I'm a hobby beekeeper with two to four colonies which I have maintained for about 10 years here in Georgia USA at Canton, about 80 km north of Atlanta. We're having difficult times in Georgia with the problems of mites...the old "disappearing phenonenon". I've been reading the messages on BEE-L related to mites and medication with much interest. Many thanks to all who contribute. Some years ago I visited a wonderful apiary in South Moulton, England where the heather honey had to be extracted by pressing it out. They had their own foundation "mill" and seemed to be quite self-sufficient. This gave me inspiration for the following. I am in the process of "reinventing the wheel" as I tinker around trying to make my own foundation. I have decided to go to "destructive extraction" by pressing or rolling the honey out of the combs then using the wax to make my foundation. I can sell the excess wax, use it to make candles, etc. I realize that I am sacrificing honey production for the wax, but I really prefer to wax in a small strip of foundation each year than deal with the extractor and sticky combs. Besides, I like beeswax! My brother has a business of making rubber stamps. Actually the stamps are now made of a polymer that hardens under UV light. He has made me a set of "stamps" for foundation, and I'm trying to mold the beeswax into foundation by pressing thin, warm sheets. I have already tried pouring melted wax on one of the "stamps" which gave a good impression of the comb pattern on one side only. I folded the sheet to get impressions on both sides. A preliminary test late in the summer showed that the bees would indeed draw out this foundation. I have a problem in getting thin sheets of beeswax. I've tried pouring melted wax out on the top of hot water and letting it cool. I can get sheets of wax, but they're about 3x too thick. I've tried warming the wax and using a rolling pin to roll it out between sheets of clingwrap. That offers some promise. Are any of you "hobby beekeepers" making your own foundation?? If you are and if you have any suggestions or techniques you would share, I'd like to hear from you. If you are doing "destructive extraction", I would enjoy hearing of your method. I don't have a press of any sort, but this last year I used a mesh bag to hold the combs then a squeeze/wring action to get the honey out. I think some type of rollers to feed the bag through might work well in forcing the honey out. I'd like to learn of your experiences. It may be desirable to reply to me privately if questions such as these generate much response; ie, is this a "beeswax uses" type of solicitation??? (I did enjoy reading the beeswax-use responses!) Why try to make foundation when I could undoubtedly buy it much cheaper, especially if time is considered??? It's the challenge...will the bees use it well?? Many thanks to all. ----------------------------------------------------- | James D. Satterfield | [log in to unmask] | | P.O. Box 2243 | [log in to unmask] | | Decatur, GA 30031 USA | Telephone 404 378-8917 | -----------------------------------------------------