cut comb honey preparation

[cinnamon]

I know it's probably way too early to think about honey harvest but knowing how we consume cut comb more than jar honey, and don't necessarily like the somewhat thick foundation in the middle, how risky is it to put empty frames into the hive and hope bees form a decent comb structure?

I remember one of my mentors from BKA said I could put a strip of foundation at the top to give them a guide. I am just not sure whether this proves to be a success?

I've seen Maisemoore selling foundation for cut comb. Has anyone tried using just the empty frames? and was it a success?

 

[Beefriendly]

I use thin foundation rather than the thicker stuff in all my supers these days and make a lot of cut comb from it. Starter strips can be good, but my bees like to make daliesque free form structures from starters....so they get a full sheet.
Never tried empty frmaes so can't comment

 

[Poly Hive]

If you give them empty frames you might as well give an empty super and the result will be the same, a complete mess.

CC foundation exists for a very good reason and if it was not required via your thoughts the market would vanish no?

PH

 

[enrico]

You can buy unwired thin foundation for that very purpose. Use the cut off bits as chunk comb in runny honey and charge a premium
E

 

[Swarm]

I think the OP is aware of CC unwired foundation and considers the foundation too thick. I must admit I find the same and would only ever consider starter strips for CC.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

starter strips are fine but a whole box of it is asking for chaos.
alternate with ready drawn comb is the best - every other frame being starter strips.
To be honest I do the same when putting unwired foundation in for cut comb - wait until they've started drawing the frames then put them all together to ensure all the cut comb is of an equal thickness

 

[enrico]

I think the OP is aware of CC unwired foundation and considers the foundation too thick. I must admit I find the same and would only ever consider starter strips for CC.

Sorry, misunderstood..... I use one cut comb frame in each super. Put it in the centre with the rest of the frames as drawn comb and it seems to work well.
E

 

[drex]

My two TBH's are run foundation less, with just a guide along the top bar. As long as a new bar is given between two straight drawn combs, or next to a dummy, I rarely have a prob
Lem with obtaining straight fully drawn combs, all from their own wax

 

[Poly Hive]

The words too thick gave me pause.

I have never had a customer complain about the mid rib from proper genuine CC foundation and I have sold a great deal of it over the years.

I am wondering if unwired foundation is being confused with CC foundation.

PH

 

[cinnamon]

Thank you for all your responses.

Last year as a beginner, I bought both wired and unwired foundation. I used the unwired ones as cut comb but found them to be too thick.

Later on (last weekend) when I was buying another hive at Maisemoore, I saw cut comb foundation, which I'm guessing are unwired foundation but thinner in structure as you wouldn't be planning on spinning the heck out of them, also due to thinness more palatable. But these are my educated guesses.

Few years back when I did a beginner's course, one instructor who was quite keen on keeping things natural said she doesn't use foundation on her TBH. I wondered if this can be done for a National Poly hive.

So there we are.

I imagine leaving just the frames in would cause a chaos so I might use the advice of using one frame with full foundation, next to one with a strip of foundation or full cut comb foundation. I'm sure experimenting will be messy so I thought I best ask before creating a nice mess.

Thank you all for your insights.

 

[Beefriendly]

which I'm guessing are unwired foundation but thinner in structure as you wouldn't be planning on spinning the heck out of them, also due to thinness more palatable. But these are my educated guesses./QUOTE]

Yes cut comb foundation is thinner. You can also spin the honey and the heck out of them as well.
Bees build solid structures.
It's the only foundation I use these days.
(I'm a tight Tyke )

 

[Poly Hive]

Ok Cinamon there is a thickness difference between CC and unwired foundation.

The CC is sold for doah.... Cut Comb.

The Unwired is sold for people who enjoy gaining sore fingers wiring frames with stainless steel wire.

I offer my colonies whole supers of CC foundation. Yes you can do strips but be prepared for problems. Some will tell you it is unnecessary and I will tell you that generalising from the particular is not optimum.

You can also cut the sheets on the diagonal and offer them to the bees deep end to thin end alternating but that can lead to drone cells being built which to my mind spoils the look.

Just bear in mind that producing CC is not the optimum way of gaining honey but is very satisfying. Just to whet your appetite my record is 230 lbs from one colony. From a superb lime flow.

PH

 

[cinnamon]

Ok. I'm sold on cut comb foundation

I wonder if I can change my order... still no confirmation of delivery but they might have already sent it. In any case, I'll buy CC foundation going forward. Thank you all so much for sharing experiences and guidance.

@PH - wow 230 lbs from one colony... very impressive!!!

 

[enrico]

Cut comb with lime honey is the best in my humble opinion. the honey stays runny for ever, it has a delicate flavour but a transparency that is amazing. Oh how I miss my lime trees........
E

 

[Fritillary]

Oh how I miss my lime trees........
E

Here, there are the lime trees. But the weather??
The first year I had a (top bar) hive, I was amazed.. all these beautiful, beautiful combs appearing and filling with lime flower nectar. Then the rain came. The next time I looked? All honey gone. Eaten. Since then I think there's been one year when the flowers and almost good weather coincided, otherwise: zilch!
Hopes for this year....

 

[Michael Palmer]

Oh how I miss my lime trees........
E

Where did they go?

 

[Poly Hive]

The pinnacle for me is the Ling CC.

The aroma.....

PH