| COMB FOUNDATION. ABC and XYZ of BEEKEEPING, A.I. Root - 1891 - Pages 62-72 |
| - PART 2 FOUNDATION FOR COMB HONEY. The only trouble with it for comb honey is that, under some circumstances occurring very rarely I believe, the bees will build on to the foundation, without thinning the center at all, as they usually do. I believe this is more apt to occur when a good yeild of honey comes during rather cool weather, the bees being unable to get the wax warm enough to work readily. The remedy for this will be in making the base of the cells of the foundation exceedingly thin, and the small 6-inch machines seem best for this purpose. We have made machines for making the foundation four, four and a half, and five cells to the inch. The latter is intended to be used in brood-rearing, unless, per-chance one may desire to rear drones. In that case, four cells to the inch should be used. As the queens are not as apt to deposit eggs in drone-cells, it was once thought that drone foundation would be more desirable in the surplus-apartment. But notwithstanding this, more recently a decided preference has been shown for thin worker foundation (five cells to the inch). In order to get nice thin foundation, the rolls should be screwed down as closely as they may be (according to directions already given), so as to get the base of the cells nearly if not quite as thin as the natural base. If it is made a little too thick, the base is very easily detected in the comb honey, and has been called, not inappropriately, "fishbone." Flat-bottom foundation has been made, which some think is the best surplus foundation. It is nothing but a sheet of wax, embossed with hexagonal cells inclosing a flat base. While it makes very nice comb honey, yet the testimony of many of those who have tried it is to the effect that it is not readily accepted by the bees, and consequently valuable time is lost. We do know this much, that they remodel and rebuild the cells before drawing them out. Notwithstanding this, there are two or three large honey-producers in the State of New York who consider it the best surplus foundationMr. P. H. Elwood, of Starkville, N. Y., an extensive bee-keeper of large experience, among the number. There are other New York bee-keepers who think as he does. SAGGING OF THE FOUNDATION, AND HOW TO PREVENT IT. Many devices have been tried to prevent the sagging of the foundation, and consequently slight elongation of the cells, in the upper part of the comb. With the L. frames, this is so slight that it occasions no serious trouble with the greater part of the wax of commerce; but with deeper frames, or with some specimens of natural wax, the sagging is sufficient to allow the bees to raise drones in the upper cells. Paper has been tried, and succeeds beautifully, while the bees are getting honey; but during dearth, when they have nothing to do, they are liable at any time to tear the nice combs all to bits, to get out the paper, which I have supposed they imagine to be the web of the moth-worm. In our apiary I have beautiful combs built on thin wood; but as the bottom of the cell is flat, they are compelled to use wax to fill out the interstices, and the value of this surplus wax, it seems to me, throws the wood base entirely out of the question. I do not like the foundation with wire rolled in it, on account of the greater expense, and because we cannot fasten it in the frames as securely as we can where the wires are first sewed through the frames.  Aside from the avoidance of drone-cells,
we want combs that will not break out of the frames in shipping,
handling, or extracting, in either hot or cold weather; we also
want frames that will not sag in the middle, no matter
how heavily they may be filled with honey.For several years we wired all our combs as shown in the accompanying engraving. The top and bottom bars were pierced at regular distances, through which the wire was threaded back and forth. If a thin top-barthat is, one not more than 1/4 inchis used, a folded tin bar will be necessary. Latterly we have employed the method shown below, and it is what we call the Keeney plan. Perpendicular wiring is apt to bow up the bottom-bar if the wires are drawn tight, and to pull the top-bar down if it is not thicker than 1/4. True, we can avoid that by the use of folded tin bars, but bees seldom build over them nicely. The Keeney method of wiring takes less wire and less time, and it brings the entire strain upon the four corners of the framethe point where there is the greatest strength. No piercing of top-bars or bottom-bars is necessary. A 1-1/4-inch wire nail is driven through the end-bars 3/4 of an inch from the top and bottom bars. They are then bent into the form of a hook by means of round-nosed pliers. To do this rapidly, string a lot of frames over a narrow board, so that the end-bars will lie in contact side by side, and then support the two projecting ends of the boards. With a straight-edge and pencil draw a line 3/4 inch from the top-bars, and then a line 3/4 inch from the bottom-bars. This gives you the location for each wire nail as regards the top and bottom bars. Before taking the frames off the board, drive the nails in. Then slide them off en masse, and afterward bend the points, as shown in the accompanying engraving. Cut your wire 69 inches long.  Twist a loop in one end; catch the wire over hook No. 1, and pass successively to hooks 2, 3, 4, and back to 1; then draw. Next pass the wire under the wire at 5, catch over the hook at 2, draw the wire taut, and fasten by twisting. To get your wire the right length, wind it over a long board 5 or 6 inches wide, and rounded at the end to a feather edge. The length of this board should be just half the length of the wire you use; namely, for the L. frame, 34-1/2 inches. After you have wound the whole coil of wire on this board from end to end, take an old pair of shears and cut all the strands in two, right where they bend over the end; and to keep them from flying all over when cut, slip a couple of rubber bands over each end of the board. Now, when you are ready to wire, just simply pull the wire out from one end. This method of wiring is very expeditions and satisfactory for the ordinary bee-keeper. It is not as substantial as the perpendicular-wiring plan, but enough so for practical purposes. The two perpendicular wires, 2 and 3, 1 and 4, hold the ends of the foundation from flopping out of position. The horizontal wires, 1 and 2, hold the top, also, permanent. The wire used is No. 30, tinned iron wire. After the wires are in and drawn up tight, the foundation is cut so as to fill the frame, and the wires are then imbedded into the wax by means of one of the various devices for that purpose. During this operation the foundation is supported on a level board cut so as to just slip inside the frame, and come up against the wires. The board is to be kept wet with a damp cloth, to prevent the wax sticking to it.  A common carpet stretcher,
