Comb thin surplus foundation installation

sc-bee · April 12, 2014, 08:19:31 AM

I am going to take dad a hive of bees. He is about 45 mins away. I want to set it up with comb supers so he can crush and strain. I have never set any up for comb. I have some thin surplus foundation I got on a trade and a few years back I bought some of the frame push pins that insert in the frame holes, Any tips or hints on installing the foundation? I could go foudationless and alter the frames between drawn frames but I already have the foundation so what the heck?

RHBee · April 12, 2014, 11:13:02 AM

As I understand it for comb production you use shallow supers. Rather than using full foundation have you considered running starter strips between drawn comb. I think TBeek does comb maybe he'll roger up.

G3farms · April 12, 2014, 09:39:49 PM

Use wedge top bars and split bottom bars. When you put the wedge in place be sure to push it in extra snug and use five nails to hold it in place. If it gets hot before they have a chance to secure it to the top bar it can fall out from behind the wedge. Best way is to use the wedge top bar, but mount the foundation with melted wax.

sc-bee · April 13, 2014, 12:24:19 AM

I bought these a few years back thinking they were to pin comb foundation. Guess they can be used for all foundation. I have seen folks use bobby pins/

drlonzo · April 13, 2014, 12:46:01 AM

sc-bee, bobby pins work great to hold wax foundation in place if you don't want to wire them. However something I've seen allot is using 8# test monofilament fishing line to wire up the frames too. It holds great and if you ever have to cut a queen cell from the frames the fishing line will cut easily.

BeeMaster2 · April 13, 2014, 06:58:51 AM

SC,
Thin foundation is for making cut comb. If he is going to just going to crush and strain, I would use regular wax and save the thin wax for cut comb. The pins just hold the wax in the middle of the frame to keep it from warping one way or the other. When you push them in through the hole they tend to squeeze together and you cannot get them to straddle the wax. The trick is after you push them in is to use a knife or hive tool to separate them enough to allow the pin to straddle the wax and then you push them in all the way. Hope this helps.
Jim

sc-bee · April 13, 2014, 11:15:03 AM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on April 13, 2014, 06:58:51 AM
SC,
Thin foundation is for making cut comb. If he is going to just going to crush and strain, I would use regular wax and save the thin wax for cut comb. The pins just hold the wax in the middle of the frame to keep it from warping one way or the other. When you push them in through the hole they tend to squeeze together and you cannot get them to straddle the wax. The trick is after you push them in is to use a knife or hive tool to separate them enough to allow the pin to straddle the wax and then you push them in all the way. Hope this helps.
Jim

Yea Jim thought that might be the deal on the pins as I pushed them through they pushed together. Also have to have the slot lined up properly. I knew the thin was for comb which I have never done but slipped my mind it would be a waste and I may need to save it. All my other foundation is wired . I will probably just run a couple foudationless between some drawn frames for him to crush.