[hrogers]

Howdy All --

Recently I bought about 20 colonies whose
owner had endured a long illness before death. Of course the bees were long neglected.

In going through and removing deep frames
in order to cut down to medium I ran on to
an ancient frame with PERFECT comb. It is made of aluminum with cells a half inc deep.
They were completely drawn to normal depth.

I saw a few of these in 1938 while working
for a commercial beekeeper, but none since.

Does anyone know who made these or anything about their history?

Doc

 

[thesurveyor]

Sounds interesting, but I have not info on the metal comb. I would love to hear if anyone else has any experience with that type of comb.

Thesurveyor

 

[MountainCamp]

These aluminum frames were manufactured by the Aluminum Honeycomb Company. They were located in Los Angeles, Ca.
They sold for $6.00 for ten combs in 1919 as per the ad in the June 1919 edition of "The Domestic Beekeeper".

As far as using them, I would think that they may have worked well for honey supers. But I think that the aluminum comb would not have worked well for brood comb or overwintering of hives. The aluminum would be difficult to keep warm enough.

[This message has been edited by MountainCamp (edited February 20, 2004).]

 

[Sungold]

MountainCamp,

How on earth did you know that? Just remembered seeing it in past issue? (just kidding) This forum is great!!

 

[Sungold]

MountainCamp,

How on earth did you know that? Just remembered seeing it in past issue? (just kidding) This forum is great!!

 

[MountainCamp]

I actually remembered seeing the ad. I bought some equipment from a local beekeeper getting out of the business (We are in the fire company together). It was his fathers business before that and he passed on alot of old books and mags.
I still use his father's Woodman handcrank extractor for deep frames. A couple of years back I had to turn the shaft over as the bearings had worn a deep grove and it had quite a wobble.

 

[mrbillz]

you guys know about Permacomb, right? Same idea only polypropylene. heat safe to well above boiling, strong, durable and less heat condiction issues AND! impervious to wax moths and SHB. Long thread in the equipment section. Been around for many years in a sort of quiet existance. I'm still trying to figure out why it isn't more popular...

 

[briancady413]

MountainCamp,

What size were the aluminum frames? Deep, medium, shallow?

How large were the individual cells?

Does anyone know how one might get the original molds? (I assume molds were used)

Brian Cady

 

[Scot Mc Pherson]

Just as an aside, there is some serious long term study being done on the deleterious health hazards of aluminum products used in food storage and preparation.

It doesn't seem to be a good material in conjunction with food, and that includes honey.

It is speculated as being one of the sources of althzeimer's syndrome, and it has its own disorder associated with it called aluminosis. I can say for sure that mysteriously the rate of dementia has increased this passed 2nd half of the past century and it "often thought" that aluminum in food preparation might have something to do with it.

Just some food for thought. pardon the pun!

 

[Daisy]

"Just as an aside, there is some serious long term study being done on the deleterious health hazards of aluminum products used in food storage and preparation.

It doesn't seem to be a good material in conjunction with food, and that includes honey."

This is true Scot, and not just speculation. It's the real deal... Makes one wonder why people drink so many cans of beer and soda??? I mean the soda in coke is known for corroding the enamel from our teeth, so surely the aluminum is leached into the contents of the cans....

Why do people buy canned drinks?

 

[sugar bandit #2]

I apologize for being a little off topic here but just thought I'd mention that aluminum honey comb has been manufactured and used in aircraft airframe "skins" for many years for its strength and vibration dampining properties.

 

[Ian]

>>It doesn't seem to be a good material in conjunction with food, and that includes honey.


You worry too much.

 

[mattoleriver]

I would encourage anybody who is considering throwing away their aluminum cookware, beer cans, and deodorant to visit an Alzheimer's information site first. Although there is an increased accumulation of aluminum in areas of the brain of Alzheimer's sufferers it has been shown to be an effect, not a cause. In other words, it's been debunked. The only ones still flogging the aluminum connection are the folks getting rich selling (unregulated) herbs, vitamins, and supplements. Somebody, please hand me a can of beer!

Aluminosis is a lung disease caused by breathing aluminum dust. Keep your aluminum frames, stockpots, and beer cans out of your nose and you should be okay.

