>It "seems" to my mind that having something to start with would be easier and faster. APPARENTLY i am wrong.... again...
Things are often not what they seem.
> I have been reading up on cell size etcetc.. and came to the conclusion that I wanted the bees to build the cell size they want rather than forcing them into something predetermined...
Agreed.
> I am about to order frames and foundation to put together this winter, but have a couple of questions...
> Foundationless... I have no natural wax to put on the "point" of the frames, (My wife absconds with any and all wax for the candle shop.) would it behoove me to buy the frames with the wedge top bar and put a small strip of wax in each frame to get them started?
I do not recommend putting wax on them. It will not be attached as well as the bees would attach it and it does nothing to encourage them one way or the other to build on it. I do not wax my foundationless frames anymore.
> How much of a starter strip do they need? 1/2 inch?
1/4" is not as much as I would like. 1/2" is about right. 3/4" is about the maximum useful size. But I prefer wood to a wax starter strip. The wood is permanent and the wax strip is not.
> Will Cell size on the starter strip matter?
Not very much. They will quickly change to what they want instead.
>If thats not the best way..what is the best method recommended to get them drawing wax correctly?
My favorite comb guide is a angled bevel on the wood. But the simplest at this point is to buy foundationless frames from Walter T. Kelley.
More here:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfoundationless.htm