O'-i PEACTICAL BEE-KEEPING. 



in this are not equal, although in appearance they are much superior to 

 the sheets produced by our new method of making guides, for which 

 the first requisite is a plaster model or mould, which may be made 

 either from the embossed plate, or from natural comb. To make the 

 cast from the embossed plate, proceed thus : Dab the latter with a piece of 

 sponge or rag which has been sparingly moistened with paraffin oil. Then 

 place over the plate (o p Fig. 37) a wooden frame, oiled well, to prevent 

 sticking of the plaster, and l^in. deep and wide. We see the sides of 

 this frame at g r. Now mix a very thin paste of super plaster, the kind 

 used by dentists for modelling, and pour it into the trough, fill it up with 

 stiff er plaster (s), and strike it off level at top. Having now our plaste^ 

 model, it is only necessary, in order to make the guide, to well soak the 

 former in water, and place against its side, the top bar of the frame, so 



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Fig. 37. Plaster Mould roa the Cheshire Guide MAKaa, 



that the centre of it lies along the edge of the oast. Pure wax having 

 been melted, as we have often explained, in a gluepot, it is applied by a 

 painter's common brush to the top of the cast, and the exposed part of the 

 bar. The wet plaster receives a coating, which immediately sets, but 

 does not adhere, while the wax incorporates itself with the wood, which 

 when raised, carries a guide most firmly attached and as straight as an 

 arrow. The little apparatus (Pig. 38), which was used at the Crystal 

 Palace Show, and to which a silver medal was awarded, will enable us to 

 work more agreeably and expeditiously. To a,bout a square foot of inch 

 stuff (tt, v), an upright (i) 2|in. high, is fixed : holes are pierced at various 

 heights through this to receive two iron pins, one of which is seen at x, 

 A shallow tin tray (1, 2) holding water (3) has the plaster cast («) stood in 

 it, when capillary attraction carries up the exact amount of water necessary 

 to prevent adhesion of the wax. The pins having been adjusted, so as to 

 bring the centre of the bar {y), opposite to the top of the mould, the latter 



