At 05:03 PM 1/27/2003 -0600, you wrote:
>  Will the bees draw out suitable comb if the cell
>imprint is missing?

I've never found the bees are willing to do this.  Hence the problem
duragilt foundation.  Just wax coating a stripped area of the plastic isn't
enough for the bees to want to build it out.

>I can put the imprint on with a piece of plastic
>foundation while it's warm of need be.

It's easy enough to test a ring to see if it will hold up to the heat. Even
if it does, how thin can you produce a sheet of wax.  For comb honey you
want it to be very, very thin.  And pressing a pattern into this thin
foundation can be very problematic.

If you are looking at saving money on foundation why not try using just a
strip of foundation (about an inch) and let the bees build it out.  I
haven't tried this myself, but have been told by others that it works.

-Tim