I see several types of foundation.
Some that are pure bees wax, some are plastic with coating, some not coated, some with wire hooks, some with wire but no hooks etc....
my question is...
can you use ANY of these types of foundations with any frame?
or are frames specific to the foundation?
What I don't want to do is buy a frame that goes with only one type of foundation and then decide I don't want or like that foundation then have to get all new frames...
All these types of foundation CAN be used with Wedge Top Bar frames (WTB). The stiff plasic ones, like plasticell (NOT DURAGUILT...STAY AWAY FROM THE STUFF), will go in easier with Grooved Top bar style frames (GTB).
OK, that sounds like a really good answer.
Let me see if this is right.
there are two types of frames, wood and plastic? Yes? No?
There are two main types of foundation, natural and plastic? Y? N?
Wooden frames, look for Wedge Top Bar Frames (WTB) type. and you can use either type of foundation in them?
With plastic look for Grooved Top bar style frames, and you can use either type of foundation in them?
before you land on a foundation choice, read back over some of the other posts on foundations. some people have had problems with one type or another.
I just take whatever I have lying around and use it. If you have a strong hive they will generally draw out any type of foundation that you put in the hive. Plastic frames vs wood frames? If you have both, use them. If you are buying, do theresearch and buy what seems the best to you. Try a hive body or 2 of either one if you are undecided and then buy in bulk the one you like best. Frames are cheap in the general scheme of things.
Rob
Wedge frames are the most versitile. You can use any type of foundation in them.
There are plastic frames that are combination frame/plastic foundation. They are a bit cheaper but work just fine, although the bees tend to comb up the tops more because of beespace.
Plastic foundation is my favorite, it works great, is reusable, is almost indestructable(in a hive). The downside is sometimes there is a problem with bees drawing it out. Not a big problem if bought waxed.
Duragilt is a plastic sheet with wax pressed on either side and a metal strip on either side. Works good except if the foundation is cold, then the wax flakes off. Once it is drawn it is fine, except it isn't reusable. If a chunk of drawn comb comes off the frame and the plastic is exposed, the frame is probably wrecked.
Wax foundation comes with or without wires . The wires help with stability. Without wires you probably would only use it if you wire the frames . I don't. Wires can be hooked at the top or not (for the wedge to hold on to).
Foundationless - a frame without foundation, only an angled peice on top to start the bees out straight on. They don't always draw these straight, and/or draw a lot of drone comb. But it works sucessfully.
If you have wedge frames you can use any of the foundations. Grooved frames wouldn't work with hook-wired wax.
For the most part, they are all interchangeable (within size groups...deeps, mediums, and shallows).
I have all the different kinds, mixed up in boxes, and they all work to some degree or another.
-rick
I'm old fashioned, I avoid anything with plastic in it.
I'm old fashioned, I avoid anything with plastic in it.
Using plastic foundation my first two years gave me bad habits during extraction -- I tended to spin them very fast to get the honey out quickly. This year I began using wired wax foundations in my supers and fed them into my existing boxes. Well, they are indistinguishable from plastic foundation (except for the wires on the end bars, which I didn't notice), and had one in the extractors with the others. Yes, I blew it out. Actually, just bowed it out and I was able to line it back up in the frame when I was done.
Would a radial extractor solve the problem of blowouts?
-- Kris
>Would a radial extractor solve the problem of blowouts?
You can blow out any frame in a radial if you start too fast too soon. You can extract foundationless wax with no wire if you start slow enough and work up slow enough.