Restoring Old Foundation

[PeteL]

I've seen some handy advice on the National Bee Unit FAQ pages suggesting that you can restore old foundation by warming it to release the oils. Does anyone have any experience of this? How warm is warm? It'd be a shame to melt it by mistake.

 

[DarynWebb]

a warm Hairdryer might work, start on a lower heat and work your way up.

 

[drex]

The hairdryer worked fine for me last year, just keep it moving.

Then I read on here that it does not make a lot of difference. If they need to draw comb they will, even if the foundation is a bit stale.

However I continue to do it, if I have to, as the wax smells so nice afterwards! Use that as a guide to know how much to warm it. Happens well before it melts.

 

[PeteL]

Thanks all. Sounds sensible.

 

[Poly Hive]

Just enough hair drying to get rid of the white bloom... works a treat even on pretty old stuff, talking several years...

PH

 

[richardbees]

.....dipping in hot water also works

 

[Arfermo]

Smearing with sugar solution containing some honey from the same hive will help too.

 

[drstitson]

Hairdryer as above. or just leave the frames in the greenhouse for a while before use.

 

[Saradan]

Thought I'd try the hairdryer to rejuvenate some sheets of drone foundation. Worked a treat - easily did a sheet in a minute and no mess.

A few questioning looks off the wife but it did the trick.....

 

[REDWOOD]

Good advice thank all

 

[Finman]

Does anyone have any experience of this? How warm is warm? It'd be a shame to melt it by mistake.

Only 50 years experience. New foundations stinks which mean that they release oils.

I have had at öeast 5 y old foundations and no problem with drawing.
No need to warm them or spray syrup.

 

[Finman]

Thought I'd try the hairdryer to rejuvenate some sheets of drone foundation. Worked a treat - easily did a sheet in a minute and no mess.

A few questioning looks off the wife but it did the trick.....

No need to do that. That is those beeks vain holy tricks.

One guy spreads the foundations into warm sunshine but vain job that too.

 

[BILL.HEARD]

The main thing is to warm it so that it doesn't crack when inserting it into frames, a couple of days in a warm room will do. Keep it nice and flat.

 

[Finman]

The main thing is to warm it so that it doesn't crack when inserting it into frames, a couple of days in a warm room will do. Keep it nice and flat.

that is main point to me. I rise room temperature to 25C. Then foundation is soft and it rest evenly on wires. The give electrict!


.

 

[Into the lions den]

It gets warmed perfectly well once the bees cluster on it. No other warming needed.

to Finman:- WE do it the prewired frames way as you describe, but very few smaller beekeepers (and some bigger ones) will do it the way you and I do. Most beekeepers here use prewired foundation in special UK style frames. Its fiddly, makes the frames weaker and more expensive, but its how its done here. Foundation more expensive too.

 

[BILL.HEARD]

Thats the way I do it, nice flat combs are what you want especially in the brood nest.

that is main point to me. I rise room temperature to 25C. Then foundation is soft and it rest evenly on wires. The give electrict!


.

 

[CB008]

I can be a little on the clumsy side when I make up brood frames and sometimes cause a little damage. Is it ok to heat up a bit and mend the cracks - it does mean that the pattern goes on that spot though

 

[Finman]

It gets warmed perfectly well once the bees cluster on it. No other warming needed.

to Finman:- WE do it the prewired frames way as you describe, but very few smaller beekeepers (and some bigger ones) will do it the way you and I do. Most beekeepers here use prewired foundation in special UK style frames. Its fiddly, makes the frames weaker and more expensive, but its how its done here. Foundation more expensive too.

yes, it is really expencive when every hive needs 50-70 frames.

 

[dickbowyer]

I find the hair dryer trick buckles the foundation but a sheet warmed gently on the Aga flat warming plate on a piece of plastic refreshes foundation in about a minute.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The main thing is to warm it so that it doesn't crack when inserting it into frames, a couple of days in a warm room will do. Keep it nice and flat.

Didn't seems to have that problem last week in Lesotho, although just the smell of the wax from fixing it to the wires using the 'electrict' method did have quite a few scout bees flocking to my office (autumn swarming season out here at the moment!)
Had to put foundation in 300 frames before coming out here - this was Jan/feb at the coldest point and I was in N01 shed (also used for hanging game) - just put the packs of foundation in the warming cabinet for ten minutes or so and it stayed nice and flexible for long enough for me to do one pack at a time.
I agree with Finny and ITTLD, no real need to 'rejuvenate' the foundation, the heat of the hive will do that.