# Wax foundations = wax coated paint stirrer?



## Bee-wildered (Oct 18, 2004)

I didn't even wax coat my paint stirrer. I just split them into fourths length wise and glued them into the top groove. The girls built beautiful straight comb.

Vickie


----------



## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

Paint stirrers, popcicle sticks, tongue depressors. All make suitable comb guides. Don't bother coating them in wax.


----------



## TheGeneralsBees (Feb 17, 2013)

I agree with jwcarlson, all the wooden guides work. WAM's method does work exceptionally well, especially in a hive that is new and doesn't have any/much established comb to help guide new ones. But paint sticks, tongue depressors, milled edges, etc. all work well with no need for a wax coating.


----------



## mhorowit (Sep 25, 2011)

Thanks for the replies; I have been using 1/4 round (set in a groove) pointy edge up so that it forms a 1/2" pyramid, but that doesn't always work. I'm having to work very hard to keep them making straight comb, so I'll try paint stirrers (If I can remove what's already nailed in place.)


----------



## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

Is you hive level? We have four full size TBHs and at one point has four TBH nucs. With minor edge straitening, all but one has built great comb. The other just hates straight comb I guess.


----------



## fruitveggirl (Mar 8, 2013)

I've heard that wax coating can actually fail, causing the comb to break off. Personally, I used wedge-shaped bars to give the comb a greater attachment area. My first year, I rubbed a bit of beeswax over the bars, and that worked out fine. However, this year, I didn't, and all the comb still turned out just fine.

It is very important, though, to keep the hive level lengthwise. Also, add empty bars between nice straight combs. Periodically, I'll also flip combs if they're getting wavy. It creates a less than optimal bee space, which the girls feel compelled to fix.


----------



## Santa Caras (Aug 14, 2013)

This time of the year not sure just how much they build comb. Mine started out like gang-busters back in spring early summer but now?? Havent seen much in the way of building going on. I'm sure theres a trick to it but one of those things I still need to learn I guess. I used extra wide popsicle sticks with no wax on them. I like the extra wide ones (almost a 1/2" hanging from the top bar. I think it gives the comb more space for a good grip. I have some that are barely 1/4" and a little concerned about those until they're attached to sides and bottom.


----------



## mhorowit (Sep 25, 2011)

fruitveggirl said:


> I've heard that wax coating can actually fail, causing the comb to break off. Personally, I used wedge-shaped bars to give the comb a greater attachment area. My first year, I rubbed a bit of beeswax over the bars, and that worked out fine. However, this year, I didn't, and all the comb still turned out just fine.
> 
> It is very important, though, to keep the hive level lengthwise. Also, add empty bars between nice straight combs. Periodically, I'll also flip combs if they're getting wavy. It creates a less than optimal bee space, which the girls feel compelled to fix.


I like the flipping part.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I've done it all... I would just use a wood strip glued in with no wax or a chamfer molding with no wax. The problem with a wax starter is it's too fragile for me... not only getting bent easily but falling out on a hot day...

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfoundationless.htm#combguide
http://bushfarms.com/beesfoundationless.htm#whichguide
http://bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm#guide


----------



## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

+1 on what Michael said. I'm a klutz, been known to but the wax out of a lang frame, so the simplicity of the a solid wooden guide is the way to go for me.


----------



## JDMoodie (Aug 30, 2014)

They'll draw comb on any surface, I used a few Langstroth with no guide or foundation and even that worked fine... setting up new hives and in a hurry/lazy. I actually tried four different designs of bars this season as I was curious what might work best.

Anyway, any guide will work, might as well save the hassle of waxing and just use the bare wood.

Jeff.


----------



## mhorowit (Sep 25, 2011)

Santa Caras said:


> This time of the year not sure just how much they build comb. Mine started out like gang-busters back in spring early summer but now?? Havent seen much in the way of building going on. I'm sure theres a trick to it but one of those things I still need to learn I guess. I used extra wide popsicle sticks with no wax on them. I like the extra wide ones (almost a 1/2" hanging from the top bar. I think it gives the comb more space for a good grip. I have some that are barely 1/4" and a little concerned about those until they're attached to sides and bottom.


Tongue depressors from the craft store - Mike


----------



## Delta Bay (Dec 4, 2009)

mhorowit said:


> WAM advocates using an inch wide strip of 1/8" wax foundation set in a groove as a guide for the girls to build straight comb.
> Does anyone know if one could get the same results using a wax coated paint stirrer? - Mike


There is a very good reason Wyatt uses the foundation starter and that is due to the consistency of straight combs with the mid rib being centered along the bar. Interchangeability between hives is important to him. Running many hives he uses what gives him the best result. If he got the same result with anything else I'm sure he would be using it. I don't think waxing stir sticks makes much of a difference over not waxing them to encourage the bees to stay on track.


----------



## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

This isn't a knock on WAm, but he seems to have found what has worked for him and doesn't veer from it too much. If he does he doesn't talk much about it in his book. If you use a wax starter strip between two crooked combs you will end up with a crooked comb.


----------



## Delta Bay (Dec 4, 2009)

>If you use a wax starter strip between two crooked combs you will end up with a crooked comb.<

It is unlikely that you will get two crooked combs to put a foundation starter between when using foundation starters. I don't use the blank bar between brood combs. I add bars to the front and allow the bees to build in both directions. I just don't find the need to break the brood nest apart to have centered and straight combs when using the foundation starters.


----------



## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

I use the prebuilt bars from Beeline woodenware. Their piece is a bit thicker than a paint stick, but the same idea. It is nailed at intervals along the bar. Has worked extremely well for me. Have about 50 bars of drawn comb on these bars and not a crooked one yet. I only dribbled melted beeswax on the first 10 bars. After that, I just kept inserting empty bars between drawn bars to get straight comb. The comb attachment has been very good! Usually the bees will completely cover the comb guide and attach the wax all the way to the main top bar. These bars can be purchased from Beeline for around $0.90 each, and they are the same length as a Lang. I couldn't make them for that amount of money.


----------



## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

I got some bars from Beeline to check them out. They were just a little too wide for my original hives so i'm using them in Lang swarm traps. They are probably the best value of any bars for sale out there and recommend them to anyone that doesn't want to make their own bars.


----------



## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

shannonswyatt said:


> I got some bars from Beeline to check them out. They were just a little too wide for my original hives so i'm using them in Lang swarm traps. They are probably the best value of any bars for sale out there and recommend them to anyone that doesn't want to make their own bars.


did you get the 1-3/8 inch or 1-5/8 inch size? I had to make a couple different sized spacers, anywhere from a quarter of an inch to half inch. Depending on the humidity and propalis build up, I always need something of a slightly different size to close up the final gap.


----------



## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

I should have said too long. I fixed a couple of them to use them, wasn't too hard. I really just want to see them to check them out. I needed over 150 bars, and I'm cheap, so I made them myself. Cost me less than 50 cents to make a bar, sometimes zero when I get scraps from the local construction sites.


----------

