Plastic foundation experiment

[maddydog]

What a great idea - in theory....

Purchased about 30 boxes worth a couple of years ago. Overall too many issues for me, including: random comb; can be slow to draw out; buckling and popping out of the frame.
New one for me this year was the drawn comb detached from the plastic and the honey drips down. Luckily I keep my supers in large drip trays when they're in the warming room or that could have been painful.

 

[masterBK]

also what would our environmentally conscious customers think of us these days if they learn we are using plastic when recyclable alternatives eg beeswax foundation is readily available !

 

[For want of a better word]

also what would our environmentally conscious customers think of us these days if they learn we are using plastic when recyclable alternatives eg beeswax foundation is readily available !

Out of pure curiosity I purchase a Flow Hive frame from Mr Wong...... made from I was assured.. best food grade plastic and the cells are the wrong way round.... pointy bit to the side.. flat to the bottom.... no wonder it does not work!

Yeghes da

 

[Poly Hive]

ITLD dumped his. Pretty much says it all really.

My bees refused point blank to touch it. Binned the lot.

PH

 

[eltalia]

Out of pure curiosity I purchase a Flow Hive frame from Mr Wong...... made from I was assured.. best food grade plastic and the cells are the wrong way round.... pointy bit to the side.. flat to the bottom.... no wonder it does not work!

Yeghes da

You get that with knockoffs... the patent in aluminium that was registered
owned exactly that problem and so never flew.
Without starting yet another FH tirade I can say the design by the
Andersons works fine if n0t strictly in reflection of the "turn the tap"
eweT00B videos.
We had to buy a pack of frames to know these things.

Bill

 

[maddydog]

ITLD dumped his. Pretty much says it all really.

My bees refused point blank to touch it. Binned the lot.

PH

Indeed. Unfortunately I'd already bought them before I saw his post!

 

[birdsandbees]

I've only every tried it in Mini Mating Nucs but IMO it's garbage!
I guess the only plus point would be if wax moth got into it they do a good job of preparing it for re use!

 

[tidymeup]

We have several 1000 frames of plastic foundation or completely plastic frames, generally I cant really complain about them at all.

The plus side to the argument is how quickly I can assemble or wax them, on the last round we were looking at around 800 frames per day finished and ready for the boxes.

However cleaning can be harder but even still it's pretty easy, just scrape them clean, wash them off and leave submerged in bleach to sterilise.

When they have had a good soak it's time to rinse and re wax the frames.

 

[maddydog]

We have several 1000 frames of plastic foundation or completely plastic frames, generally I cant really complain about them at all.

The plus side to the argument is how quickly I can assemble or wax them, on the last round we were looking at around 800 frames per day finished and ready for the boxes.

However cleaning can be harder but even still it's pretty easy, just scrape them clean, wash them off and leave submerged in bleach to sterilise.

When they have had a good soak it's time to rinse and re wax the frames.

Any issues with buckling? When mine are in the warming room the plastic can buckle, warp and pop out of the frame. The comb detaching and the honey leaking out is the clincher for me though.

 

[eltalia]

We have several 1000 frames of plastic foundation or completely plastic frames, generally I cant really complain about them at all.
[...]

The foundation requires some work to get them onto drawing, once done
there is little difference over WF beside bees can work WF how they choose.
I'd be interested though to read what your exit planning for "end of service"
is. Back when they were simply burnt, I don't know if that method is
acceptable today.
As transparency..?.. we took on an offer of trial back in '76 only to strip
out and refurbish after just the single season. Only a 1K or so units so
no biggee really. Today we see a number of clients having problems
setting them to work, usually easily rectified under direction.

Bill

 

[tidymeup]

Any issues with buckling? When mine are in the warming room the plastic can buckle, warp and pop out of the frame. The comb detaching and the honey leaking out is the clincher for me though.

I haven't had any problems with buckling for a long time, this used to happen with the pierco frames but not with anything I have at the moment.

 

[maddydog]

Fair enough. Mine are from Thornes.

 

[Helen]

Few problems with mine - Ritecells. Got them in brood (black) and supers (yellow).

Although they come 'ready waxed', I use a small roller to add more wax.

Only issues (that I remember) - very occasionally, they build comb off the foundation - so that a bee can get between the comb and the frame. Easily rectified. And occasionally they'll build 'columns' of comb from top to bottom. Again, easily fixed.

Never had any buckled or pop out of the frames.

 

[eltalia]

Few problems with mine - Ritecells. Got them in brood (black) and supers (yellow).

Although they come 'ready waxed', I use a small roller to add more wax.

Only issues (that I remember) - very occasionally, they build comb off the foundation - so that a bee can get between the comb and the frame. Easily rectified. And occasionally they'll build 'columns' of comb from top to bottom. Again, easily fixed.

Never had any buckled or pop out of the frames.

Are the bottom corners on the BC sheets trimmed back like maybe 50mm on the
hyotenuse Helen?

Bill

 

[Beefriendly]

Are the bottom corners on the BC sheets trimmed back like maybe 50mm on the
hyotenuse Helen?

Bill

Its hippopotamus bill not hyotenuse. You have been sampling the mead again...tut tut....

 

[eltalia]

Its hippopotamus bill not hyotenuse. You have been sampling the mead again...tut tut....

You get that on these big projects.

Bill

 

[Helen]

Are the bottom corners on the BC sheets trimmed back like maybe 50mm on the hyotenuse Helen?

Bill

Are you asking if there is a small gap in the bottom corner? The brood foundation does have corners where you can snap them off, but I don't.

 

[eltalia]

Are you asking if there is a small gap in the bottom corner? The brood foundation does have corners where you can snap them off, but I don't.

Yep, exactly that. Up to the individual as a choice as the same sheet is
made to fit all uses over an apiary.

Bill

 

[Stiffy]

I found it useless but makes nice dummy boards!
S