Old foundation safe?

[BabcockFarms]

I purchased some unused ten+ year old wooden ware and foundation. Is there any reason I wouldn't want to use the foundation?

[Vance G]

The foundation is much more valuable than the woodenware.  I certainly would use it. 

[10framer]

i'm installing about 150 sheets of 10+ year old foundation right now.  should be fine.

[Michael Bush]

Contamination in the wax supply is only increasing.  10 year old stuff is probably better than new stuff.  20 year old would be much better...

[AllenF]

If you know where it came from, then use it.  (I  do)

[BabcockFarms]

Thanks for confirming my thoughts.

As I looked at more closely I noticed it is about twice as thick as what you get today. Just like everything else, manufactures find ways to increase their bottom dollar. Not that it needs to be thicker, I just found it interesting.

[Michael Bush]

It used to be all foundation was offered in different weights.  From thickest to thinnest it was: Heavy, Medium, Light, Surplus and Thin Surplus.  Now I don't see anything but Medium, Surplus and Thin Surplus.  What you have is probably Heavy.  Heavy certainly has less issues with sagging before it's drawn.

[Finski]

Thanks for confirming my thoughts.

As I looked at more closely I noticed it is about twice as thick as what you get today. Just like everything else, manufactures find ways to increase their bottom dollar. Not that it needs to be thicker, I just found it interesting.

Thick foundation is good because bees get building material.

We use here American standard size Langstroth. What I use, weight  is 100g per foundation.

[Adam Foster Collins]

I'm using some from the 60's...

[tefer2]

I found some foundation in the back of the barn last year. It came in a cedar wood boxes that were
1/2 thick. When I opened it, I thought that the sheets were stuck together from setting so long.
Turned out, they weren't stuck together and were just thick sheets.
They made some heavy duty stuff back then. The boxes are so nice I will use them for swarm traps.

[rwurster]

Another beekeeper in my area gave me two full boxes of foundation made in 1952 that he never used.  I haven't seen any problems with it and the bees draw it out magnificently.  The coolest thing was the paper flyers that were in the boxes for a 1952 subscription to the American Bee Journal which would now be considered dirt cheap.

[AllenF]

The U S Dollar was worth a whole lot more back then   

[sterling]

The U S Dollar was worth a whole lot more back then   

Yea but there is more of em now. :evil: