Hi all
I have now had many requests for information on the two types of foundation
press mentioned and I have knowledge of others.

I used to be the proprietor of the UK Beekeeping supplies company APEX
ENTERPRISES, that company went bankrupt in 1995.

I will deal first with the roller mills that have been common for 120yrs,
they are available from companies like A.I.Root, in USA, E.H.Thorne in UK,
Thomas in France etc. any large dealer should be able to source one, either
hand cranked or motorised but expect to pay up to 5000 Dollers US!

The press type items fall into two groups...the first of these is known as
"the Herring method" after its inventor, alas he is deceased and his product
stopped manufacture many years ago.
Panels of plywood that had been soaked in water were dipped into just molten
wax...the resulting films of warm wax were then peeled off and placed
between nylon plates that were embossed with the matrix impression of
foundation. The resulting sandwich was put through an old fashioned washing
mangle thus forcing the wax into the mould impressions. Foundation of
various thicknesses could be made by dipping the boards several times to
build up the film thickness. The resulting sheets of foundation were pliable
and not brittle. I use this method personally to make thin section squares
and sheets for Ross round sections.

The second type of press consists of two robust plates hinged together so
that they open like a book...the inner surfaces are equipped with metal or
plastic dies that are the inverse of the foundation surface. In use the dies
are brushed with a mould release agent (washing up liquid in water) molten
wax is poured generously over the bottom die and the "book" is closed whilst
the wax is still liquid...after a pause for the wax to solidify the press is
opened and the sheet of foundation peeled off. repeat ad infinitum. I
personally use this method for all normal thickness foundation.
This type of press has two subgroups...Factory made & Home made.

The Factory made ones I know about are:- "Leaf Products" (this is the type I
use). This company went out of business during the 1980's...and Herzog who
are a German company but I suspect they would have agents or agencies in
other countries. They used to be available from E.H. Thorne in the UK. but I
think they have dropped them in favour of roller mills. Expect to pay about
400 dollers US for one.

The DIY version is made from two sheets of thick, heavy, waterproof plywood
hinged with several stout hinges. The die plates are formed from epoxy resin
which is coated on both sides of a piece of foundation whilst this is wet it
is placed in a polythene bag, sandwiched between the hinged panels and
allowed to cure. When cured the polythene is peeled off... this leaves a
rigid epoxy plate which contains inside it a sheet of foundation...this must
be trimmed on its edges so that the wax is just visible round all four
edges. The trimmed epoxy/wax/epoxy plate is then glued in position between
the hinged plywood sheets. After the glue has set the whole assembly is put
in a warming cabinet or oven and the temperature raised until the foundation
that is in the sandwich is melted. clean up with turpintine and you have a
plastic version that I am told works just as well as the factory produced
item. I have no personal experiance of this method but I intend to make two
such presses...one for drone foundation and the other for a version of
foundation that has worker cells on one side and drone size cells on the
other. This special type is for a project that I have on hand to transplant
drone eggs from one colony to another... but more of that later.
Home made costs will vary depending on what you have on hand that can be
utilised, but 30 dollars US should cover it, even if you have to purchase
all required materials.

I hope the information I have provided will allow you to trawl the net, or
your mail order dealerships, for the items mentioned.
Regards to all, Dave Cushman G8MZY