Frame foundation help

[laketrout]

I'm using all med hive bodies and cut comb , not sure if I got the right frames and foundation , they gave me 6 1/4 wedge top bar and grooved bottom , foundation is 5 5/8 x16 1/2 if I take the wedge out it fits perfectly in the bottom groove and the top wedge .I've been reading like crazy and getting alot of help here , I thought I read that the foundation shouldn't go all the way to the bottom of the frame and also read a bottom groove is bad for moths ? maybe I don't have any choice with cut comb.

[Rader Sidetrack]

Foundation sold especially for cut comb is thinner than normal foundation. I have not used it personally, but given that its thinner than regular foundation, having it extend into the bottom groove sounds like a good idea.

[laketrout]

The box does say cut comb foundation . Do I need to use the support pins on the side also , think I read something bad about them too .

[Rader Sidetrack]

You may find this older thread useful:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...66900-Cut-comb

[Deepsouth]

Cut Comb foundation is thinner than regular foundation. If you have the grooved bottom frame then the foundation should fit into the groove. This makes the foundation stronger while the bees are drawing it out. I don't use support pins because the bee may draw out the comb a little weird around the pins and I like my comb honey to look nice. Last year i used foundation less frames for my comb honey and that worked very well. I don't think i will be using foundation for comb honey anymore. Just place empty frames in between capped honey during a good flow and I find that they will draw them out faster and nicer than foundation.

[Michael Palmer]

Use medium frames for cut comb if you want. With wedge top bars, you have to use medium frames if you want to use the 4 1/8" comb honey packaging available in the catalogs. There will be some waste using medium frames. The proper frame to use is the thin top bar shallow...grooved or slotted top bar, and a solid bottom bar. Available at Kelley.

Cut comb foundation should be installed with the bottom edge of the foundation about 3/8" above the bottom bar....not inserted into the grooved bottom bar. If you insert it, the bees attach the foundation to the bar, and then draw the comb. This results in a comb that is curved at the bottom and sometimes won't fit the packaging...not to mention it looks bad. Allowing the foundation to hang insures a straight comb...provided the hive is plumb.

Don't worry about the groove, the bees will fill it in.