A quote for foundation - recent experience

[alldigging]

There is a general shortage of decent beeswax at the moment. Some suppliers are a bit hand to mouth.

How much gets turned into candles each year?

 

[enrico]

Maisemore have always been good with me too. I give them wax and they give me foundation.
E

 

[Teemore]

My advice is to stock up in advance and avoid the Spring/Summer rush for foundation...

I pay for my wax to be processed into foundation by Thornes and collect it at the UBKA Conference at Greenmount each Spring. I get more wax than i expect to use.
I previously organised a bulk order of foundation from Peter Kemble for 8 beekeepers and took delivery of it at the beginning of February and so avoided the Spring/Summer foundation dearth. Didn't repeat the exercise as one of the group purchasers decided that he only wanted 1/3 of the wax he ordered. The decision was only made when i had received the wax and phoned him to arrange collection.... I might be inclined to go back to Peter Kemble if i could find a cost effective way of exchanging wax with him.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

My advice is to stock up in advance and avoid the Spring/Summer rush for foundation...

I pay for my wax to be processed into foundation by Thornes and collect it at the UBKA Conference at Greenmount each Spring. I get more wax than i expect to use.
I previously organised a bulk order of foundation from Peter Kemble for 8 beekeepers and took delivery of it at the beginning of February and so avoided the Spring/Summer foundation dearth. Didn't repeat the exercise as one of the group purchasers decided that he only wanted 1/3 of the wax he ordered. The decision was only made when i had received the wax and phoned him to arrange collection.... I might be inclined to go back to Peter Kemble if i could find a cost effective way of exchanging wax with him.

A guy I knew used to arrange photo shoot days with models. He avoided financial embarrassment by insisting on 100% non refundable deposits with place bookings. Worked a treat and he was always oversubscribed.
You could use the same principle with wax orders.

 

[tidymeup]

Best way is to go plastic, that way you can coat your own foundation in your own wax. Any surplus can be made into candles or sold for a profit.

No need to worry about a rush in foundation or shortages, quick to clean and reuse.

 

[Poly Hive]

Really?

Ask ITLD about that one.

PH

 

[Quis Custodiet]

Best way is to go plastic, that way you can coat your own foundation in your own wax. Any surplus can be made into candles or sold for a profit.

No need to worry about a rush in foundation or shortages, quick to clean and reuse.

You are obviously a talented beekeeper with a great deal of experience. Us less accomplished mortals could not hope to reach that level of achievement with plastic foundation.

 

[nbeek]

Hi

been a bit of a lurker but today is my first posting, so sorry if I'm asking a question that the more established members already know from their background knowledge of what goes on here, .... but, from reading the last two postings I gather that Plastic foundation is not well liked?

Who is ITLD, a member?

I have seen Plastic foundation advertised, and communicated with some bee keepers that swear by it, so why the hostility towards it, or am I reading to much into the last two threads?

And yes, I know that we have strayed off topic, so sorry, but I bet that's never happened before!

 

[Poly Hive]

ITLD is indeed a member and a notable Bee Farmer.

Murray? You put your finger right on the issue. You have no problems with Big T as they are processing YOUR wax.

Others do as they are buying what Big T make up from what they buy in.

Obvious really.

I have some 90 lbs of pre Varroa wax in hand and it sure ain't going for a trade in, as it's candle quality cappings wax.

PH

 

[colinc]

Hi



been a bit of a lurker but today is my first posting, so sorry if I'm asking a question that the more established members already know from their background knowledge of what goes on here, .... but, from reading the last two postings I gather that Plastic foundation is not well liked?



Who is ITLD, a member?



I have seen Plastic foundation advertised, and communicated with some bee keepers that swear by it, so why the hostility towards it, or am I reading to much into the last two threads?



And yes, I know that we have strayed off topic, so sorry, but I bet that's never happened before!

My hives have ritecell plastic foundation in. I have had no issues with it as it is lightly waxed when it arrives. I believe some people have had issues with bees refusing to draw comb on plastics but I do not know which plastic they used or if it was pre waxed.
Cost wise there is very little in it, if you use plastic in a tangential extractor you will never blow the frames out by spinning too fast.

What I do hear is that if you mix plastic and wax foundation they will not go anywhere near the plastic foundation.

My bees don't mind it others have had other issues I have not yet removed old wax and tried to get them to redraw the same plastic foundation, that may be an issue when I try.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[nbeek]

Ok, I think I get what your saying colinc,
If one mixes Plastic AND Wax, then there's a problem, also there may be an issue with other foundations and their wax, thanks for the recommendation, much appreciated

 

[nbeek]

ITLD is indeed a member and a notable Bee Farmer.

Murray? You put your finger right on the issue. You have no problems with Big T as they are processing YOUR wax.

Others do as they are buying what Big T make up from what they buy in.

Obvious really.

I have some 90 lbs of pre Varroa wax in hand and it sure ain't going for a trade in, as it's candle quality cappings wax.

PH

Hi Poly Hive,

thanks for the reply, but I think I'm behind the curve a bit, who's "Big T", and if you have such good wax, why not make it go the extra distance and use plastic foundations?

 

[Poly Hive]

Big T is Thornes.. and ask ITLD about plastic foundation as he sold it to me and I never used it.. Who had more sense...LOL

PH

 

[nbeek]

Thanks, you've been very helpful, I'll follow up on your advice.

 

[psafloyd]

Thanks for reply....interesting. I saw some KBS wax some weeks ago from a supplier in Southern Ireland, it had a beautiful scent...hopefully not entirely synthetic! It was beautiful wax without a doubt.

Do you mean "southern Ireland", Quis Custodiet? If not, where is it you are referring to?

KBS wax is always superior, even to Thorne premium stuff, which they charge the extra for.