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Offline JanO

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Plastic frames
« on: January 06, 2014, 12:01:34 pm »
The boxes that I picked up yesterday came filled with plastic frames.  They look like they've been around  a while,  but don't appear to have very much comb on them.  I'm trying to decide if I want to take the time to clean them up and possibly use them, or trash them.  What is the best way to clean them up, or should I just forget about them? 
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Offline iddee

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2014, 12:12:19 pm »
I hate plastic frames.......

Now, clean them up, melt some wax and use a paint brush to brush a thin coat of wax on the foundation, then use them.
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Offline Jacobs

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2014, 12:23:56 pm »
I like the wooden frames with plastic foundation and regularly use my own collected bees wax to coat the foundation.  I don't have any experience with totally plastic frames.
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Offline Zookeep

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2014, 12:27:45 pm »
do you have SHBs in your area? if you do plastic frames are near a death sentence for your hive, there is way too many nooks in the plastic frames where the bees cant get at the SHBs.
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Offline BoilerJim

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2014, 12:34:06 pm »
Like Iddee said.  I also don't like them BUT as long as they work I use them. I tend to stick them in my swarm catchers I set out.
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Offline Finally Home

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2014, 12:41:00 pm »
Quote from: BoilerJim on January 06, 2014, 12:34:06 pm
Like Iddee said.  I also don't like them BUT as long as they work I use them. I tend to stick them in my swarm catchers I set out.

That's where all of mine are.
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2014, 02:30:37 pm »
attention jack  DO NOT READ THIS THREAD.......... :D :D :D

"The boxes that I picked up yesterday came filled with plastic frames.  They look like they've been around  a while,  but don't appear to have very much comb on them. "

i don't like or use plastic frames, but i switched to and do use wood frames with coated pierco foundation.  :)
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Offline minz

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2014, 04:49:21 pm »
I have not had good luck with the plastic frames in the deeps. When I did have luck it was because I rolled some wax on the front face.  Sometimes they just took the wax to build on the top of the frame and left the bottom open. 
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Offline Jen

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2014, 06:43:59 pm »
I second third and forth that on 'I don't like plastic frames. JanO- last spring, my one and only hive swarmed three times, I was in a hurry to get my bees from a very small patio hive into a standard langstroth hive. I bought a kit and it came with plastic hives. I didn't have time to wait for shopping and shipping wooden frames with wax inserts.

Long story short, I am slowly but surely replacing the plastic with wooden. My personal preference cause I just like to keep things as natural as possible. If you would prefer the naturalness of wooden frames and you have time to get them and install before too long. I don't think you will be disappointed  8)
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Offline Slowmodem

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2014, 06:59:53 pm »
After watching a demonstration on putting together wooden frames and foundation, I hope I never see a wooden frame.  Plastic frames are just easy peasy.   ;D

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Offline JanO

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2014, 07:06:49 pm »
Well, the more I read, the more tempted I am to just toss them.  However my husband is determined to try to use them since we have them.  I'll try to clean them up with the pressure washer and see how well they come out.  In the meantime I have wood frames already built so it's not like I need them immediately. 
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2014, 08:08:39 pm »
I don't like to see anything go to waste, send them to my buddy Perry, they would work great as runners on his snow blower. :laugh: Jack
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Offline Jen

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #12 on: January 06, 2014, 08:34:08 pm »
Brook- That's a good idea, give them to someone who will use them. I don't like the idea of them going into a land fill eventually.

JanO- I am a serious projecter. So to me, having my hands involved in the entire hive makes me feel like 'I'm involved with the total hive'. Wooden frames feel natural, and when inserting the wax foundations you get that wonderful scent of beeswax.
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Offline Perry

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2014, 08:35:57 pm »
Quote from: brooksbeefarm on January 06, 2014, 08:08:39 pm
I don't like to see anything go to waste, send them to my buddy Perry, they would work great as runners on his snow blower. :laugh: Jack
Always thinkin of me Jack, Thanks!  ;D
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Offline JanO

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #14 on: January 06, 2014, 09:29:55 pm »
 Well, I'm not real keen on letting anything go to waste either, so we'll see how it goes.  :-X
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Offline Jen

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #15 on: January 06, 2014, 11:51:14 pm »
I should add... that yesterday hubby and I did an oxalic treatment on my hive, evidently it can damage the bottom of plastic frames. Just an fyi  :) :)
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Offline pistolpete

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #16 on: January 07, 2014, 01:35:41 am »
I use plastic frames, and my bees like drawing them out just fine.   I am always short on time, so getting a box of frames ready to plug into the hive is a big bonus.   I also like the fact that there are never any warped frames. Maybe try a box of them for a year and make up your own mind.      I'd say melt the old wax off of them with a hair dryer, or heat gun, clean them up and re coat with wax. 
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Offline tecumseh

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #17 on: January 07, 2014, 09:52:52 pm »
I am with my buddy Iddee here 100%.  I don't like them and would never buy any but the one I have acquired from other folks that have left them here still get used.  At some point you always need extra boxes and extra frames and extra tops and bottoms.
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Offline rcannon

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #18 on: January 08, 2014, 08:50:40 pm »
I bought 100 of them last year and about half of them are still in the box. I don't like them at all. The top bars are thinner than the wood ones and the bees make up the difference with burr comb.
The worst part of them, which may not be a problem in your area, is that the bars are not solid and make great hiding places for hive beetles.
I'm going to fill the ones I have with silicon caulk or epoxy and use them, but I won't buy any more of them.
I wish that someone would make small cell plastic foundation for wood frames. I would be interested in that.
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Offline Perry

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Re: Plastic frames
« Reply #19 on: January 09, 2014, 08:16:09 am »
Quote from: rcannon on January 08, 2014, 08:50:40 pm
I bought 100 of them last year and about half of them are still in the box. I don't like them at all. The top bars are thinner than the wood ones and the bees make up the difference with burr comb.
The worst part of them, which may not be a problem in your area, is that the bars are not solid and make great hiding places for hive beetles.
I'm going to fill the ones I have with silicon caulk or epoxy and use them, but I won't buy any more of them.
I wish that someone would make small cell plastic foundation for wood frames. I would be interested in that.

I think M. Bush uses MannLakes pf120's and cuts the foundation out of the plastic frames. Not cheap in my books, but will get you the 4.9 you seek.
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