Monday, February 11, 2013

Wax Comb Guides for a Top Bar

Im making top bar comb guides by melting wax over a food grade cotton thread. I already used this method last year and the bees have built very streight comb on it.

7 comments:

  1. Try another method there you put the cut cotton string in a can with melted wax placed in a pot with hot water. You just take upp the string and put it on the list. Hold it for a while and then its ready.

    But my experience is that a triangle list on the toplist with some painted wax is the best solution. Less work and best result.

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  2. I like that dipping method. Now that I've already bought the soldering iron i think I will stick with it. This method worked very good for me last year. The swarm I placed into the TBH with these comb guides created very streight comb :) They had no old comb in the hive just the cotton comb guides covered in wax :)
    Many beekeepers use triangle comb guides as you with great results.

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    Replies
    1. Patrick,
      I tried you method of dipping the string into a hot melted wax and it does not work :) The wax cools down very fast and it simply doesnt want to stick to the top bar.

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    2. Maybe it depends on the material in the string? Do you use natural hampa?

      I put all the strings in the melted wax and then I take them up one by one and the good thing it will cool down so it stick to the bar.

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    3. I used natural organic cotton thread used for coocking meat in the oven.

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  3. If I'm seeing this right, your not cutting a groove in the top bar, your just laying the string in a straight line on the bar, and covering it with wax?

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    Replies
    1. Hi David,
      That is correct. No groove cutting no fuss :) works great for me.

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