206 
COMB FOUNDATION 
would draw out the new or natural-base 
foundation much more readily than a 
foundation which had flattened or distorted 
angles, as shown in the diagram at B. 
FLAT-PLATE FOUNDATION-MACHINES. 
About the time that the Root-Wasliburn 
comb-foundation rolls were being devel¬ 
oped, the Given press using' flat die-plates 
was brought out. Some few preferred the 
product from that machine because, as they 
said, the foundation could be made right 
on the wires of a frame, and because the 
bees could work the wax a little more 
readily. The reason for this was that no 
press at that time (in the early 80’s) had 
been made that could exert as great a 
pressure as that given by a pair of rolls; 
and the result was, there was a large waste 
of wax in the bases. The foundation made 
good combs, and the bees worked it read¬ 
ily; but the. individual sheets were too ex¬ 
pensive as compared with -the product 
turned out on rolls by the manufacturers, 
and so the Given press disappeared from 
the market. 
In the early 80’s various flat-plate ma¬ 
chines were brought out. Among the num¬ 
ber was one using flat dies made of plaster 
of Paris. By taking a perfect sheet of 
comb foundation it was possible to take off 
molds in plaster. But these molds would 
not stand pressure, and therefore it was 
necessary to pour melted wax over them 
Standard comb foundation-rolls. 
and close the dies. As soon as the wax 
cooled, the dies were opened and the sheet 
removed. But difficulty was experienced in 
getting this cast foundation (for that is 
just what it was) from the plaster molds. 
About this time, also, electrotype plates 
were taken off from a perfect sheet of 
foundation—a process that was compara¬ 
tively simple, and one that any electrotype 
founder could readily carry thru. Various 
patterns of these copper-faced machines, 
including the Given, appeared on the mar¬ 
ket; but the only one that survived at the 
time was the Rietsche press, made in Ger¬ 
many. A good many thousands of these 
were sold in Europe; but the objection to 
it was the waste of wax left in the cell 
bases. None of the Rietsche presses have 
been sold in the United States. 
In 1921 The A. I. Root Company built 
a flat plate press for making a wood base 
foundation that at this writing (July, 
1921) promises to be a success. This will 
be referred to more specifically a little far¬ 
ther on under Wiring Frames. 
WEED SHEETED FOUNDATION. 
Up till 1895, practically all the sheeted 
wax used in making comb foundation was 
made by dipping a thin board into melted 
wax and then into cold water. Two sheets 
of wax of the size of the dipping board 
were thus produced. The thickness of the 
sheet was regulated by the number of dip¬ 
pings. For thin foundation a single dip 
