Foundation Press

[pargyle]

I have been foundationless since I started beekeeping and it works for me ..I like the idea that bees build their own comb and that I know its heritage.

But, I have accumulated quite a bit of wax over the years and as I know where it has come from I was thinking that I might start and make my own foundation - at least for the supers.

Has anyone had any success making their own foundation press and if so what did you use for the making the impression ?

I've seen the various commercial presses available from China and Russia but they all seem a bit expensive for what they are.

Bit like this one which I think is the same as the Beeman uses.

https://tasosbees.wixsite.com/tasosbees/how-to

At 370 Euros it's not that cheap.

I would not be making industrial quantities so speed is not an issue but in my usual Yorkshire nature .. cost is.

 

[maz0]

I have been foundationless since I started beekeeping and it works for me ..I like the idea that bees build their own comb and that I know its heritage.

But, I have accumulated quite a bit of wax over the years and as I know where it has come from I was thinking that I might start and make my own foundation - at least for the supers.

Has anyone had any success making their own foundation press and if so what did you use for the making the impression ?

I've seen the various commercial presses available from China and Russia but they all seem a bit expensive for what they are.

Bit like this one which I think is the same as the Beeman uses.

https://tasosbees.wixsite.com/tasosbees/how-to

At 370 Euros it's not that cheap.

I would not be making industrial quantities so speed is not an issue but in my usual Yorkshire nature .. cost is.

If its only small quantities, could you get away with a DIY approach?

https://youtu.be/T7VxZVSLm4E

 

[pargyle]

If its only small quantities, could you get away with a DIY approach?

https://youtu.be/T7VxZVSLm4E

Yes .. I've used that method for starter strips and home made rolled candles but I'm not sure that the bees would draw out a plain sheet across the whole frame ?

Never tried it .. perhaps someone has ?

 

[Beefriendly]

Miller in his classic book "50 years among bees" used to use flat sheets of foundation IIRC. Free to download these days...the book that is.

 

[Anduril]

The option maz0 shows is good, the bees are then left to build their own cells, used that method 30 years ago, using an old lid from a washing mashine to hold the liquid wax. On ebay there are silicone presses, but they are silly money. Thornes do one for £40, or you could follow you tube and make your own, downside to that is you will have to buy sheets of foundation to make it.

 

[philipm]

I made some plates out of silicone a few years back used them a few times, but found it a lot of work and not really worth the effort. The silicone was the stuff in the tubes used for diy.

 

[pargyle]

The option maz0 shows is good, the bees are then left to build their own cells, used that method 30 years ago, using an old lid from a washing mashine to hold the liquid wax. On ebay there are silicone presses, but they are silly money. Thornes do one for £40, or you could follow you tube and make your own, downside to that is you will have to buy sheets of foundation to make it.

This one looks about the best of the DIY jobs ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ubn4PnCEU0

Also .. you can buy one sheet of plastic foundation from China for £4.33

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beeswax-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Which could be used as a mould ? Just not sure how you would get the two sheets to synchonise when you bring them together .... or does it matter ? Will the bees modify anything they don't like ?

 

[Ian123]

Am sure you can buy the silicone moulds the old 1s made of metal, these can be fitted into a simple home made press similar to how a lap top opens/closes

 

[philipm]

The biggest problem I found making my own was that the sheets were very brittle also it was a job to control the thickness of the sheets. The plain sheets look a better way to go as they can be rolled out to make them more flexible.

 

[pargyle]

Am sure you can buy the silicone moulds the old 1s made of metal, these can be fitted into a simple home made press similar to how a lap top opens/closes

Thornes sell the silicon moulds .. £40 for the pair.

Casting silicon is £25 for 1Kg of 1:1 but then there is the £4.33 for the plastic foundation as a male form and the faffing about. Could save about £10 but it's getting close. If I could find the aluminium ones somewhere I'd invest in that ..

