Yucky flow frames

Eva,
Thanks
But as is the famous Yoda quote
“ Do or do not, there is no try”
Cheers

I note your frustration over some of the replies you’re receiving… However…

I quote you: “Do I buy a replacement frame ever year and change out on a “ rolling basis” I am not angry if I have to do this as beekeeping is my hobby”. Would you be happy to buy replacement frames, say every 4-5 years on a “rolling basis”?

I know - but in that posting/link they show various solvents and solutions that are safe to use on the flow frames.

Jeff,
Would I be happy- only if there is not a method to clean.
I am having great difficulty understanding that I am the only person in the world that has this problem. So referring back to my initial comment perhaps I am a dill after all. As for frustration you are spot on. I must be old , when I was studying the lecturers always asked “tell me how you would…” or “what is the answer to…” . Rambling in submissions invariably ended up with less than satisfactory score

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Chau06,
The cleaning procedures listed advise that “ the procedures do not interfere with the mechanical function” 1/2 way there, what about the bees?

Ethanol, Na2CO3, NaOH, Sodium hypochlorite, water. None of those things are harmful to bees in low concentration and any of those solutions are easily rinsed from the frames.

Hi Jeff, it’s becoming apparent after reading the contents of this thread, that you wont get the flow frames perfectly clean of wax & or propolis. However the bit of remaining wax & propolis left behind after cleaning shouldn’t affect the working of the flow frames. I think if it did, there’d be a louder hue & cry.

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Jeff,
As they say” put two bee keepers in a room and you will get 3 different opinions”
I think I have the answer. I will buy 2 new frames and put them in hive, the two old frames will become my PROJECT. Some people develop battery cars some people develop pollution free power devices, some work with photons and gluons, some work with quantum computers. My gift to the world will hopefully be a system of cleaning frames where both the bees and the environment ( not to forget amateur bee keepers) profit from my endeavours- into the valley of death road the 400 ( 200 stayed home and naysayed.) apologies to Tennyson

That sounds like a worthwhile project Jeff. Another cheaper way would be to turn a normal super into a hybrid flow super. That way you’ll get nice comb honey as well as liquid honey out of the remaining flow frames that should still do the job. Plus you wont be out of pocket so much.

I never heard that saying about 2 beekeepers giving 3 different answers until I joined this forum. I don’t agree with it. If you ask an honest question, I’ll give you an honest answer, if I can. Otherwise I’ll say I don’t know.

Jeff,
Once you discover this “golden bullet” you will share it with us? Please?

Cheers, I have a hybrid as well but I am not a big fan of the comb, tastes a bit ordinary to me. I give away most of my honey to friends and I unsuccessfully make mead with the rest

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Tim,
:+1: will do . I am off to the shed!

Hi Jeff,

I’ll rephrase that to after every season.

Simple really. Soak them in hot but not boiling water with soda crystal’s, gentle scrub with a bristle nail brush which helps remove some propolis (tops of the frames especially) and rinse. I do this 3 times, back into super for storage then air dry. Stored in air tight container until following season.

I’ve only had my first FlowHive2 for 2 seasons, one at work removed the super before the bees started to fill it up as the colony looked week.

I have a few defect Flow frames that I’m going to try out the steamer method and see how the frames turn out, nothing to lose on them.

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I’ve a few defect frames I’m going to experiment with. For the length of time the steam would be on the frames I cant see too many issues.

Steam melt, wipe clean as you go. I’m sure it wont super clean them like boiling plastic foundation in frames does but without failure there is no success right :muscle:

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Any cleaning is limited Jeff. Like you I’m experimenting.

Scroll up to 15 mins and Fred talks about the various methods hes tried with varying success.

Sadly for now there is no holy grail.

Deano,
I will watch the video tomorrow ( retired, time is not an issue) I have been looking at karcher SC1 steam cleaner, I might give that a go worst case scenario I clean the bathroom grout! Pressure is about 3 bar ( 45 psi) so if I use a bit of patience it should be fine and if I sit on my bum and do nothing I will never know. One thing I do know is that I would never run a contract framecleaning business​:rofl::rofl:
Cheers

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PS I am in Adelaide South Australia, I leave my frames in all year, some take them out but I live close to the CBD and climate is pretty temperate

I like your humour Jeff :ok_hand:

This is Fred’s video using the steamer

basically this is the best result I have seen to date and the only method that has worked for me:

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There was the discussion on another recent thread about leaving the flow frames in the open position for up to a week (?) to allow the bees to remove propolis and strip wax. I haven’t tried this yet, have you?

Adam