- Joined
- Sep 4, 2019
- Messages
- 344
- Reaction score
- 310
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia
- Hive Type
- Langstroth
I watched a Youtube video about making beeswax foundation sheets for honey frames. This video by Tim Rowe shows how he made a simple wax melting tray, and how he makes foundation sheets which can be inserted into the frames at a later date. One of the things he talks about is how the wax sheets become brittle, and how he rolls them to restore flexibility in them. You can see the video by clicking on this link: https://www.google.com/search?q=mak...me&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_NjFHX8fXOILHrQHcx6jgCg58
The ideas which Tim has put into practice have motivated me to try making my own wax foundation sheets. One of the debates about honey frame foundation has been about whether these sheets may have a plain surface, or whether they should have an embossed surface. While it is certain that bees will utilize a plain (unembossed) surface, it seems that they may have a preference for an embossed surface. I decided to make a silicone mold, using a plastic foundation frame as the formwork for making the cell pattern. With this silicone mold fastened to a paddle like Tim Rowe uses, I figured that I could make sheets which were at least embossed on one side.
Being still quite new to beekeeping (only one year) I do not yet have a plentiful supply of wax, but yesterday I refined about two kilograms of wax, and today I have used my silicone mold paddle to make some sheets of foundation. The process of making the sheets was fairly straightforward, except that the wax did not take to the mold as evenly as I would have liked. But by briefly dipping the paddle into the melted wax several times I was able to get a nicely formed sheet. I made the paddle to exactly the same dimension that my honey frames require, and it was easy to insert these sheets into the frames. To cause a sheet to adhere firmly to a frame, I used a spoon to scoop a small amount of melted wax and pour it into the groove of the top bar in which the sheet was placed (while the frame was upside-down). I used the same method on the bottom bar, using several small amounts of melted wax to adhere the bottom of the sheet.
I found that by inserting a wax sheet while it was still warm and supple that I did not have any problem with fastening the sheet, which did not crack.
I will be interested to observe whether the bees have any preference for which side of the foundation sheet that they build on first. I am also going to observe with interest how straight they draw comb on some foundationless frames, and partly drawn frames, which are interleaved with these foundation sheets of mine.
The ideas which Tim has put into practice have motivated me to try making my own wax foundation sheets. One of the debates about honey frame foundation has been about whether these sheets may have a plain surface, or whether they should have an embossed surface. While it is certain that bees will utilize a plain (unembossed) surface, it seems that they may have a preference for an embossed surface. I decided to make a silicone mold, using a plastic foundation frame as the formwork for making the cell pattern. With this silicone mold fastened to a paddle like Tim Rowe uses, I figured that I could make sheets which were at least embossed on one side.
Being still quite new to beekeeping (only one year) I do not yet have a plentiful supply of wax, but yesterday I refined about two kilograms of wax, and today I have used my silicone mold paddle to make some sheets of foundation. The process of making the sheets was fairly straightforward, except that the wax did not take to the mold as evenly as I would have liked. But by briefly dipping the paddle into the melted wax several times I was able to get a nicely formed sheet. I made the paddle to exactly the same dimension that my honey frames require, and it was easy to insert these sheets into the frames. To cause a sheet to adhere firmly to a frame, I used a spoon to scoop a small amount of melted wax and pour it into the groove of the top bar in which the sheet was placed (while the frame was upside-down). I used the same method on the bottom bar, using several small amounts of melted wax to adhere the bottom of the sheet.
I found that by inserting a wax sheet while it was still warm and supple that I did not have any problem with fastening the sheet, which did not crack.
I will be interested to observe whether the bees have any preference for which side of the foundation sheet that they build on first. I am also going to observe with interest how straight they draw comb on some foundationless frames, and partly drawn frames, which are interleaved with these foundation sheets of mine.