silicone matrices for making a foundation mold

Silicone matrices with the new cell geometry to build foundation molds

First, some colleagues will wonder why we now offer silicone matrices. The answer is quite simple.

The growing group of beekeepers, who work with small cells following the system of Ed&Dee Lusby, urgently need perfect foundation in small cell size. And above all, we can not rely on conventional wax, because almost all the wax is high contaminated by the chemicals that are applied in the bee hives. Thus every beekeeper urgently needs its own wax cycle.

And the foundation that is offered on the market until now is of very poor quality.

The new cell geometry:

Dee Lusby writes in her webpage that one should use

foundation without pronounced cell walls.

Well I made tests and to my surprise came out the following:

I added to several hives complete supers with 11 frames. Alternating foundations with the new cell geometry and foundation like the swedish model, which has cell imprints similar to what is used anywhere. A swedish, a new one, a swedish, a new one ……. all the box like this. It was used the same wax and the same cell dimensiones between 4,8 and 4,85mm.
All this with a good nectar flow.
Next day all the hives had built combs in the frames with foundation of the new geometry and the swedish ones were not built.

In order to make it possible that every hobbyist can build his own foundation mold, we now offer silicone matrices with the new cell geometry.

Infos about our silicone matrices

• The matrices are made from a silicone which has excellent release properties. Thus, the release of the molded and cooled wax foundation sheets is unproblematic.
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• available cell sizes (shrinking of wax when cooling down is taken in account):
  4,87mm – 4,9mm – 5,1mm
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• sizes of the matrices:
  all sizes between 420mm (width) x 260mm (height)
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  Now we can offer special productions in 4,9mm and 5,1mm cellsize in all measures which are not bigger than 420mm width and 400mm height in the new cell geometry.
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• The matrices are reinforced with a fabric mat to exclude twisting
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• We offer to the matrices a gluing set with which you can stick these bombproof on aluminum or similar materials.
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  Video with adhesive instructions click here for german language and spanish language here.
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  The gluing set consists of a primer and a two-component glue with adhesive instructions.
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• Other utensils you need to glue the matrices:
  Acetone, a wide spatula and a mixing vessel for the glue, sandpaper and a cutter
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  Video with gluing tests and adhesive instructions click here for german language and spanish language here.
• distance of the upper board to the lower board of the mold to glue the matrices is 6mm plus adhesive thickness (upper and lower together approximately 1mm) plus foundation thickness (0.7mm)
  The mold should have a device with which one can regulate the spacing of the upper to the lower board to change the thickness of the foundation sheets.
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• all the matrices you can buy in our online shop.
  Delivery about 2 weeks plus shipping time
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• prices:
  Normalmaß (german) 350mm x 200mm   122 €
  Zander (german)         400mm x 191mm    129 €
  Langstroth                    420mm x 200mm    139 €
  Dadant Blatt                420mm x 260mm     159 €
  adhesive set                                                      39 €
  .
  other sizes on request
  outside canary islands without taxes VAT (IGIC)
  including commercial invoice
  available in our online shop