If you must worry, worry about something real. DHMO is a killer that is found in honey everywhere. http://www.physics.uwo.ca/~harwood/dhmo.html
George

 

[dcross]

Thanks for the warning about DHMO, I was being exposed to the stuff daily, from now on it's strictly beer! Also, the inside of aluminum cans is lined with plastic, otherwise the contents would dissolve the can.

[This message has been edited by dcross (edited February 21, 2004).]

 

[Ian]

>>DHMO is a killer that is found in honey everywhere

How severely is DHMO found in honey everywhere? And the honey is contaminated by just being produced in the contaminated environment? Are you drawing conclusions, or do you have science to back your statement up?.
I need more evedence than the posted site gives. I know it is a problem, but your statement "DHMO is a killer that is found in honey everywhere" sounds like fear mongleing to me.
I'm no saint, but I hate when people make bold statements without any science behind it!!! I sell food to make a living,honey being one of my produce. Sutch idiotic statements as this one, only fuels the fire to consumer sceptisism of food saftey. Show me the science!!

Ian

[This message has been edited by Ian (edited February 21, 2004).]

 

[Michael Bush]

>Although there is an increased accumulation of aluminum in areas of the brain of Alzheimer's sufferers it has been shown to be an effect, not a cause. In other words, it's been debunked.

I'm not saying it is or isn't a cause or an effect but since they still have no idea why Alzheimer's sufferer's have more aluminum in their brains, I think the researchers are still speculating. Until they know for sure the mechanisms that cause it they can't really know for sure that it's not related to diet.

You can't get aluminum in your brain unless you get it in your system somehow.

One likely suspect is aluminum clorhydrate which is in all the antipersperants.



[This message has been edited by Michael Bush (edited February 21, 2004).]

 

[briancady413]

Matt, Maybe I'm confused, but I was under the impression that the aluminum industry funded all research away from aluminum as an Alzheimer's cause for a while, 'til the message was gotten. Little things get out:

"Harris quotes a number of studies which support the relationship between aluminum consumption and Alzheimers, and he recently sent me another published in a French medical journal in July 2000 showing that traces of aluminum in drinking water significantly increased the risks of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. [Am J Epidemiol 2000 Jul 1;152(1):59-66 Relation between aluminum concentrations in drinking water and Alzheimer's disease: an 8-year follow-up study. Rondeau V, Commenges D, Jacqmin-Gadda H, Dartigues JF]... http://www.vegsource.com/harris/brain_aging.htm
" From: http://www.alkalizeforhealth.net/Lsoy.htm

I guess one factor that might complexify this whole thing is the many oxidation states that aluminum ions can exist at.

I really haven't looked into this stuff much.

Brian Cady

 

[Daisy]

One likely suspect is aluminum clorhydrate which is in all the antipersperants.

Hi MB, I stopped wearing the commercially prepared antiperspirants several years ago.

Mainly due to chemicals being placed so close to the glands.

A newer report....
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994587

Herbs are un regulated because they can't get a patent on it. They grow upon the earth. The government can't control everything, as much as they would like to. The government only controls what is attached to hugh financial interests. (and which they can control).

Herbals are medicine. Conventional medicines are created from herbals, trees, etc. Pharmaceutical industries can't patent herbals so they discount the veracity in the use of herbals.

 

[Oxankle]

Daisy:

Herbals are not always medicines, but they do have properties of the natural chemicals found in them. Some good, some bad and some good or bad depending upon the amount used. The concentration of the active chemical in a given plant can vary with the climate, growing conditions, soil type, exposure to insect damage, etc. (Which is why pot smokers discriminate.)

To steal a phrase, therein lies the rub. A herbal preparation that might be helpful at one concentration can be disastrous at another, or mildly embarrassing. For example, one of the herbs touted as a cold preventive and cure will cause susceptible individuals to lose control of their bladder.

Since the government does not regulate the industry there is no standardization and no real way to know what a "patient" is taking. Not too important if the only effect is wetting your clothes, but disastrous if it blows your heart or pops a small pipe in the brain.
Ox

 

[Daisy]

Hi Oxankle

Makes me think about how conventional medicines are made with petrochemicals...

I'm not sure of what you are saying.

You make it sound bad. Could you reference what you've shared? What blows your brain and pops your heart? What causes people to wet their pants?

I'd like to opportunity to look into this a little further.

I have used herbs mineral and vitamins, tinctures, etc to treat an occasional problem for years. I can't say as I've ever had negative affects. Just positive outcomes.