I use a 4 inch foam roller to coat my foundations with wax. It gives a nice even coat and is quicker. Yes it gets ruined with wax. But I have a small crock pot I use to melt wax and the foam roller than I only use for this purpose so I don't have to clean. When you reuse the foam roller, you have to place the roller in the hot wax for a while to melt the wax in the foam so it can soak it up again.
What I liked about the wooden frames was the holes that were placed the the wires was also useful for those tiny clothes pin like inserts. I used these to brace my plastic foundation for support while being sprung in the extractor.
Aloha David, Good refresher course on frames , foundation, drone sized foundation for Varroa Mite Control! My 2 cents: Propolis and a natural varroa control: While studying the Varroa Mites on Oahu, I found bees actively collecting a mold from the underside of the Plumeria trees. Following these bees back to their wild hives( survivors of the Varroa Mites invasion of Hawaii back in 2006-8(?), I found them collecting and mixing it into their propolis. Noteworthy because these same hives also had suffered from the Varroa Mites but had now set up their own treatment. Whether the molds collected made their painting their interior of their hives toxic or unpleasant to mite infestations, I couldn’t on my own nickel, determine. But these hives, on their own, were the survivors in areas away from human contact. There were other hives that survived using another technique I labeled’Free Fall Grooming Zone’ where bees go outside the hive entrance and groom off( with other Grooming Bees)any clinging mite , that then fall to the ground and way back the tree or cliff the hive . Mind you, before Varroa on Oahu there were 26000 hives there, 1000 in beekeeper care and 25000 in the wild. Imagine suddenly the sky was clear of the pollinators, back in 2007-8 ! No bees were to be found! Many fruits failed. Had wonderful flowers yet no fruits = results of no bees about… Thankfully these survivors are marking a come back. Back to my thoughts on propolis and whatever the survivor bees might be using in heavy impacted areas of Varroa Mites. Study your local populations of survivors to see just what techniques they might be using.
On combs built by bees in the wild: While literally hanging around from a cliff of wild hives, I noticed before my climb, beeswax piles on the ground of melted wax. Upon climbing, I found combs being used in just cave entrances as a sun shield to block out the winter sun that dew to the angle of the sun, the scorching mid-day sun was effectively blocked by a comb that bees rebuilt each day to shade their hive from the heat of the sun. I might have walked right pasted this activity were it not for the fresh puddles of beeswax I stepped into.
Hey D, Is it reasonable to use "triple filtered cosmetic grade" bees wax from Amazon et al for coating plastic foundations or has all the "good stuff" been removed in the process and production of these wax blocks?
A note on areas any sort of foundation not being drawn out by bees: While in the field, away from the shop, I misted these areas with a sprayer filled with sugar water to bait the workers to build out the foundation.
Thank David to take your time to make such great videos… “ what about if you take a blower and melt the bumpier side… that way the wax stay for the bee to make new cones…
On medium frame s I divide on tree compartment and letting the Bee to build come frames , cutting 6 wood pieces about 6 " and other pieces , 6 high of frames inside the square s ansamblu the square inside the frames and staples into the frames with staples, the wood sheams is 1/4" tick's hopefully that will help someone on making come honey
Is there such a thing as too much wax? I did get Premier Double Waxed frames from HillCo this year. I was really impressed by the way the bees drew them out! My question: can the crevices on plastic frames be filled with caulk? And if so what type of caulk?
I have tried rubbing a block of wax across the foundation (a little like grating cheese) rather than melting and brushing. Rubbing seems to be working. I use both methods, rubbing blocks of wax and brushing melted wax and find they seem to be equally effective. I wonder if you would be kind enough to test rubbing a block of wax on your foundation and report back. Protip: Remove the foundation from the frame and get right to the edges and into corners.
Here's a question can you use the old wax that you take off to melt down and recoat the frame. Or would that carry over the possible chemicals that could be in it.
They still make them with the sidebar pointed on one side here in Europe. At least where I live. For now. Although sometimes they assemble it wrong or maybe it's different manufacturers and you still get two flat sides together. I guess flat is just cheaper and easier to make. Cheap bastards!
I never used plastic. My question here: why would you add wax , all these extra work you are describing, why not use wax foundation? Bees will do everything to avoid plastic, then the beek has to trick them with adding wax.
I use a 4 inch foam roller to coat my foundations with wax. It gives a nice even coat and is quicker. Yes it gets ruined with wax. But I have a small crock pot I use to melt wax and the foam roller than I only use for this purpose so I don't have to clean. When you reuse the foam roller, you have to place the roller in the hot wax for a while to melt the wax in the foam so it can soak it up again.
Good tip. Thanks for being a subscriber for almost a year now!
What I liked about the wooden frames was the holes that were placed the the wires was also useful for those tiny clothes pin like inserts. I used these to brace my plastic foundation for support while being sprung in the extractor.
Aloha David,
Good refresher course on frames , foundation, drone sized foundation for Varroa Mite Control!
