14x12 Plastic Foundation

[malawi2854]

Hello all,

I bought my first plastic foundation for my supers to try it out a couple of years ago - and I've rather fallen in love with them.

I'm keen to try them in my brood frames - but no-one appears to make them for 14x12 frames - only National and Langstroth. I read (here, I think?) a member mention they use a plastic National brood frame, then "attach" a plastic super foundation to the bottom - thereby making a 14x12 foundation.

Does anyone know how I might achieve that "attachment"?

Thanks lots!

 

[Angry_Mob]

https://www.melobees.org.uk/plastic...ames---55-sheets---delivery-included-58-p.asp

 

[malawi2854]

I had found that page before - it seems to be the only place selling them - and I confess, I dismissed it based on what I thought was a terribly high price...

But now I look sensibly - it's only a little more expensive than buying the brood & super frames, without having to join them together!

So - I shall just shush, and get it from there, I should think... and grumble to myself about why more people don't use 14x12

 

[Angry_Mob]

Something to think about if you were to go that route is to maybe consider adding in a few of the standard national sheets and that would give them space at the bottom of the frames to draw some drone comb.

 

[malawi2854]

Good thinking... thank you, Angry_Mob!

 

[user 819]

More beeks don't use 14 x 12 because they tried it and didn't like it, a half way house as is brood and a half. prolific queens requiring a double or triple deep is much more manageable then the heavy 14 x 12.

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

I've tried plastic foundation a few years ago in a few colonies on 14/12. - My experience was the frames became unmanageable due to the extra weight of the plastic, as ever there is always a trade off, does make the frame stronger as most of our colonies eat out the bottom couple of centimetres of most frames, which plastic stops. Tried also in supers for Heather which has been a pain, but now in service for a few years bees take too no problem. We only use it in poly box's because of the weight issue.
I wouldn't personally purchase any more, but only because I feel there's enough plastic in the environment without adding to it.

 

[oliver90owner]

More beeks don't use 14 x 12 because they tried it and didn't like it, a half way house as is brood and a half. prolific queens requiring a double or triple deep is much more manageable then the heavy 14 x 12.

My view is that queens have to be very prolific to require more than a 14 x 12 box - except, perhaps for a short period in spring.

I expect that double-deeps are not completely filled with brood - requiring a lay-rate of over 4000/day continuously. Most certainly a triple-deep is way over the top for a queen to fill with brood. That likely means only those with ten frames or timber boxes (where the queen does not lay near the hive walls) need more than two deep brood boxes.

The bees will have a honey arch, of course, above the brood. But I doubt the bees would care if that was a shallow above. I expect those that use multiple brood boxes do not consider this, only looking for shallows to be filled with recoverable honey.

Most beekeepers do not need to operate as ruthless beefarmers, collecting every last gram of honey.

 

[granmarin12]

Oh plastic I'll have to read a little slower!!