frame 'dis-assembly'

[binglis]

Hello everyone,
I have purchased four more hive bodies, and will be setting three of them up this spring. They came with older frames, that have foundation that cannot be used (torn, holes, etc...).
What is the easiest way to 'dis-assemble' the frame, so I can install new foundation....
Thanking you in Advance,
Binglis

[pdmattox]

Is the foundation wax or something else, and what kind of foundation do you want to put back in?
I have been replacing my old wax foundation with plastic, So I just scrape the wax out of the grooves and pop in my plastic. 

[tillie]

If the old frames are filled with plastic, as Michael Bush told me, push hard and you can pop it out.  I actually found that difficult and used a tool to help me, as he also suggested, by pushing in the center of the foundation with a putty knife until I could pop it out.

If it is wax foundation, you can cut it out.  You don't need to take apart the frames.  Then you can put it in the hives and let them use the remnants as starter strips or you can wax in new wax foundation.

FWIW,

Linda T in Atlanta

[Michael Bush]

If it's wax and it's solid, I just give it to the bees.  If it's wax and eaten up by moths, I cut out the comb and try to leave a little at the top for them to follow and don't use foundation. If you really want foundation, just use a small screwdriver (or buy a hive cleaning tool) and scrape out the grooves and bend the foundation and pop it in.  Do not disassemble the frames.