A good winter weekend for building hive bodies, supers, top and bottom covers. The hives came out great. Next weekend I plan on making the frame parts and asembling frames. I have seen that some beekeepers use wax foundations and some use plastic foundations. Which is prefered? How are the foundations attached for wax or plastic? Is there a trick to assembling the foundations?
Greg Watkevich
Some people don't use foundation at all. Search "foundationless". If you go that route then all you need is a starter strip.
Plastic foundation does not melt in extreme temperatures but takes a little longer for bees to draw it. Plastic need to be lightly painted with wax prior to putting into boxes.
What wood frames I have I put together by hand. They're self explanitory.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at24aXV5OO0#)
From http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/frames-and-frame-assembly/ (http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/frames-and-frame-assembly/)
the FatBeeMan method of Installing wax foundation (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwYrT8XhKf4#)
Honey Bee Frame Building, Wiring, and Foundation, Full Depth - How to / I do it here Australia (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvUe5ikCwec#)
Never thought about using fishing line to "wire" the foundation into the frame.
I wonder what test poundage FatBeeman is using? :-D
How about some pictures? Let's see what you built.
QuoteI wonder what test poundage FatBeeman is using?
I wondered the same thing. Surely 4-6 pound test would be sufficient. I've hauled in Steelhead with that. If his one statement about being economical holds true, which I am sure it does, then he's probably using the cheapest stuff he can find or old stuff he doesn't use when he's out fishing. :-)
I have a couple of Nucs from him, and, indeed, the frames are wired with fishing line. It seems to work great, and also looks like it would be easier to work with than the wire. I have a heck of time getting the wire tight.
I have heard about using the fishing line before (maybe from something I saw from Fatbeeman). I've never tried it though. I can do a pretty good job of getting the wire tight though.
How? Perhaps if I used some sort of jig.
I just interweave the wire through the frame but I don't cut the strand until the very end. Hmm...I do I explain this in writing...
1. Starting from the bottom and working to the top, I weave the wire throughout the frame.
2. Once through all the holes, the leading end gets stapled once, I bend the wire over the initial staple, then staple again. That gives me two staples with with my wire interwoven beween them. At this point, it's not important for the wire to be tight.
3. Clip the the wire from the spool. Leave a few inches. I then grip this end with a pair of needle nose pliers and wrap the wire around the pliers a few times. Pull all the slack out of the frame and pull down just a hair so the wood bites the wire. You should be able to hold the wire tight until you can get an initial staple in. Once you get the initial staple in, bend the wire back over that staple, and staple again to get the weave.
That's the best way I can explain it. I wish I had a means to video record it.
I think I get the picture. It is the stapler that I am not using. Sounds like another air tool required. :)
hehe...If that gives you an excuse however I just use a manual powershot stapler. It works great.
I've used fishing line before. Tried some spiderwire (26lb test) and mono (14pt). I have to admit that it is really annoying always having a foot of string always poking out of the hole in the hive with a bee on the end flying back and forth frantically trying to haul this out of the hive but can't because it is still attached on the other side.
They can chew through nylon. For my frame needs I stick to metal wire from now on.
I lace the wire through the end bars as described above and use the little tool below to tighten 'er up.
You can buy this tool at any bee supply (not pushing Brushy). Works great and you can really get it tight!
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Wire-Crimper/productinfo/658/ (http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Wire-Crimper/productinfo/658/)