I'm in two minds (gives me someone to talk to if nothing else). I'm still seriously considering ditching foundation completely in the brood boxes, but I'm on 14x12s which can be wobbly in terms of not having the combs fall out when not handled correctly at the best of times and in some respects I think I'd prefer to go that route over pressing my own foundation simply because I lack the space for yet more beekeeping gear in the house as it is.

As I mentioned above I stopped using foundation in the supers last year with no problems whatosever putting them through a (manual) extractor and I can't see me changing that this year. But in terms of brood frames I do wonder whether I've backed myself into a corner a little with 14x12s. I was considering putting a brace about halfway down the frame with a starter strip there and at the top, but I'm also a little unsure at the moment what the ramifications, if any are, in terms of how that might affect the brood area.

Perhaps I should just experiment and be prepared to go back to foundation in the short term while I figure out a better solution.