Dr. Roger Morse of Cornell University showed me a nifty little
trick some 20 years ago for nailing the wedge into wedge top frames
when installing foundation.  Rather than using a hammer and missing
the nail and marring the foundation use a pair of standard pliers
slipped open to the widest jaw opening.  Set wide, the pliers can
be easily held in one hand and will quickly and efficiently squeeze
nails into the wedge and secure the foundation snugly in the frame.
At the wide setting the pliers are wide enough to encompass the
whole width of the top bar, so the heavy part of the top bar is
used to pull against.  Try this method, it is quick and simple.
 
I too have used wedge top bars as well as grooved top bars and
grooved bottom bars with Duragilt (plastic based foundation).  The
grooved bars and Duragilt are a good combination in that the
Duragilt snaps in the frames quickly and makes a good strong unit.
I've never blown one out extracting deeps, even when freshly drawn
out.  However, I don't like the mess left behind when friend wax
moth gets to them, and on certain rare occasions the bees don't
seem to want to draw them out.  There is also something to be said
for having more cross bar to nail in a groove top frame, you can
shoot a T staple into a groove top bar side where you cannot in a
wedge top bar.  I guess in the final analysis, I would take the
grooved top bar for strength.
 --
William G Lord
E-Mail  : wglord@franklin
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