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Making Beekeeping Foundation Presses

My version is made from two sheets of 18 mm, hardwood, waterproof, 'far eastern' plywood hinged with six stout 63 mm hinges. cut away view showing foundation sandwiched between fibreglass mould plates

The die plates were formed from epoxy resin coated onto both sides of a piece of foundation. This was allowed to cure producing a rigid epoxy plate which contained inside it, a sheet of foundation.

This 'sandwich' was trimmed on its edges using a 'Dremel Tool' fitted with a thin abrasive cutting disc... And a sandpaper block, until the wax was just visible on all four edges. The trimmed epoxy/wax/epoxy plate was then glued in position between the hinged plywood sheets using more epoxy resin and many 'G' clamps ('C' cramps).

When the 'glue' had set the leaves of the 'book' were prised gently and slowly apart starting at one corner. The resulting plates were cleaned up using turpentine. I took a great deal of care in stippling the resin into the cells on the foundation sheet, but I was disappointed to find many bubbles in the finished plates. As well as the surface imperfections one corner broke off one of the plates... Considering the effort that I put in to ensure a good quality finish, I was disappointed with the finished mould.

When the 'glue' had set the leaves of the 'book' were prised gently and slowly apart starting at one corner. The resulting plates were cleaned up using turpentine.

I took a great deal of care in stippling the resin into the cells on the foundation sheet, but I was disappointed to find many bubbles in the finished plates. As well as the surface imperfections one corner broke off one of the plates... Considering the effort that I put in to ensure a good quality finish, I was disappointed with the finished mould.

Dave Cushman.

Page created summer 2000

Written... Summer 2000, Revised... 18 March 2002, Upgraded... 06 April 2006,