CC poly is correct you need only spend a few quid on tools for grafting or easily produce tools and equipment to do it yourself. Theres various grafting tools available, i prefer the chinese tools and there a couple of quid. I have used a very fine art brush and even a tooth pick that you give a nibble with your front teeth to flatten the point into a scoop. Cell moulds are cheap or easily made no need for wood turning as ph says just rub the corners off a piece of dowl with sand paper, all you want is a mould to make small acorn cups if that helps. I make a frame up for the cells by simply adding 2 or 3 horizontal bars inside a standard deep frame. These need to be removable or at least turn to make grafting easier, a couple of scews through the side bar into these strips at least lets them turn. I wax/glue a couple of strips of wax foundation onto theses bars and then wax the cells onto these strips, it does not need to be pretty just well stuck. A couple off days before emergence i simply cut through the wax strips each side of cell and remove to nucs, the wax strips and cell form a nice T that sits nicely between top bars of nucs mini or otherwise. I managed to do this aged 12, luckily enough i had a very good young couple(at the time) in the next village who allowed me at weekends to come and give them a hand, they eventualy moved to Wales and joined the dark side
...In fairness with only 3 hives your biggest issue should be what to do with all the cells.
...In fairness with only 3 hives your biggest issue should be what to do with all the cells.
