i was taught to weave the foundation for support. this will be my december - february job to learn to use your method from now on. thank you mr.kelly for a great tip!
My only experience has been with plastic foundation or none at all. I had no idea the wire was meant to be heated and melted into the wax foundation. I feel like I learned something really important and useful. Thanks.
Thanks for the awesome video. wax foundation takes so much more work!! I have never tried them and probably never will. I have been using a mixed of plastic foundation and foundationless. It works well so far. But I can only use weak colonies or wait till no drones flying around to build foundationless frames (to reduce drone cells). Foundationless also will just cost 1/4 of the cost of a fully assembled plastic foundation frame. Although in the future I probably will just switch to full plastic foundation frames. Reason: less work for me. Building frames takes times. Buying the fully assembled frames is such a joy :)
In Europe beeswax foundation is what is used and learning to melt it in properly is a rite of passage. I have never used plastic foundation and probably never will. In American beekeeping videos I see a lot of complaining that it is so difficult to get bees to build on plastic foundation? That is not the case with beeswax foundation at all. I looked up if you can buy plastic foundation here and you can; but one sheet is 2-5 times as expensive as the frame itself !? One very important tip when melting in wax foundation is that you want the wax foundation to be preheated to a warm temperature (broodnest temperature). That way the beeswax foundation when in the hive will not expand further than the frame and will not buckle. So either work in a very hot room or preheat up the packet of beeswax foundation with for instance an old electric blanket. I saw a video by bee researcher dr. Pia Aumeier where she demonstrates how to melt in wax foundation and what to avoid. She uses an old electric blanket to preheat the beeswax foundation and a special tool to tension the stainless steel wires when they are too slack. She claims she can produce 150 frames with wax foundation in an hour. The video is in German but you'll get the gist. See: ruclips.net/video/fyqNLRzciQE/видео.html
Hi Patrick I enjoyed reading about your experiences with beeswax foundation. The European frames I've seen( in Denmark) were built in a way that it is quicker and easier to install wax foundation than our North American frames. Easier to melt the comb out and reuse the frames too. We don't need to preheat the foundation to install it as we leave expansion space in the bottom bar groove. I think I mentioned that in the video. I've gone to plastic foundation for brood chambers but still prefer beeswax foundation in honey supers. Aesthetically I prefer beeswax but I'd rather be skiing in the winter than building frames!
Ive been learning all summer and getting ready for my first hive this coming spring and you are my favorite to watch, thank you for all the help and knowledge you share. My question is, do bees really build comb faster on just a starter strip? Also my neighbor got his first hive this year and on a few frames the bees doesnt build good around the reinforced wire, so my plan when I get my package is to checker board with starter strips (popsicle sticks) and wireless wax foundation, would that work? (I was hoping to buy a few drawn out frames off the local bee guru to get a headstart too?)
It seems like much easier with plastic foundations, is it some big difference to the bees with waxed foundations? I suppose they like more the second one, but does it have some drastic difference?
i was taught to weave the foundation for support. this will be my december - february job to learn to use your method from now on. thank you mr.kelly for a great tip!
Our pleasure Carl. Thanks for your kind comment.
My only experience has been with plastic foundation or none at all. I had no idea the wire was meant to be heated and melted into the wax foundation. I feel like I learned something really important and useful. Thanks.
Thanks for your comment Joseph. Happy to help.
Thanks for the awesome video. wax foundation takes so much more work!! I have never tried them and probably never will. I have been using a mixed of plastic foundation and foundationless. It works well so far. But I can only use weak colonies or wait till no drones flying around to build foundationless frames (to reduce drone cells). Foundationless also will just cost 1/4 of the cost of a fully assembled plastic foundation frame. Although in the future I probably will just switch to full plastic foundation frames. Reason: less work for me. Building frames takes times. Buying the fully assembled frames is such a joy :)
Some good thoughts there. Thanks. Over time most beekeepers end up using foundation of some sort as you get better comb.
In Europe beeswax foundation is what is used and learning to melt it in properly is a rite of passage.
I have never used plastic foundation and probably never will. In American beekeeping videos I see a lot of complaining that it is so difficult to get bees to build on plastic foundation? That is not the case with beeswax foundation at all.
I looked up if you can buy plastic foundation here and you can; but one sheet is 2-5 times as expensive as the frame itself !?
One very important tip when melting in wax foundation is that you want the wax foundation to be preheated to a warm temperature (broodnest temperature). That way the beeswax foundation when in the hive will not expand further than the frame and will not buckle.
So either work in a very hot room or preheat up the packet of beeswax foundation with for instance an old electric blanket.
I saw a video by bee researcher dr. Pia Aumeier where she demonstrates how to melt in wax foundation and what to avoid. She uses an old electric blanket to preheat the beeswax foundation and a special tool to tension the stainless steel wires when they are too slack. She claims she can produce 150 frames with wax foundation in an hour. The video is in German but you'll get the gist.
See: ruclips.net/video/fyqNLRzciQE/видео.html
Hi Patrick
I enjoyed reading about your experiences with beeswax foundation. The European frames I've seen( in Denmark) were built in a way that it is quicker and easier to install wax foundation than our North American frames. Easier to melt the comb out and reuse the frames too.
We don't need to preheat the foundation to install it as we leave expansion space in the bottom bar groove. I think I mentioned that in the video.
I've gone to plastic foundation for brood chambers but still prefer beeswax foundation in honey supers. Aesthetically I prefer beeswax but I'd rather be skiing in the winter than building frames!
Thank you
Ive been learning all summer and getting ready for my first hive this coming spring and you are my favorite to watch, thank you for all the help and knowledge you share. My question is, do bees really build comb faster on just a starter strip? Also my neighbor got his first hive this year and on a few frames the bees doesnt build good around the reinforced wire, so my plan when I get my package is to checker board with starter strips (popsicle sticks) and wireless wax foundation, would that work? (I was hoping to buy a few drawn out frames off the local bee guru to get a headstart too?)
Most beekeeper prefer to use a full sheet of foundation. You get better comb.
It seems like much easier with plastic foundations, is it some big difference to the bees with waxed foundations? I suppose they like more the second one, but does it have some drastic difference?
Where can we get that plastic "snap-in" foundation?
Where do I get the liquid wax?
You heat beeswax on a hotplate or in some other safe way to make it liquid. You can buy beeswax from a beekeeper or bee supply store.
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