Wired vs un-wired foundation

[mike99]

I have finally completed the preparation of my Hive including Frames, Dummy frame and stand. All my frames in the BB and Super have wired foundation in them. I understand that the wire is for strength but if I love honey comb and if I want to harvest comb, I would need to use unwired?
As I haven't even got my first colony yet, I am not expecting to get any surplus this year as I expect that most of the honey this year will be used for over wintering? However, when I am in that position, would it be worth having either one super with wired and one without or mix the frames up in the supers?
This beekeeping lark isn't as easy as I thought it was going to be.

 

[Tony19]

I have finally completed the preparation of my Hive including Frames, Dummy frame and stand. All my frames in the BB and Super have wired foundation in them. I understand that the wire is for strength but if I love honey comb and if I want to harvest comb, I would need to use unwired?
As I haven't even got my first colony yet, I am not expecting to get any surplus this year as I expect that most of the honey this year will be used for over wintering? However, when I am in that position, would it be worth having either one super with wired and one without or mix the frames up in the supers?
This beekeeping lark isn't as easy as I thought it was going to be.

Exact same question I asked at my local BKA, suggestion was maybe a couple of frames in each super and then just cut the comb out and put in those takeaway comtainers. It was greeted with a little surprise as most of the bees energy initially is to build comb from foundation so honey production would be reduced, hence the suggestion for just a couple of frames. I wanted to do this for the memories of being a kid on holidays to Scotland when honeycomb was served at the guest house we stayed in for breakfast.

 

[mike99]

That is a great reply and makes so much sense. I guess that is why honey comb is so expensive. Thanks Tony.

 

[Beefriendly]

For what it's worth all my supers frames start off with thin unwired foundation. It's cheaper and it's always available for cut comb. No problem centrifuging it either.
Brood frames are wired thought.

 

[Poly Hive]

Invest in some Manley frames which are the best for comb production and using indelible pen mark the top bars with a code you will recognise. I used to put CC as all my frames are/were Manleys and I used to put two or four CC frames in a Langstroth super for Heather cut combs which of course went for a nice premium price.

PH

 

[Millet]

I have wired and unwired super frames, my plan is to slowly do away with the wired frames and have only unwired, as mentioned above they are fine in the extractor as long as you take your time when spinning the honey out to start with and speed up slowly, all my brood frames are wired just to be on the safe side.

 

[Poly Hive]

I don't understand Millet why make life more difficult by not having wired in the supers? Even they blow out in extractors so unwired I can see being a right mess.

Is it thrift or some sort of principle?

PH

 

[Beefriendly]

Even they blow out in extractors so unwired I can see being a right mess.

Is it thrift or some sort of principle?

No, unwired don't blow out in extractors...and it means you can do cut comb any time you like.
Only frames I've blown in extractor this year have been wired brood frames....
The only "secret" with unwired super frames is don't go too fast too soon. But that advice also applies to wired...

 

[Millet]

I don't understand Millet why make life more difficult by not having wired in the supers? Even they blow out in extractors so unwired I can see being a right mess.

Is it thrift or some sort of principle?

PH

Do you have a 16valve 2lr twin Turbo engine strapped to your extractor ..

Unwired gives me two options extract or cut comb, how easy can that be.. enlighten me please.

P.s No blown frames where made during this post and none have been made in the past apart from going tooooooooo quick with wired foundation..

 

[Dadnlad]

Wait until after spring extraction if you're liable to have OSR about, then add 2-3 frames per super with just an inch starter strip of unwired foundation in each, in between fully drawn frames to make sure the bees draw it straight. The comb seems lighter and more palatable than even thin unwired foundation

 

[alfazer]

Wait until after spring extraction if you're liable to have OSR about, then add 2-3 frames per super with just an inch starter strip of unwired foundation in each, in between fully drawn frames to make sure the bees draw it straight. The comb seems lighter and more palatable than even thin unwired foundation

I've tried this and the comb is lovely; thin and light, perfect for cut comb.


On the extractor issue and unwired comb blowing out; Would it not depend on the kind of extractor you use?
I need to be very careful with my tangential extractor but in my head at least, you could spin a radial faster without losing comb.

 

[Poly Hive]

What types of honey are you extracting Millet?

Oh and what type of extractor? Radial or?

PH

 

[Millet]

What types of honey are you extracting Millet?

Oh and what type of extractor? Radial or?

PH

The Extractor i have can be used Radial or Tangential depending on whether they are brood frames or shallow super frames.

I am not 100% on what is in the honey pot PH as i do not test the pollen's but here is a little list of possible nectar sources.
Various Willows
Wild Cherry Blossom
Oil Seed Rape
Blackthorn
Hawthorn
Bramble
Gorse
Sycamore
Clover
Dandelion
Field Beans
Rose Bay Willow Herb
Thistle
Wild Privet
Cover Crops and Garden Fauna
Ivy
I think that is about it.

 

[Poly Hive]

Ok so are you mainly extracting the unwired frames radially?

PH

 

[Millet]

Ok so are you mainly extracting the unwired frames radially?

PH

No both ways, i have modified my four frame Tangential extractor to a eight frame Radial extractor, i only do one super at a time at the moment so i do seven radial and four Tang the only frame i managed to partially blow out was a wired frame through starting too fast, i have not blown any unwired frames yet and i say YET.. .

 

[Hivemaker.]

Don't use any wired national shallow frames here and they extract perfectly okay... with very few blow outs, even for extracted heather honey.

 

[Beefriendly]

How are you preparing your heather honey frames?
Loosener??

 

[Hivemaker.]

How are you preparing your heather honey frames?
Loosener??

Yes, works really well, but obviously if it was a problem then we would wire the foundation, sure it would be a problem with bigger frames than national shallow.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

I use wired and some unwired and some from starter strips supported by kebab skewers. I mark them SSK so I can identify them easily. Often the bees start working at the SSKs before the foundation. I don't know how they'll react in the extractor though....