Plastic Frame and foundation - Thoughts please

[Willkats]

Is anyone currently using the plastic frames and foundation from Frames and feeders? or any other supplier?
What are your thoughts on it? The youtube video shows that the bees take longer to draw the comb out but I guess once done it should be good for a lot longer.
Do you find that the increased cost is worth it over time considering the cost of replacement foundation and your time spent?

 

[user 11159]

i have the plastic foundation ..not the full frame ones .im getting rid of them .my bees just dont like them
no matter how i melt the wax on..yellow superones. the black brood ones i just got to try the
bees build wild comb every ware..so they will be going soon...back to what you no works ...for me...

 

[PeaBee]

I have tried it in some supers and found they found that on a flow the draw it well.

 

[castanea]

Hi
I have both brood and super frames.
The super is fab light coat of wax all is good. Saying that I have one hive that decided to put pollen and lots of it in the supers this year. Don’t know how I’ll store that. The brood frames it’s a hit or a miss, sometimes the frames are beautifully drawn and sometimes one side is perfect drawn and the other not.
Another disadvantage you can’t stick the queen of thornes or the nicot queen cage introduction. The wax doesn’t get drawn out then it hits the plastic.
Hope this helps

 

[Ian123]

Plastic frames I’ve found are a pain, they twist. Plastic foundation can get drawn well but you generally need a decent flow. They’ve been around for years but not really caught on and that may be a answer in itself!

 

[Buzby]

I've been using ANEL frames from Gruff this year, you can buy them pre-waxed or bare, I've got all drawn out OK (Langstroth). Roller on the wax with a small paint roller.

 

[Anduril]

Plastic frames I’ve found are a pain, they twist. Plastic foundation can get drawn well but you generally need a decent flow. They’ve been around for years but not really caught on and that may be a answer in itself!

Those would be the beehive bits ones, I used them when they first came out and I agree there is a tendency for them to warp, but easy to use and no hammering

Is anyone currently using the plastic frames and foundation from Frames and feeders? or any other supplier?

I was gifted one frame to try (prewaxed), which was used in a nuc and got drawn out well without any additional wax, whilst the beekeeper who gifted the frame had poor results. If you use them coat them with extra wax.

 

[madasafish]

Use them in mini nus with no issues every year. Wax starter strips.

 

[MartinBee]

a question on the same theme, i have had uneven comb on my Langstroth plastic frames, which i assume is the result of an uneven starter layer of wax? i wanted to know if there is a tool (other then the mini paint roller) that is effective at coating the plastic? It is top of my shopping list for the National Honey Show this year!