My 2 cents:
Propolis and a natural varroa control:
While studying the Varroa Mites on Oahu, I found bees actively collecting a mold from the underside of the Plumeria trees. Following these bees back to their wild hives( survivors of the Varroa Mites invasion of Hawaii back in 2006-8(?), I found them collecting and mixing it into their propolis. Noteworthy because these same hives also had suffered from the Varroa Mites but had now set up their own treatment. Whether the molds collected made their painting their interior of their hives toxic or unpleasant to mite infestations, I couldn’t on my own nickel, determine. But these hives, on their own, were the survivors in areas away from human contact. There were other hives that survived using another technique I labeled’Free Fall Grooming Zone’ where bees go outside the hive entrance and groom off( with other Grooming Bees)any clinging mite , that then fall to the ground and way back the tree or cliff the hive .
Mind you, before Varroa on Oahu there were 26000 hives there, 1000 in beekeeper care and 25000 in the wild.
Imagine suddenly the sky was clear of the pollinators, back in 2007-8 ! No bees were to be found! Many fruits failed. Had wonderful flowers yet no fruits = results of no bees about…
Thankfully these survivors are marking a come back.
Back to my thoughts on propolis and whatever the survivor bees might be using in heavy impacted areas of Varroa Mites. Study your local populations of survivors to see just what techniques they might be using.
On combs built by bees in the wild:
While literally hanging around from a cliff of wild hives, I noticed before my climb, beeswax piles on the ground of melted wax. Upon climbing, I found combs being used in just cave entrances as a sun shield to block out the winter sun that dew to the angle of the sun, the scorching mid-day sun was effectively blocked by a comb that bees rebuilt each day to shade their hive from the heat of the sun. I might have walked right pasted this activity were it not for the fresh puddles of beeswax I stepped into.
Hey D, Is it reasonable to use "triple filtered cosmetic grade" bees wax from Amazon et al for coating plastic foundations or has all the "good stuff" been removed in the process and production of these wax blocks?
Great video thanks David for making 👍 it
Glad you liked it
Great video! 🐝
Thank you
A note on areas any sort of foundation not being drawn out by bees:
While in the field, away from the shop, I misted these areas with a sprayer filled with sugar water to bait the workers to build out the foundation.
Thank David to take your time to make such great videos… “ what about if you take a blower and melt the bumpier side… that way the wax stay for the bee to make new cones…
I could see the plastic foundation melting also.
Interesting...
You could use the wonky frames for honey supers. When you hot knife it you will even it out.
Good suggestions, but I don't like using old brood comb for honey. Could have chemical residue but certainly has cocoons.
On medium frame s I divide on tree compartment and letting the Bee to build come frames , cutting 6 wood pieces about 6 " and other pieces , 6 high of frames inside the square s ansamblu the square inside the frames and staples into the frames with staples, the wood sheams is 1/4" tick's hopefully that will help someone on making come honey
Hoffman self spacing frames is what your looking for
David, I don't have much old comb to melt for foundation use. is it possible to buy 100% beeswax from a store and use it?
great content
Thanks and I appreciate you subscribing.
Is there such a thing as too much wax?
I did get Premier Double Waxed frames from HillCo this year. I was really impressed by the way the bees drew them out!
My question: can the crevices on plastic frames be filled with caulk? And if so what type of caulk?
Good thinking, but I bet the bees would remove it. Worth trying. I'd try 100% silicone.
I have tried rubbing a block of wax across the foundation (a little like grating cheese) rather than melting and brushing. Rubbing seems to be working. I use both methods, rubbing blocks of wax and brushing melted wax and find they seem to be equally effective. I wonder if you would be kind enough to test rubbing a block of wax on your foundation and report back. Protip: Remove the foundation from the frame and get right to the edges and into corners.
I tried that many years ago and made a video about it maybe 5 or 10 years ago. It doesn’t get the same draw as brushing in melted wax.
If you scrape 8 year old comb can you melt it down and use it to coat new plastic or would that transfer the chemicals?
Yup, would transfer stuff.
Here's a question can you use the old wax that you take off to melt down and recoat the frame. Or would that carry over the possible chemicals that could be in it.
So the frames are safe to re-use? Here I was thinking I had to replace it all. I had no idea it was just the comb.
As long as no diseases were in the comb and they are not too old, yes, you can reuse the foundation.
Have you tried to filling in the plastic frame with wax too level flush whirr the Beatles can’t hide
Brilliant
They still make them with the sidebar pointed on one side here in Europe. At least where I live. For now. Although sometimes they assemble it wrong or maybe it's different manufacturers and you still get two flat sides together.
I guess flat is just cheaper and easier to make. Cheap bastards!
Wow, amazing. I do not know when ours went away, but one day I'm like, "Hey, why aren't they pointed?"
I never used plastic. My question here: why would you add wax , all these extra work you are describing, why not use wax foundation? Bees will do everything to avoid plastic, then the beek has to trick them with adding wax.
Ease of use. Even when adding wax, still alot less work than cleaning out old frames and rewiring in the wax, for me anyway.
I’ve seen them in Europe but not in the USA 😕😕😕😕
Jealous
This guy kinda scares me when he says he’s still learning after 30-40 years 😮
First
wow!