[Hobie]

This spring I was hoping to have a few frames of comb honey. The rest of the frames I was planning to use wired wax foundation, for structure. These are all in shallows.

Right now I have 10 frames of drawn comb (on foundation), and a pile of new frames in which I will either install foundation or mount a triangular wood starter. The question is, how do I distribute the 2 or 3 foundationless frames among the others so they will get drawn properly?

[ January 17, 2007, 07:11 AM: Message edited by: Hobie ]

 

[Sundance]

For the best results I have them between
2 fully drawn frames. With 10 frames you
can easily accomplish this.

 

[wayacoyote]

Hobie,
And it is often prescribed to put them between capped brood who'll then emerge and draw it. Worker brood cappings also tend to be more uniform than stores or drone, making your new comb more uniform. You should make sure that your hive is level from side-to-side since the bees draw it down in line with gravity, not in line with the end bars. I Do keep the hives tilted forward, however.

Waya

 

[Ben Brewcat]

I've had great luck just inserting between well-drawn adjacent frames. My hives are leveled FWIW.

 

[Jeffrey Todd]

If it is comb honey you are wanting, then you probably do not want it in between frames of brood but instead in between fully-drawn frames in the honey supers. Of course, you will want there to be a good, strong flow going to get the best comb honey.
If you just want the frames drawn, then by all means put them in between fully-drawn and brooded frames of the broodnest.

 

[Ravenseye]

Watch cluster size and don't bust up the broodnest with too much between brood frames.

 

[Michael Bush]

If you want pretty combs, put the empty frames between flat, nicely drawn, capped combs.

 

[BjornBee]

Some of the best drawn comb I have ever seen was from using a second nuc box on top of a strong nuc. (5 over 5)

Maybe its due to being in the nucs more often and seeing the comb just as its finished. (white capped and all)

 

[BjornBee]

As a side note...I would not go as far as to state my comb is "pretty". MB, smack yourself for me, and get a hold of yourself man!

 

[Michael Bush]

>I would not go as far as to state my comb is "pretty".

For cut comb I like it to be "pretty". For other uses I don't care.