Which way up should the foundation go?

[Angularity]

This is really basic, I know. It's just that I was taught to put it in the frame with the three large lops at the top. I have to bend them over so the foundation fits, but at least I have three loops to put nails through, which presumably makes it better able to carry weight.

However, this just looks bizarre, when there are two perfectly-sized loops on the other side of the foundation.

Is there a 'right' way?

 

[Brigsy]

Why would you want to secure your precious brood or stores with fewer anchor points for the sake of looks?

 

[Poly Hive]

Three loops are the top. They are there to add strength to the security of the comb.

PH

 

[For want of a better word]

That's odd... our wired frames go from side to side?

Nos da

 

[Poly Hive]

Not too sure if that is meant to be funny or just confusing but to a newbie it might well be misleading.

I work National foundation in two ways. If I am in a fussy mood and using brand new frames I go that extra length and get the edge of the foundation into the groove in the side bars. I do this with the top bar attached to the side bars and one bottom bar in place the one closer to the top bar. After fixing the wax in with the wedge bar pinning it with the nails going through the three loops I lastly insert and nail the last bottom bar.

When I am waxing up used frames I trim a strip off one short side and don't bother with fiddling with the grooves. The bees don't seem to mind.

I hope this is clearer than mud.

PH

 

[Beefriendly]

That's odd... our wired frames go from side to side?

Probably the difference between using self wired frames with non wired foundation vs the ready wired foundation from Thrones etc which has the three loops at the top.

 

[B+.]

That's odd... our wired frames go from side to side?

I'm with you on this one Icanhopit. I just wired 10 boxes of frames for mini-plus nucs in the horizontal format.
I think I'll be doing all my new full size Langstroth frames that way from now on too. It would certainly make it easier to take samples of sealed brood out for VSH testing.

 

[enrico]

Bend the loops at right angles and fit the wax in the frame. Put the flappy bit of the top bar which you have now taken off the top bar and put it over the loops and pin in place. Don't worry about the nails going through the loops, it won't shift. The other loops stay in line with the wax and go between the two bottom bars. Always pin the bottom. Bars from the bottom up as they can easily be removed for new wax, if you pin them from the side they are a nightmare to get out. Hope this helps
Three loops under flappy bit and two between bottom rails
E

 

[ugcheleuce]

However, this just looks bizarre, when there are two perfectly-sized loops on the other side of the foundation.

Is this helpful?
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/frameassy.html

 

[Angularity]

Thanks everyone, that's pretty clear.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Thanks everyone, that's pretty clear.

So in essence you had been taught correctly

 

[Angularity]

So in essence you had been taught correctly

Not quite, my instructor had me trying to jam in the three long loops into the slot in the top bar, without taking off the length that splits off (AKA the flappy bit). If you take it off as advised above it's really easy, if you don't it's a bit of a beggar, hence my question.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Not quite, my instructor had me trying to jam in the three long loops into the slot in the top bar, without taking off the length that splits off (AKA the flappy bit). If you take it off as advised above it's really easy, if you don't it's a bit of a beggar, hence my question.

Thanks for clarification. Now the question is what else have you been misinformed about

 

[Poly Hive]

Dear me.

And yes indeed what else has this "destructor" misinformed you about?

I hope no money changed hands??

PH

 

[enrico]

just for the record, angularity, look at a sheet of foundation. Hold it one way and the points of each cell are at the top and bottom of the cell, turn it through ninety degrees and now you can see the top and bottom of the cell has flat sides. We have discussed this many times on the forum and the bees will use cells placed either way but if allowed to build comb in the wild they will always have points at top and bottom of cell, probably for strength reasons, this rarely becomes a problem unless you are using square sections for comb honey in which case you may need to consider which way you want the points of the cell to lie, I only mention this because there is, in my humble opinion, a right and wrong way to use foundation, it is also quite interesting to see how the cells are formed. The joining point of the six cells become the centre of the cell on the other face, you can see this if you hold a sheet of foundation up to the light. They never fail to fasicnate me!!!
By the way, ' the flappy bit' is the only way I knew how to describe it.....he he
E

 

[Swarm]

Isn't that bit the top bar wedge?

 

[Brigsy]

Not quite, my instructor had me trying to jam in the three long loops into the slot in the top bar, without taking off the length that splits off (AKA the flappy bit). If you take it off as advised above it's really easy, if you don't it's a bit of a beggar, hence my question.

Wow!

 

[Tom Bick]

if allowed to build comb in the wild they will always have points at top and bottom of cell,

Sorry enrico that's not the case.

They may favour points top and bottom but are equally happy to have the points horizontal or even at 45* if the mood takes them.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Dear me.

And yes indeed what else has this "destructor" misinformed you about?

I hope no money changed hands??

PH

It concerns me that someone so lacking in expertise would attempt to instruct others. Hopefully others with better knowledge are available to instruct beginners in the skills required to keep bees in the OP's locality.

 

[REDWOOD]

Dear me.



And yes indeed what else has this "destructor" misinformed you about?



I hope no money changed hands??



PH

[emoji722]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro