On Sun, 17 Feb 2002 20:26:37 -0600, Bob & Liz
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>If 5.3mm  is the natural average then A.I.Root and others sold foundation
which was a smaller unnatural size.  The term "Five cells to the inch" (
used in all old bee books) could never be interpreted as 5.3mm.   When I
talked to Dadant in 1985 about cell size  . They still had the molds for
the old *900* foundation. They figured the cell size at around 5.0mm to
possibly 5.1mm.

We are cutting out the old frames that have accumulated over the last few
years and hope to have that done within a week or so.

Of interest to all, possibly is this: I came across one with aluminum
foundation and measured it out of curiosity.  The distance across 20 cells
was 10mm exactly.  That gives 5.0mm cells.

I don't know the history of that comb.

allen
http://www.internode.net/honeybee/diary/