164 AUSTRALASIAN 



boards the length of the sheets required, and a thin knife. 

 The boards should be made of very thin wood— or stout 

 galvanised iron will answer — and made so that they can be 

 reversed when dipping. Wax melts at a temperature of about 

 145° Fahr., and the contents of the dipping boiler should be 

 kept at very little over that temperature. The boards, after 

 being soaked in the cold water and drained, are at first just 

 slightly touched over with soapy water to give them a start ; 

 care should be taken to use no more soap than is absolutely 

 necessary, as it is said the bees dislike it. Take a board and 

 dip it overhead in the wax ; lift it out and let it drip ; as soon 

 as it has ceased to drip, quickly reverse the board and dip it 

 overhead again ; and repeat the process until the sheet is of 

 the desired thickness. Two or three times is sufficient for stout 

 foundation, and once or twice for thin. After the last dip 

 plunge the board into the cold water, and if everything is 

 right the sheets will peel off without trouble. If the wax is 

 too hot the sheets will break, if too cold they will stick to the 

 board. ' According as the wax in the dipping boiler is used up 

 it should be replenished from the melting boiler, which must 

 be kept on a good fire. For the Given press the dipping 

 boards are made about the size of the inside dimensions of the 

 frames, and are used in the same manner as the others. 



Fig. 77.— GAUGE FOE TRIMMING FOUNDATION. 



After all the .sheets are dipped it is better to leave them 

 until next day before putting them through the machine. They 

 should be nice and pliable, or else they will bieak when pressed 

 or rolled. If the sheets are placed in warm water it will soften 

 them. A little thin starch is a very good thing to put on the 

 rollers in order to prevent the wax from sticking to them ; tins 

 for holding the starch are supplied with the machines. For 

 the Given press it is better to brush the plates over occasionally 

 with concentrated lye. As the sheets require trimming to fit 

 the frames after coming from the machine, a gauge should be 

 made for that purpose as shown above. 