 

[Anduril]

This one looks about the best of the DIY jobs ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ubn4PnCEU0

Also .. you can buy one sheet of plastic foundation from China for £4.33

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beeswax-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Which could be used as a mould ? Just not sure how you would get the two sheets to synchonise when you bring them together .... or does it matter ? Will the bees modify anything they don't like ?

BeeCraft https://bee-craft.com/shop/digital-...ring-board-bee-craft-digital-download-booklet
Or using the plastic sheet, I have seen a method where a wax sheet was encased in silicone and then trimmed back to expose the wax, this way the cells are perfectly aligned on both sides. You would have to make a mould slightly longer, so that you can open it like a book.
The 'Way out West' video, using the plain sheets is the easiest, but the cells are not uniform and with a good flow you will have a full frame of cells.

 

[Poly Hive]

At my one and only visit to the Nat Honey show there was a demo of making the moulds and he used the lost wax method involving a sheet of foundation as the mould.

PH

 

[pargyle]

BeeCraft https://bee-craft.com/shop/digital-...ring-board-bee-craft-digital-download-booklet
.

https://bee-craft.com/shop/digital-...ring-board-bee-craft-digital-download-booklet

I splashed out and spent £2 on this instruction leaflet ... out of curiosity .. but, it's really good.

The former is made using a sheet of wax foundation and fibreglass (epoxy) resin .. gelcoat for those that know about GRP .. reinforced with some glass mat. The clever bit in making the former is to do one side then turn it over and make the other side... then melt the wax out when it has all been mounted in the 'Press' so that you get a perfect match for the two sides.

I like the the idea that it is GRP .. more rigid, I could mount it on aluminium and use the computer cooling fans and heat sink on the beemans version and it should cost less than about £25 in total ..

Might well be a winter project .. watch this space.

Unfortunately, if you want to know more .. the pdf booklet has my name all over it to prevent copyright infringements ... you will have to cough up the £2 to Beecraft ... sorry.

Thanks for everyone's input ..

 

[Anduril]

Saw one in use many years ago, worked well. Also saw another version recently, slightly different design, but the sheets were too thick.

 

[Repwoc]

Yes .. I've used that method for starter strips and home made rolled candles but I'm not sure that the bees would draw out a plain sheet across the whole frame ?

Never tried it .. perhaps someone has ?

Follow-up video from the same happy couple:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKnkvaOQjsg&list=PL3_dJayH6e6i79yc05cGIrF3RPNiGdhy9&index=10

 

[Madge]

Yes .. I've used that method for starter strips and home made rolled candles but I'm not sure that the bees would draw out a plain sheet across the whole frame ?

Never tried it .. perhaps someone has ?

Yes. You and I talked about it years ago. I prefer strips to using the entire sheet. I don't think the bees particularly benefit from using the whole sheet - and it can easily break if you're not careful. Pictures here - but I make my strips much narrower these days. In fact, I mostly use tongue depressors (as do Fatshark)

I've used a foundation press borrowed from the Association. It's a bit of trial and error to get going - but I like the sheets it produced even though quite thick.

Kitta

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'm sure Redwood on here made his own foundation moulds a year or two ago

 

[Poly Hive]

If the output is too thick the wax is too cool....)

PH

 

[Madge]

If the output is too thick the wax is too cool....)

PH

The wax is liquid in order to pour it on the mould surface - so, more than 62*C. How hot do you suggest it should be when casting it in a foundation mould?

 

[pargyle]

Yes. You and I talked about it years ago. I prefer strips to using the entire sheet. I don't think the bees particularly benefit from using the whole sheet - and it can easily break if you're not careful. Pictures here - but I make my strips much narrower these days. In fact, I mostly use tongue depressors (as do Fatshark)

I've used a foundation press borrowed from the Association. It's a bit of trial and error to get going - but I like the sheets it produced even though quite thick.

Kitta

Yes ... you are right .. jogged my memory. I've used wax starter strips but mostly I use triangular strips of timber under the frame top bars painted with my own beeswax.