Every year I hope to have extra wax for candles and such. However I end up using all of it adding extra wax to the foundation for the benefit of the bees. The extra wax entices the bees to build their comb as well as encourages them to build it uniformly within the confines of the frame.
On the right are 15 sheets of unwaxed plastic foundation. In the middle, 15 sheets factory waxed. On the left , 15 home waxed using a minimal amount of wax but covering all cells. But regardless of the amount of wax, the aroma difference of the home waxed far exceeds the factory wax. So fragrant the bees were landing on me to investigate while I coated the foundation today.
Beekeeping365 
Please describe your waxing process.
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It’s simply enough. I use plastic foundation. I like both wax and plastic but plastic is faster for me. The bees like it too if there is sufficient wax on it. The problem is for 100 sheets the vendors want about $25 more for single waxed and $50 more for double waxed. Given our weak nectar flow I have found they bees much prefer to draw out the double waxed. Anyway, I refuse to pay $50 more so I buy the non waxed and wax it to my liking. I wax the foundation before I put it in the frames. I melt the wax in a crock pot. Then I use a 4″ foam paint roller like is used for finish work. I don’t really put any pressure on the roller as I roll it out onto the foundation. Gravity and contact transfers the wax off the roller onto the foundation. Working outside the wax hardens pretty fast and I can see it turning white as I finish each side. It is a little time consuming but I’m outside,listening to music and/or watching the bees and squirrels around the barn doing their work. Hope this helps.
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Thank you. This is our third spring as beekeepers. The brood comb in the deeps is near black. Since pesticides build up in lipids, and was is a lipid, this spring I plan to scrape all my deep frames and re-wax them. This will give me a good start.
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I began waxing foundation after reading one beekeeper’s testing out whether waxing helps (http://www.thebeeyard.org/should-you-add-wax-to-plastic-foundation-yes/). I cannot use wax foundation as my hands are getting too stiff! Hand waxing really speeds the building of the new comb. I find I have to buy beeswax from a big supplier as I do queen rearing and start a lot of new colonies every year…
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Thank you for the link. You’ve probably observed the difference between factory wax and home waxing then. Yes, I agree it works wonders. Thanks for the comment.
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