PH A couple of questions:
1. where have you selected the grafts from?
2. Why are you waiting 18hours, or more to the point why are you waiting 18 hours to add more bees?
The VC method is only 4 hours from the time of graft bar in to the time of grafting and to set up the colony minus 4 days from graft day and 10 days after graft day to mini apidea. Also you use the same colony to graft from and place the bar ontop of the colony using another brood box less hassle but then maybe its just me?
3. What exactly is the super for? I presume the graft bar?
As for the VC book I have used the method 5 times this year with the last batch of grafts out today in fact this evening and 66% success rate, which I think is good.
I think its a nice easy 6 Step process and without any fuss even a begineer can follow. I will post the photos of this coming Saturday grafts to show the process for those who maybe interested

and let people decide if its a good book to read over winter. Certainly gets my vote.
Very simply. Shake bees for a starter box, add grafts, remove after 18 hours or so and add another batch. First and 2nd started batches go into supers to be sealed, then when sealed are put in cages and left to hatch if I am starting off Mini Nucs. If not doing that then they can be added to nucs at the ripe cell stage.
Hope this helps
PH