>I appreciate the input of the question of beeswax solvent and will put that
>information to use next season, as in the meantime I broke down and bought
>new plastic.  The perfect solution, except for cost!  I'm particularly
>intrigued about the 409 and the tri-sodium phosphate, both of which I have on
>hand.
>
>My problems with glass have mostly revolved around breakage while attempting
>to remove panels that have been propolized in the cabinet slots.  The plastic
>has been far-less vulnerable, but the eventual visibility problem is of
>concern.
 
Kate,
 
   I my work with observation hives, I used glass but did not slip the
panes into slots -- as the common design goes.
 
   Instead, I moved the glass into place from the side and locked it into
place by twisting simple turn screws mounted in the wood at each end of the
observation hive.  To remove the glass, I just need twist the turn screws
90 degrees, inserting the straight end of a hive tool into the small crack
at the top of the glass, and GENTLY pry the top edge of the glass outward.
The propolis, being somewhat soft, gradually released its hold -- I never
broke a pane that way.
 
   A diagram of the setup is shown in Fig. 1 of the following paper:
 
Wenner, A.M. and D.L. Johnson.  1966.  Simple conditioning in honey bees.
Animal Behavior.  14:149-155.
 
   The turn screws are not shown in that figure, but they were positioned
half way up the vertical wood frame on the hive.
 
                                                Adrian
 
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