Pierco vs Rite-cell vs Plasticell ???

[Billy Joe Adair]

Which would you get? And why? Assume the price is the same for each.
Does color really matter? I can get Pierco in black for my deep frames in the brood boxes.

[westernbeekeeper]

RiteCell is the thickest and the stoutest, Plasticell is quite flexible and lightweight, and Pierco is right in between. When you are popping RiteCell into frames, it'll get hard on the thumbs. Otherwise, I love it. Next (and last) I'd go with Pierco. Plasticell is my least favorite plastic foundation. If I have a large order (over $100), I always go with the RiteCell from Mann Lake for the free shipping; it beats all with that. These are just my observations. I prefer foundationless comb over all though.

[RAK]

Pierco... Cheapest if you are buying several thousand. Last batch of Pierco was bright yellow and bees draw out faster than any other foundation! Out of 1000 yellow drawn out this last season only a few had tongues drawn out. Pierco cell size is 5.2. The other few thousand were ritecell. Ritecell had trouble fitting into frame slot and the bees would first draw out the Pierco first and then the rite cell.

[Broke-T]

I buy several thousand direct from Nick at Pierco. I buy it unwaxed and use my wax. He has always had the best price. Give him a call and he will e-mail you a quote. I use all black, but doesn't seem to matter as I have tried the yellow also but hard to see eggs and larva in yellow.

Johnny

[MTINAZ]

I have tried just about every plastic foundation I could find. Black really helps to see eggs larvae. My favorite is perma dent. Mann lakes stuff is to thick, makes it harder to install and I wonder about heat transfer in the winter. There is a lot of plastic between the cells on the other side of of the cluster. The wax coating from dadant seems very inconsistant with the batches I have purchased.

[jim lyon]

Mann Lake's Rite Cell is a little heavier than Dadant"s plasticell. I wouldnt agree that it necessarily follows that it is better though. We have never had any problems at all with the Dadant foundation blowing out in an extractor or any other problems relating to its slightly lighter construction so I really look at weight as a non-factor. Let price be your guide. If you want to go with a plastic frame then Pierco is probably the best though I have never tried the molded "Plasticell Pro" plastic frame. We have done it both ways and have finally settled on installing the foundation as we are putting on the bottom bars as being slightly faster to snapping in the foundation is really a non-factor in my decision.