I've been using ALL medium frames/supers - many of the frames have plasticell - SO - are the EZ Frames from Dadant all that great?? Are they 'long lasting and sturdy"? or do the bees not like them - tell me what you know...
your friend, Gena ;)
I bought some nucs last year that had a couple of e-z frames in them they were drawn out just like the rest of the frames in the box the bees didn't seem to mind I don't know how long it took them to draw out because when I got them they were already drawn I think they work fine .I've heard that if the bees don't take to the e-z frames right away you can put extra wax on them and that helps I know it's not much help but thats all I can tell you. hope it helps Metzelplex
Quote from: Gena on May 16, 2008, 02:23:19 AM
I've been using ALL medium frames/supers - many of the frames have plasticell - SO - are the EZ Frames from Dadant all that great?? Are they 'long lasting and sturdy"? or do the bees not like them - tell me what you know...
your friend, Gena ;)
They are advertised as durable, long lasting frames. I would agree with that. Your bees may take just fine to them. I've had bees that took fine to plasticell, some that were more picky.
I still use plasticell that's wax coated in honey supers and it works fine.
...JP
I think that in general, the bees don't prefer the plastic foundation. But if that is their only choice, then they will use it fine, although maybe draw it out a little slower. And once it used, it is good for them next time, even if you scrape the wax.
You just don't want to mix the undrawn frames with wax foundation, or use queen excluders before its drawn, and you probably need to bait them up into a box of plastic foundation. Once its drawn its as good as any other comb.
For me the benefits and cost outweigh the negative side effects.
Rick
Hey - thanks for the replies - It can't be than much different from the plasticell. I had used my crock pot, some wax and a trim roller to add extra wax to some Plasticell that I pressure washed.
You just don't want to mix the undrawn frames with wax foundation, or use queen excluders before its drawn, and you probably need to bait them up into a box of plastic foundation. Once its drawn its as good as any other comb
Explain what you mean by baiting.
JP- thanks for reply.
I might try a medium or two - I don't want to slow them down too much!!
your friend, Gena ;)
I had a problem with them "taking " to plastic foundation. i put a couple of coats of wax on them and the bees drew them out in less than a week amazing what a little wax can do
The issue to me is cell size. Dadant's plastic is 5.4mm. Mann Lakes are various sizes, but their PF100 and PF120's are 4.95mm and that's more what I want. The Mann Lake PF120's (mediums) are only $0.99 each. They probably aren't durable, but for that price, and at that cell size they are very useful and acceptance has been excellent.
Thank you for all of your replies/input. I'm not sure what to do - I might experiment.
Michael - can you give me a thread to Mann Lake. I've been using the Dadant Plasticell and the catalog doesn't mention cell size. Can I use a 4.9 from Mann Lake when I've been using the larger?? What happens if I mix cell sizes - sound like a disaster... Thanks for moving to the write topic heading. :-\
your friend, Gena
Quote from: Gena on May 20, 2008, 01:36:21 AM
Thank you for all of your replies/input. I'm not sure what to do - I might experiment.
Michael - can you give me a thread to Mann Lake. I've been using the Dadant Plasticell and the catalog doesn't mention cell size. Can I use a 4.9 from Mann Lake when I've been using the larger?? What happens if I mix cell sizes - sound like a disaster... Thanks for moving to the write topic heading. :-\
your friend, Gena
Sorry, I'm not M.B., just an imposter. :-D link to Mannlake: http://www.mannlakeltd.com/
You may get acceptance issues with different size cell, confuse the bees, they will not draw some frames out or correctly, one big mess.
I still use wax coated plasticell but only in the honey supers.
...JP
>I've been using the Dadant Plasticell and the catalog doesn't mention cell size.
It's 5.4mm. Mostly no one mentions cell size...
> Can I use a 4.9 from Mann Lake when I've been using the larger??
Yes.
>What happens if I mix cell sizes - sound like a disaster...
Bees mix cell sizes all the time...