like the cut below, is fitted with a short handle, and then the
wax is warmed up so as to be quite soft. The wires are imbedded
by laying the points along the wire, and pressing down while
the foundation is supported by a board in the manner already
given. By the use of the carpet-stretcher, the bees finish out
the cells as perfectly as if nothing of the kind had ever touched
them.In putting in foundation on the Keeney plan, slip the top edge up in the groove where the comb-guide would go if the frame were not wired. Then imbed the wires in the foundation.  Still later, the implement figured
in the cut below has found favor, and our girls now consider
it quicker and easier to use than any other thing heretofore
tried. You see, the points strike one at a time, therefore no
very great pressure is needed; and yet by rocking the implement
the work is done very rapidly. This press has found considerable
favor with a few. With a pair of dies just the size of the inside
of the frame, plain sheets of wax are made into foundation, and
the wires imbedded into it at one and the same operation. The
objections to it are, the price is much more than the price of
rolls; that it makes sheets of only one size; that the wire used
for it must be considerably finer than No. 30. No. 36, I believe,
is generally used, and this we find too frail for our use, shipping
bees, etc. As yet, I believe it does not put foundation into
wired frames so that they will bear shipment, while that put
in by hand can be shipped safely anywhere during warm weather.
Neither is it adapted to making sheets of foundation that entirely
fill the frames; and I should always want the sheets to come
clear up to the wood on all sides.FASTENING STARTERS IN SECTION BOXES. For this purpose the foundation is made in narrow strips, as has been before explained. For the one-pound section we have dipping-boards 3-3/4 inches wide; and after being rolled, they are then cut up into pieces that nearly fill the sections, or as much less as the taste or purse of the bee-keeper demands. The pieces are fastened only to the top-bar of the section, and this is done by either of the accompanying machines shown. STARTERS FOR SECTION BOXES. Many bee-keepers want the starter to fill the section as nearly as possible, leaving a space of only 1/4 or 3/8 inch at the sides and bottom. Even with so large a starter as this, the bees sometimes fail to fasten the comb at the sides and bottom. It is especially desirable to have it fastened at the bottom, to prevent breaking out in shipping; but even if long enough to touch the bottom, the bees do not always finish it down. Perhaps a safer way is to fasten a starter at the bottom, 3/4 inch wide or deep; then fasten at the top a 3-1/4 inches deep. This makes a sure thing of having the comb fastened to the bottom-bar. Such starters properly fastened with a Clark fastener have been safely hauled on the trot to an out-apiary. If cut 3-7/8 instead of 3-1/4, the swing, and the consequent liability to fall out, would be much greater. The idea is, to rub or press a thin edge of the wax into the dry wood of the section. The motion of the machine spreads the wax down, and mashes it into the wood, as it were.  Below is the Parker machine, which
is used quite largely; in fact, many thousands of them have been
sold. It does very nice work; but where thousands of starters
are to be put in, it becomes a little tiresome on the hands.The one next illustrated is what is called Clark's starter machine. Instead of rubbing the foundation it presses it into the wood. Pressure is exerted entirely by the foot. This not only gives more power, but it leaves both hands free to pick up the sections, adjust the foundation, and, after fastening, remove them.  To operate, screw it down to a
bench or table, so that the treadle just clears the floor. Make
a little paddle, say 8 or 10 inches long, 1/4 inch thick, and
1 to 1-1/2 inches wide. Nail upon one side of it a piece of felt,
or two or three thicknesses of old soft cloth, equal to the length
of the presser-tongue, then whittle off the handle end, saturate
the cushioned part well with salt water, renewing it if it should
get dry. To moisten the tongue, lay your paddle under it, press
with the feet just as when fastening in a starter, and then throw
the paddle in your lap till needed again. This takes less time,
and is more thorough, than to use the brush. You may need to
moisten the tongue for each starter, or you may need it only
after fastening several starters. It is a good plan to have a
little tin dish of salt water in which the tongue may be so set
as to keep in soak over night, so as to be in good trim for next
day's work. With one hand pick up a section, and with the other
put the foundation in position, directly under the tongue. Bring
the latter down with the feet, and let the feet come back with
a rebound, and the whole performance is quickly and easily done.
If the presser-tongue is so sharp at the edge that it cuts off
the foundation, round it off a little with sand-paper. For the
first few trials, the wax may stick to the tongue rather than
to the section. Scrape the former off smooth with a knife; wet
it thoroughly with water or paste. The foundation, before insertion,
should be warmed up to a temperature of about 110º. If the
sheets are put in the direct rays of the sun, shining through
a window, they will be soft enough. Some prefer to put the foundation
in piles of perhaps 50, and then heat only one edge by means
of a hot brick or a body of water in some kind of vessel kept
heated by a lamp. Foundation must be tolerably soft or it will
not stick firmly to the sections. This is the machine that is
recommened and used by Dr. Miller, referred to elsewhere in this
work. |
| PART 1 |