Review of plastic frames

[Bungalow]

I have blogged my experience with plastic frames at blogspot.com. Go to {Do not link to your own website,please read the forum rules.}

I tried to post the link but I have not posted enough to this forum to convince it that I am not a spammer..sigh..

I am interested to hear others findings.

(my first proper post on this forum, so Hello and it's nice to join a very helpful and well-mannered forum)

 

[tonybloke]

welcome to the forum, Bungalow.

no personal experience of plastic frames, but i believe several members use them.

 

[Mike a]

Will send my thoughts via PM later today. I've been using them for two seasons and I've tried several different types.

My also have some interesting information for everyone later this afternoon with regards heather honey and plastic foundation.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Far better to post your comments here for people to comment on, I have had very mixed experience with them.

 

[Bungalow]

Far better to post your comments here for people to comment on, I have had very mixed experience with them.

Nick, you're right, of course, but photos are embedded and I had already written the blog when I thought of posting a link on this forum.

Next time.

Also on a recent blogpost is a description of my bodgedup wax steamer. In use as I type this,

 

[Bungalow]

welcome to the forum, Bungalow..

Thanks, Tony.

 

[Bungalow]

. Go to {Do not link to your won website,please read the forum rules.}

Mmmm, well I guess I won't bother then.

 

[Bungalow]

See if this works. I am pasting from the blog.


I have used plastic frames (from --------- Beekeeping) for the last couple of years, on one hive, as a trial. Here are the results.

Good things.

Easy to prepare. Just melt some wax, get a paint roller (a small one!), roll in the hot wax, roll onto the frame. All the while supporting the frame from underneath.

Easy to clean. Just scrape 'em down, steam them off, and start again.

Bees like them. See photo below.



You can see that brood has been laid from side to side (see previous entries on the blog).
Remember, this is a Langstroth hive, so that's a lorra lorra bees.

Bad things

They warp. See photo below.



Where this frame has warped, the concave side has encouraged the bees to make brace comb. On the convex side (pictured), the frame is not drawn out into comb, because it is too close the next frame. The bees will always keep at least one beespace between frames (more at the bottom than the top, so that two bees can work back-to-back in the wider places).

They also warp banana-style, along the length, which makes it harder to get them all back in place in the hive after an inspection.

Conclusion

I won't be using them again until I can find a solution to this warping problem. Pity, because they have a lot going for them.
View attachment 7319

View attachment 7320

 

[Chris B]

I've used the shallower ones for supers with very good results.

So this year I tried the deep ones for brood frames - not quite so impressed. The imperfections are magnified on the larger frame.

 

[drstitson]

warping is a problem - both in the hive and in the spinner. leading to uneven brood and brace comb.

re pre-waxing. on advice of hannah from MB i tried not rolling wax on before use. bees still draw comb ok.

 

[Mike a]

As said already the one piece plastic frames aren't perfect and suffer with warping badly. I then swapped to buying plastic foundation sheets and putting them in wooden frames.

To see my thoughts goto: http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=205515&postcount=18

I won't be buying any more wax foundation....

I was hoping to post some pictures or a short video of extraction using plastic foundation but spent the afternoon helping a friend extract her honey instead. Hope to start on mine on Wednesday / Thursday.

Hoping to surprise a few people if it works.

 

[Allen Johnson]

I have used plastic frames and nothing else. None of the fiddling with gimple pins and wood and hammer. Easy to clip together, easy to clean and hygenic. One thing though, do not use hot water to clean them as plastic will always warp in excessive heat. Use tepid water and detergent. Having seen some fantastic hive designs in plastic, I wish I'd started with them as well.

I think plastic is frowned upon because it's not traditional and beekeeping is all about tradition.

Cheers and Happy New Year!

Allen

 

[pargyle]

I think plastic is frowned upon because it's not traditional and beekeeping is all about tradition.

Cheers and Happy New Year!

Allen

No ... I think there's a bit more to it than just prejudice ... there's a place for some 'plastic' in beekeeping but 'traditional' materials seem to work well in conjunction with them. I have polystyrene hives but timber frames - works well for me and lots of others ....

 

[Hivemaker.]

I have used plastic frames and nothing else.

So you cannot talk with experience about the advantages or disadvantages of wooden frames, as you have only used plastic frames.

 

[Bosleeu]

I have plastic Langstroth frames, deep and medium, and have had no warping yet, and the bees seem to like them. It's only been one season though....

I find them easier to extract compared to foundation frames.