Flat Foundation?

[eejit]

Has anyone seen or used perfectly flat sheets of beeswax for foundation?

I just wondered how the bees would take to it as it would save having to choose regular or small cell embossed stuff. I guess the only problem would be getting it as ive never seen it sold.

Perhaps for good reason  

[Michael Bush]

>Has anyone seen or used perfectly flat sheets of beeswax for foundation?

I have made blank sheets of beeswax and cut them for starter strips:

http://www.bushfarms.com/images/PrimaryCombOnBlankStarterStrip.JPG

>I just wondered how the bees would take to it as it would save having to choose regular or small cell embossed stuff.

The research I've heard of says the bees will build their own comb more quickly than the blank sheets.  Probably because you dip boards to make the blank shees and it is harder and more brittle, so I'm guessing it's hard for the bees to work it.

> I guess the only problem would be getting it as ive never seen it sold.

Take a pine board and soak it in brine (salt + water) and then dip it in melted beeswax.  Dip multiple times for thicker wax.  Cut the edges loose and take off the sheet on the front and back.  I use the edges for starter strips too.

http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/part14.htm

[Brian D. Bray]

I'll have to give Michael Bush's suggestion a try when again got enough wat to do it with.  In the mean time I'll contine to use starter strips.  Just an inch or two of foundation held in place by the wedge.  Two sheets of wax is sufficient for ten frames.  Bees like to work and the more of their own comb they build they happier they seem to be.  
Bees often eat the bottom portion (corners at least) of the foundation to start drawing comb anyway and tehn stop building when they hit the spot they ate instead of filling it all the way out.  With starter strips they will draw the frame full and it also seems to hold to the frame as good or better than wired foundation.   It does, however require a little more care during extracting.