here goes . . .

[ablanton]

My very first batch of wax cells.  We'll see how this grafting thing goes . . .

[LazyBkpr]

Pretty spiffy!!  Did you just use water on the dowels?
   Glad you have that camera. Keep us updated!

[ablanton]

Yes, just water.  Did it the way Fat Bee Man does it on youtube.

[G3farms]

Those look good.

What size did you make your dowel rod?

I was watching a video some time back of a gal making wax cups and after she was done with the last dip she would dip the bottom of a wood bar into the wax and then put the wax cups on the hot wax on the bar, once the wax set she would pull the dowels out.
found the video



and a video of how to remove them from the bar, looks a little rough to me, but they are making a living doing it.

[ablanton]

I used 3/8" dowels. Fat Bee Man said he uses 5/16" because he does small cell.  I don't do small cell.

[ablanton]

Well, I'm a little disappointed even though I didn't have real high expectations for my first try.  I had one bar with 14 plastic cells and two bars with 13 wax cells each.  It looks like 7 plastic cells took.  Surprisingly, I don't think any of the wax cells took!  What's up with that???

[G3farms]

Did you put them in the starter hive for a day to let the bees polish the cells?

Don't get discouraged after just one time. You still got 50% on the plastic cells which is good for the first time.

[ablanton]

Yes, I put them in on Saturday and pulled them back out to do the grafts on Sunday afternoon.

[LazyBkpr]

   So many failed because you NEEDED more than were accepted. If you had not really cared how many were accepted they would ALL have been accepted.  Yep. Its been proven over and over again.   Has something to do with Mother nature and old man Murphy smooching where they think no one can see them....

[ablanton]

That must be it!  I was really "needing" about 15.