Permacomb

[mat]

Do permacomb frames need to be waxed in order to be accepted?

[Michael Bush]

>Do permacomb frames need to be waxed in order to be accepted?

I wax them to get smaller cell size.  Acceptance is just a side effect.  They will be BETTER accepted if waxed.  Some people rub some wax on the outside.  Some spray with sugar water.  Some do nothing.  The bees will use it when they have no room to do anything else.  Once they use it, acceptance is the same as any comb.

[mat]

Thank you Michael. I have hundred of the frames and was going to introduce them this year. From what I red on the forum and beesource waxing them seems to be quite messy procedure. That's why I was thinking of giving them as they are.

[Michael Bush]

My method was a very messy procedure.  I heated them to 200 F and then dipped them in 200 F or so beeswax and then shook off all the excess wax.  But it was perfect acceptance and small cell.  Now that I can buy Honey Super Cell I'll probably just cut them down to mediums instead.  :)

[mat]

Sounds really messy. Few questions: do you need to kind of shake the frame while dipped in the wax to get rid of air? Do you think it could be done horizontally, dipped flat. I think I would need much less wax for that.

[Michael Bush]

I was trying to make smaller cells, so I wanted the wax all the way to the bottom.  I tipped it back and forth with the cells angled up to let the air out, of course, and went until there were no more bubbles.

[Brian D. Bray]

Once you get your "NEW" plastic frames air them out.  Even with a thin coat of wax placed over the existing foundation or cells won't over come the smell of plastic and the bees will hold off working the stuff.  Where Airing out the plastic equipment is concerned I alwlays advise to buy it in the fall, unpack it, and use it in the spring.  By Spring 90% of the plastic smell is gone.

In lieu of airing them out for a prolonged period of time using a masking agent such as vanilla extract or lemon grass oil will help.

[catfishbill]

hey mat,i used couple of boxes of permacomb last year and i scrubbed them with some wax and sprayed them with some sugar water mixture.they took to it very well.i also suggest using the 9 frame divider strips,it makes it easier to uncap.i liked it so much i bought some more for this year.

[Bee-Bop]

I've never used permacone, how ever I use the 120, solid plastic frames from Mann-Lake
I agree about airing out the frames, however, I only air them out in the open, for about 4/5 days.
Have a small hot pot, and a 4 in. foam roller, 1 swipe down the center of each side of a frame {medium 10/15 seconds per frame} and done !

I've had excelent results.

Just a hobby
Bee-Bop

[mat]

THank you guys for the advice. Brian, to be honest I kept my frames in the box whole winter. I am taking them out now. I hope it is not to late.