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Author Topic: home made wax foundation machine Take One!  (Read 29781 times)

Offline Nkwazi

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Re: home made wax foundation machine Take One!
« Reply #20 on: July 01, 2013, 01:04:59 am »
I found a post on the Science in Africa website where the foundation is made by making two silicone molds and placing them on the opposite sides of a folding steel frame.  The wax is then poured onto the one half of the mold and the two halves are pressed together (like a book).  The author stated they were averaging about 50 sheets an hour with this method.  Another interesting comment was that the addition of some propolis to the wax used helped strengthen the wax foundations.  You'd have to google it since I don't seem to be allowed to post links yet.

Offline flyboy

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Cheers
Al
First packages - 2 queens and bees May 17 2014 - doing well

Offline flyboy

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Re: home made wax foundation machine Take One!
« Reply #22 on: January 02, 2014, 08:13:53 pm »
It occurs to me that the simplest method would be to do the making of the basic sheet from this youtube:
MAKING WAX=FOUNDATION=CHEAP
And then emboss it by making an embosser by gluing a commercially available plastic foundation to a piece of plywood and then the other side to another piece of plywood. So you would have to purchase two plastic foundations.

Then make some sort of jig that allows them to mate properly and then putting the sheet on top of one then placing the top or other side press to top and  applying pressure.

This is just theory to me now.

Any thoughts?
Cheers
Al
First packages - 2 queens and bees May 17 2014 - doing well

Offline divemaster1963

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Re: home made wax foundation machine Take One!
« Reply #23 on: January 04, 2014, 10:11:47 pm »
there is one thing you are missing. if you use a plastic foundation as your press you are now making a positive of the foundation and instead of having raised comb for the bees to use you have grooves. the bees will fill the grooves before starting the comb. you need to make a negative to get the proper foundation. I am working thought that process when i have time. i am making a roller press with the resin cast around rolling pins. have not started them yet but will post when i have done it to show the status. have had a bad DEC. with medical problems me and the wife. plus helping out a Friend who had two strokes and pneumonia keep his business running.  hoping the new year is better.

john

Offline flyboy

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Re: home made wax foundation machine Take One!
« Reply #24 on: January 04, 2014, 11:11:28 pm »
Glad I posted. Thanks for catching me before wasting time on a mistake. So I would have to make an opposite mold.

That would take some careful work but simply putting a release agent on the original and then pouring some resin, say epoxy on top, would make the proper female mold. Sounds like this was one of your ideas.

For your rollers you could use bicycle chain and sprockets. I don't do metal work, but making a roller from wood on my lathe would be easy. A large diameter roller would be easy to make and might be a good idea.

Thanks for the great ideas BTW and thoughts.
Cheers
Al
First packages - 2 queens and bees May 17 2014 - doing well

Offline ugcheleuce

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Re: home made wax foundation machine Take One!
« Reply #25 on: January 05, 2014, 07:25:03 am »
There is one thing you are missing. The bees will fill the grooves before starting the comb.

I actually asked a similar question on another forum, and the responses were overwhelmingly negative (mostly from beekeepers who haven't actually done it).  My question was whether bees would draw out comb more regularly if they are presented with some sort of guide that is not an actual positive comb pattern.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=27393
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Samuel Murray, Apeldoorn, Netherlands
3 hives in desperate need of requeening :-)

Offline divemaster1963

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Re: home made wax foundation machine Take One!
« Reply #26 on: January 12, 2014, 11:39:56 pm »
There is one thing you are missing. The bees will fill the grooves before starting the comb.

I actually asked a similar question on another forum, and the responses were overwhelmingly negative (mostly from beekeepers who haven't actually done it).  My question was whether bees would draw out comb more regularly if they are presented with some sort of guide that is not an actual positive comb pattern.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=27393

people have used Popsicle sticks as starter strips and have had success with it. I have use blank starter strips of wax and just added cross wire for support. it has worked for me only in the brood chambers. everyone i used for supers has had problems with blowouts during spinning. but there is really only one way to know if something will work for you is to try it with limited use and see. we all use the ways that work best for our situation.

john

 

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