Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: steadybrook on July 22, 2016, 09:59:11 pm
-
What is the best and economical way to make foundation ?
-
I'm going to take the liberty of re-phrasing your question to: "Is there an economical way to make foundation ?"
It's certainly economical - and reasonably fast - to make plain (unembossed) wax sheets which the bees will then draw out into comb. But - whether the small advantage of producing more-or-less guaranteed straight combs is worth the trouble when compared with letting them draw foundationless comb from some kind of starter strip is debatable.
Making embossed foundation is a whole different ball game. Guaranteed results certainly can be achieved when running plain wax sheets through a hand-operated mill. The FatBeeMan has YouTube videos showing both the making of plain wax sheets and of running these through such a mill. The results are good - but the mill itself is expensive to purchase, and the making of a DIY mill would not be for the faint-hearted.
Which brings us to moulds. Many people have tried producing embossed foundation using silicone moulds - with mixed results. Some have given up in despair, others claim modest success. But even if successful, it would be a very time-consuming process to produce embossed foundation in this way. If you place any financial value on your time, then I'd say it probably isn't worthwhile.
LJ
-
I am phasing out of foundation by going foundationless ( well 95%) when there is flow on they draw it out pretty quick - larger cells but not drone size and you save money on buying foundation and time by not wiring frames and fitting foundation. Ok costs me a couple of dollars for a box of wooden tongue depressors which are glued into the slot of the top bar to give a start - they need to be placed between already drawn frames to ensure a straight build but the girls fill the whole frame in no time. I'll still use foundation for the brood box as it is a smaller cell size for worker brood.
I can assemble 50 frames ready for the bees in under an hour plus drying time for the glue as opposed to a whole weekend making up foundation frames.
-
I'll still use foundation for the brood box as it is a smaller cell size for worker brood.
The 'secret' to getting foundationless combs drawn out with 100% worker-sized cells is to use nucs to draw those combs out, as nucs have no immediate requirement for drones.
LJ
-
I'll still use foundation for the brood box as it is a smaller cell size for worker brood.
The 'secret' to getting foundationless combs drawn out with 100% worker-sized cells is to use nucs to draw those combs out, as nucs have no immediate requirement for drones.
LJ
Good info thanks...
-
I'll still use foundation for the brood box as it is a smaller cell size for worker brood.
The 'secret' to getting foundationless combs drawn out with 100% worker-sized cells is to use nucs to draw those combs out, as nucs have no immediate requirement for drones.
LJ
I believe I heard this 4000 number in 2014. I believe that's when they back it up with some university studies Cornell University New York USA. Michael Palmer of St. Albans, Vermont USA.Has been talking about it at least 6 to 7 years earlier.
https://www.springer.com/gp/about-springer/media/springer-select/worker-bees-know-when-to-invest-in-their-reproductive-future/32280
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :smile:
-
This info is as old as the hills - which is why I put the word 'secret' in quotes - 'cause secret it most certainly ain't. That university researchers are suggesting that this is an original finding says much about them - they really ought to get out into the real world more often ...
Reproduction isn?t always a honeybee colony?s top priority. Early in a colony?s development, its primary focus is on survival and growth. When the colony reaches a certain stage, its workers start investing in reproduction.
2014 ... !
This is a diagram I made for a talk over 10 years ago:
(http://i63.tinypic.com/5lcw9s.gif)
LJ
-
This Theory was only a hypothesis before 2014. I don't believe they actually knew that trigger points before then. As what actually causes honey bees to raise drones.
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
-
Thanks for the "secret" - can anyone explain why damaged comb gets repaired with drone comb and then they don't fill it with honey. They will fill and cap the entire frame on both sides but leave the drone comb untouched.
-
Once a hive reaches a certain size the bees will want to produce drones. As Beekeepers we tend to force them to make certain size combs by giving them foundation. As soon as a space opens up in the hive they produce drone brood comb. They leave it empty for the queen to lay eggs in. If you have a queen excluder under it, it stays empty.
Jim
-
Thanks Jim