Description
Frames are made of food grade polypropylene (PP), designed and manufactured by Honey Paw.
The frames need a beewax treatment before use. You can paint the foundations with smelted wax using a little roller. Wax can be smelted, for example, in an old kettle, so that there is water on the bottom of vessel. When the water makes lightly bubbles, the temperature is suitable. Use of water is necessary to prevent flare of wax . A need of wax is 35 – 50 g per frame. You can also dive the frames in a tank of smelted wax.
For a short time polypropylene frames can withstand heat up to 115 ºC (239 ºF), so that they can be treated by steam with a grain of salt. The new frames tolerate steaming well, but a part of frames can loose their form in a long run. This is caused by absorption of wax into polypropylene. In addition, during a longer period the frames can bend or curve capriciously.
The frames can be cleaned using a metal spatula to separate the honeycombs apart from the frames and smelting them. After that the frames will be washed by a steam pressure cleaner, and reused. The plastic frames can also be retted in cold water with caustic soda overnight. After that the frames will be cleaned with water and a dishwashing brush. Or the frames can be cleaned only taking honeycombs apart with a spatula, and after that they will be reused again.
