# Duragilt Foundation being discontinued?



## Clayton Huestis (Jan 6, 2013)

Dadant always made it. Personally never liked it. So I would start there.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

When I was a young beekeeper that stuff was the stuff to use. (duragilt) Now that we got rite-cell and other plastic foundations why not just take the plunge.
Was hesitant and scoffed at plastic foundations. Someone gave me a whole bunch of deeps with rite-cell in them and once I saw how good it works I am hooked.
Take the plunge. :applause:

If you absolutely have to have duragilt this company has a limited supply left.
https://glorybee.com/duragilt-found...as5rW_6_DVgB76IaWe_Iht_Ms6ISzyQBoClzUQAvD_BwE


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

I drew tens of thousands of frames of it and it was state of the art then until pierco started making plastic frames. The plastic foundation now the standard has probably replaced it about totally in the market. Go with it brother! They are just plain a lot better. My extractor ramps up to 320rpm and old duragilt occasionally blows, the plastic never does or the plastic frames which will inevitably make wooden frames difficult to find at some point.


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## Hoot Owl Lane Bees (Feb 24, 2012)

Thanks for the reply's.
If I place Duragilt and plastic in the same hive they draw the Duragilt out first even after brushing more wax on the plastic.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

First is the plastic foundation then the duragilt follow by wax foundation. The bees prefer to draw out wax foundation follow by
the duragilt and then plastic foundation. I use them all and the duragilt has a place because their cells are a bit smaller for the small bees. The plastic foundation is good for honey extraction.


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

Hoot Owl Lane Bees said:


> ...Duragilt Foundation is not available...


...There IS a God... I hate duragilt.


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## GoodyFarms (Jul 10, 2016)

It's interesting to hear the stark differences with duragilt. I have also tried it with little success. The bees wouldn't draw it out worth a darn (compared to plastic foundation) and when they did build it was usually burr comb. Double waxed Acorn is best for me (since I don't want the trouble of wax foundation).


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

Bees draw duragilt beautifully when they are rapidly expanding. If the flow stops or slackens, not so much. Then they recycle all the wax and leave you with junk. Once upon a time when unicorns still roamed the prairie and most folks used wax, when the flow slackened or stopped, the bees chewed big holes in your wax foundation to complete that bridge comb project in the lower broodbox. Plastic frames and foundations are just far superior. I am the archetypal dinosaur and I can see that.


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

I may have some kicking around in my garage. Maybe it's time to post it in the For Sale section  Gotta say, never really a fan of the stuff - way better options out there.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

To get the perfect foundation drawn there must be a flow on. The bee
environment must be near perfect with plenty of bees. If the condition is not
right they will only draw the burr comb. This is typical of any foundation put in. If it doesn't work then
I will not buy them anymore. It is all about the right timing!


Almost perfect d-foundation:


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## Fusion_power (Jan 14, 2005)

When I spoke to Dadant about a year ago, they had 19 cases of Duragilt 10 5/8 for Dadant frames. I'm pretty sure it has not been sold yet.

I'm with others having used Duragilt a few times over the years and finding it problematic. Duragilt tends to slump just enough to cause problems with 1.25 inch frame spacing. I worked out ways to attach it to the top bar that help, but could not get it to stay straight more than a few years. Wax can separate from the plastic layer causing tons of problems. If given during a dearth, it will be chewed down to plastic and left unusable. Let it get cold and the wax will crack loose from the plastic at the slightest movement.


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## DanielD (Jul 21, 2012)

I got heavy waxed acorn shipped cheaper than what duraguilt I see out there. The only advantage I could see is it would be lighter weight and thinner, which could equal a small amount more honey in a super. I have seen them stripped of wax and useless, though I haven't used them on my own hives.


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## SS Auck (May 8, 2015)

acorn here too, I buy by the case and have it shipped to my work, Nick says it is cheaper.


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## SWM (Nov 17, 2009)

Plastic frames will eventually make wooden frames hard to find? I respectfully disagree. The advantages of wooden frames are much too long to list here. I don't think they will be going away anytime soon.
T
Duragilt is a Dadant product and, according to their website, is no longer available. Their Plasticell is such an improvement that Duragilt has become obsolete. Plasticell works great with grooved top and bottom bar wooden frames. Just snap it in place!


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