If you're lazy like me forget the popsicle sticks, nailing, gluing, waxing and whatnot. Just break the wedge out of the top bar and you're good to go. They'll fill the frame from the shelf that results and you get a good bond to the topbar.
Ok! 1 week later; Here is the update from the hive I put the frames in. The popsicle stick frame has 3 sticks in it with about a 1/4" space between, They've drawn 3 seperate combs about a 3rd of the frame deep. The next frame has wax starter folded over and put in the grove I also melted it in with a propane torch leaving about a 1/4" ridge the length of the frame, This frame is full, about 3/4 of which is worker comb and the rest drone come (real easy to see the difference when they're together). The 3rd frame is also wax that I melted in layers until there was a nice little rige the length of the frame it also has great results and is almost full but is more work than the the 2nd frame. The
4th frame I just melted wax onto with no groove is very slow about 1/3 drawn and mostly drone comb.
So my thoughts are leaning towards going with frames with a piece of foundation folded over and melted into the frame for security. Thanks for all of the replies to this thread!
.
So my thoughts are leaning towards going with frames with a piece of foundation folded over and melted into the frame for security. Thanks for all of the replies to this thread!
Glad that it is working out for you. I am doing something similar. I use a 3/4 inch wide strip of foundation attached to the groove in the top bar by dripping wax from a candle. Seems to be working for me.
OK,
I am trying the foundationless suggestions in my hive. They have a deep with plastic drawn out. I added a medium with 2 frames of plastic for guides and 8 frames foundationless. they have paint sticks cut in 1/3 lenghth wise glued in top and bottom groove full width. i sprayed the empty frames. After 1 week, there is nothing drawn on anything but slight bit on 1 of the plastic foundation filled wood frames. seems like alot of bees in there, the medium is placed under the full deep to encourage moving down. How long should i wait before just putting foundation back in? I would really like to go foundationless. I am also feeding 1:1 syrup. Any thoughts please!
mike
I have the same problem with plastic the bees simply dont like it. Some is drawn nicely but most are not touched. I've even dilluted honey into syrup and sprayed it on and they just clean it up and go on their way. My thoughts are plastic sucks! I'm sticking with foundationless. I thought about the drone comb also and I dont think I'll mind the drones being around just in case I loose a queen and let them make their own. I'll need tthe drones around for mating.
Has any one tried using a 1/4 inch dowel as a support instead of wire? I read that this can be done by drilling a hole in the top bar in the center and inserting the dowel. The bottom of the dowel could be nailed or stapled in place, to the bottom bar. It seems like a good idea but I haven't tried it.
I think you are more likely to get nice worker comb drawn if you put one frame at a time in the center of the brood nest.
Drone comb is more likely to be on the edge of the brood nest. It's not all bad if you slice some of it off (when capped brood) as a mite control.
There was an early hive that would allow one to turn the frames upside down to get the bees to complete the frames attached all around.
I dont see any point for wire or dowels. With the test I just did with my hive using wax foundation as the starter the bees build evenly across the frame and fill it top to bottom. Or at least that's what happened in my test. There is no need for extra support. Bees dont really like wire in the hive anyway, I'm not so sure about a timber post in the middle of their work area either. You are right though about the drone comb being built on the outside edges of the frames. A good place for might control! When you find the mights have attacked the drone it is easily cut out and the bees can rebuild in a day or so.
The main reason for extra support is for those who put their frames in extractors. I use crush and strain so I prefer foundationless. My experience is with medium frames however. With deeps I suppose extra support might also assist with basic handling so the comb doesn't break out.
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