and a PS, we know that means duragel and palstersill correct??? I know it has something to do with which hives he wanted cut comb from. RIGHT?

DuraGilt or DuraComb is a kind of foundation with smooth plastic coated with wax.  Plasticell is an embossed plastic foundation.

>I call this center board a foundation for that is what dad always called it

It's not a board exactly, but yes, what is in the center of the frame is a comb and it is usually built on foundation.

> not sure i am being clear though as to what i mean. HOwever, could you share some wisdom on the foundations for cutcomb and for spinning.

Wired, duragilt, duracomb, plasticell, ritecell, pierco etc. are all reinforced foundation.  If you put wires in wax you also have reinforced foundation.  This is for brood comb or extracting.

>We know how to cut the comb, package it, process it in the hive etc, but since I was a strong believer in "doing is knowing" Embarassed I have failed to know the behind the scenes ordering, styles of foundations, etc.

For cut comb, if you wish to use foundation, I'd buy thin surplus.  If you can buy 7/11 from Walter T. Kelly you can skip the queen excluder (which I would do anyway) and have the queen not like the cell size so she won't lay in it.

If there is a good imprint of the old comb on the top bar the bees will follow this most of the time and draw comb without foundation.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline atthelake22

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Got it
« Reply #3 on: February 03, 2006, 04:24:14 am »
:D Thank you so much for the good advice! I know we have a huge amount of frames already witht he foundations in them (around 125 of them) that dad had prepared for this season just waiting to be used. Can't wait for spring!
I see now that the types of foundations he has are supported by wires/etc and the importance in that for i read alot about "sagging" comb on the site.
So do I have it right that you don't use an excluder Michael?
Do you just raise your own bees? Is there a reason you don't use that exclluder? just curious...i know dad has one int he supply closet but don't remember ever ever using it.  Guess since I didn't use it I took it as one of the attempts he went through learning the whole process about 7years ago.  Didn't know what to do with it anyway, but can you tell me the pros and cons and why you don't use one? Learning tricks of the trade really helps!
Thanks again, the lakes
"...so shines a good deed in a weary world" dahl

Offline Michael Bush

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Duragilt? and Plastersill?
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2006, 07:58:54 am »
>Do you just raise your own bees?

All beekeepers raise bees. :)  I raise my own queens as well and sell them.

>Is there a reason you don't use that exclluder?

32 years ago I saw how much the bees hated them and I saw the disruption everytime Ihad to take one off (they are always either propolized, if they are unbound, or burred if they are bound) and the trouble getting the bees to move up and work the supers and I quit using them.  They also tend to cause the brood nest to get more congested with nectar and bees.

> just curious...i know dad has one int he supply closet but don't remember ever ever using it.

Smart guy. :)  They are handy now and then for short term things like figuring out where a really skittish queen is.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Apis629

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Duragilt? and Plastersill?
« Reply #5 on: February 03, 2006, 04:28:20 pm »
The ONLY time I ever use an excluder is when I NEED to find a queen, NEED to bank a queen for a few days or if I don't have spare supers and NEED to keep her from laying eggs in my honeyframes.

 

anything