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Author Topic: Homemade foundation  (Read 23812 times)

Offline Acebird

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Re: Homemade foundation
« Reply #40 on: January 28, 2011, 08:08:28 pm »
Quote
You must have much deeper pockets than the rest of us little beeks.

Quite the contrarary I have no pockets.  I am a doer not a director or manager.  The days of a doer succeeding on the merits of his skills are gone these days.  If you think you can make it based on your beekeeping techniques or skills I am not going to burst your bubble.  Show us how it is done.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Offline organicfarmer

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Re: Homemade foundation
« Reply #41 on: March 11, 2011, 06:16:03 pm »
Sorry to change the topic without changing the header, but to get back onto homemade foundations :-D, i have made blank sheets, cut them in strips and used as starts in frames. Some are pretty soft, easy to handle; others -same room temperature, same wax batch actually- are more brittle, shatter some when cut so i have to be gentle (which i do not know how to be). i read to add a little propolis to strengthen the wax. Does one need to grind it or leave it in chunks?

Any input on why it became brittle (cooling to slow? to fast? temp of melted wax to high? What's the prognosis doctor?) or how to solve the problem?
Merci,

Offline deknow

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Re: Homemade foundation
« Reply #42 on: March 12, 2011, 01:39:16 am »
I don't really see the point of making/using wax strips for this purpose.  A wooden comb guide seems to work for us near 100% of the time, and we simply reuse the wide popsicle sticks we use for honey tasting.  The bees don't seem to need the wood waxed, and they attach quite nicely.

http://thecompleteidiotsguidetobeekeeping.com/index.php/beekeeping/articles/88-foundationless-frames-how-to

Let me know if you want some for guides, we have thousands.

deknow

Offline Acebird

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Re: Homemade foundation
« Reply #43 on: March 12, 2011, 10:31:25 am »
Looking at your last photo is it necessary to use the wide stick?  My thought is if the stick did not come down so far the bees would make the Honey comb attach better to the top bar.  That makes the drawn comb structurally stiffer seeing as how the bees don't seem to want to attach the comb to the sides and the bottom of the frame.  Have you tried a shorter guide?
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Offline organicfarmer

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Re: Homemade foundation
« Reply #44 on: March 12, 2011, 07:32:28 pm »
Thank Dean, i have plenty in the greenhouse (we use them for seedling labels). i make wax strips because i have nice clean wax from my hives; i know it has not been treated and i think it is the best use for it. i also use popsicle sticks.

I don't really see the point of making/using wax strips for this purpose.  A wooden comb guide seems to work for us near 100% of the time, and we simply reuse the wide popsicle sticks we use for honey tasting.  The bees don't seem to need the wood waxed, and they attach quite nicely.

http://thecompleteidiotsguidetobeekeeping.com/index.php/beekeeping/articles/88-foundationless-frames-how-to

Let me know if you want some for guides, we have thousands.

deknow