The whole comb foundation sheet production process is divided into three stages: (1) wax melting and sterilization, (2) plain sheet formation and their embossing, and (3) packing.

First stage: Wax melting and sterilization

Honey comb foundation sheets are produced from a pure natural 100% beeswax. It is obtained from local beekeepers by buying-in their wax or by exchanging their wax to ready made foundation sheets. All obtained wax material has been always checked for its purity. Impure or paraffin contaminated raw wax material is not accepted at all.

Raw wax material is put into sterilization tank first. Wax is being heated up to 110°C, melted and boiled until all water contained in it bubbles out. Freshly melted wax may contain some 7–8% of water, older one – 1–3%.

After water has been boiled away, wax passes the sterilization process at a higher temperature of 140°C. All the pathogens and bee disease agents, possibly contained within, inevitably die at such a high temperature.

After sterilization, wax slowly allowed to cool down to 72–80°C. During the cooling process takes place, all sediments, dregs, dust particles and other impurities little by little settle to the bottom and removed away later on.

Second stage: plain sheet formation and their embossing

A water-cooled drum slowly rotates half-seated in a liquid wax bath. A plain wax band of uniform thickness has been formed on a cooled drum’s surface and rolled up onto cylindrical roller.

Plain wax band, 260 mm width, is led through the embossing rollers. These imprint the worker brood cell pattern on the wax band.

After being embossed, wax band is cut into sheets of required length.

A kilogram of our produced embossed foundation sheets contains 12,5 pieces at an average. Upon request we may produce thicker or thinner foundation sheets. Note, that thicker foundation sheets are more stiff. Moreover, if thicker sheets were embedded to frames, in spring time particularly, the bees used to sew their combs considerably faster, because they can use wax excess taken from foundation sheets.

In Western Europe an average quantity of sheets is even less – 10 pieces per kilogram. The size of cells is European standard 5,4 mm.

The third stage: packing

Finally cut sheets a dried well, weighed and packed into 5 and 10 kg. The stacks have been shielded at the bottom and from the top by putting some pieces of corrugated cardboard tray. The package is rolled into a thick paper. These measures prevent from accidental damages during transportation.

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Fresh sheets are the softest, but after just a few days passed, – these reaches 50% of their stiffness, becoming apparently much more sturdy. However, a full recrystallization process for wax takes place within next few months. Therefore, it is advisable to put older embedded sheets into hives, even of last years’ production, rather than those freshly made.

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1. Color dependence from the raw material.

The wax melted from combs’ cappings is always of bright yellow color, but the older combs are always darker. Nothing to do with that.

2. Color dependence from storage conditions.

Please, note the following: Wax exposed to direct sunlight – gradually fades. Frozen wax gets covered with some whitish layer – this process is called “wax blooming”. However, after being warmed up to 40°C (either by placing to sunlight, or by pouring over with hot water, or by keeping close to some source of heat, or just simply by placing it into a hive), such a whitish layer instantly disappears! Please, do not worry, because the “wax blooming” – is a feature of its naturalness, this implies that a wax is pure and completely suitable for reuse.

3. Color dependence from the bee race.

Just to mention that wax color is very slightly dependent on the bee race.

Ref. 2. In no way it means that the “bloomed wax” has been deteriorated somehow. By placing into hive, such a pale “blooming” combs naturally warm up and the bees proceed to sew it successfully.

4. Color dependence from its processing.

Because of remelting process, when making foundation sheets, wax gets more lighter. It is expected to be that way. The reason: all the dark deposits and sediments contained therein – dust, propolis, pollen are allowed to settle down and finally removed away.

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