Bought foundation is of uniform size, 'one size fits all', whereas natural comb has a range of cell sizes distributed around the comb, usually the smallest in the middle. Bought foundation also is contaminated with chemicals.
I have a stock of foundation that is years old. When I provide new frames I put in a starter strip of foundation about an inch deep to get them started on the right lines. They then build comb with cell sizes of their choice, not the standard issue. In honeycombs in the supers there are no wires so it's easy to harvest 'cut comb' which sells for twice the price of honey in the jar.
When brood comb darkens and is due for renewal I cut out all the darkened comb that has been bred in and leave a 'footprint' of comb around the perimeter of the frame to guide the bees in building new comb in direction convenient to me.
Chris
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