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Author Topic: wiring frames  (Read 3836 times)

Offline CraiginPC

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wiring frames
« on: April 19, 2010, 09:56:56 pm »
How do you wire the frames? I have seen jigs, templates and patterns for most everything else but wiring the frames and getting them tight without breaking the wire or cutting off my fingers. There has to be a better way! Forgive me BeeKeepers for I am a newbee.

Offline iddee

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Re: wiring frames
« Reply #1 on: April 19, 2010, 10:12:23 pm »
I put 2 wires in both deeps and mediums. I drive a half inch headed nail between the 2 holes, about half way in. I thread the wire from that end to the other and back in the other holes. I wrap the end around the mail about 3 wraps, maybe 4. I then use a pair of needle nose to pull the wire tight. "Now the secret" I hold tension, not pulling hard enough to break it, and the tension will tighten the wires. It takes about a full minute. Then I wrap the wire around the nail and drive it the rest of the way in, flush with the end bar. I then continue the wrapping motion to break the wire at the nail head. The wire will hum like a guitar string. I don't use a jig at all.
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Offline robbo

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Re: wiring frames
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2010, 06:31:39 am »
a few minutes in shows how I do the wiring - ran out of time tho showing the crimping tool which is always handy to get some extra tension.

Might help - see how you go

I have tried a few jigs and eccentric lever types over the years but I still end up back in the vice like that. The cheap sash clamp thingo works well for what it is.

Honey Bee Frame Building, Wiring, and Foundation, Full Depth - How to / I do it here Australia
« Last Edit: April 20, 2010, 06:44:22 am by robbo »

Online Michael Bush

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Re: wiring frames
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2010, 08:29:52 am »
You need a spool holder, a wiring jig, some crimpers, embedders etc.  With the right equiment it is merely tedious.  Without the right equipment it's downright frustrating.
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Offline Two Bees

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Re: wiring frames
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2010, 08:27:20 am »
A crimper works really well at tightening the wires too!   :)
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Offline Hethen57

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Re: wiring frames
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2010, 04:19:20 pm »
I don't know if others use them, but I think those little brass eyelets really help maintain the tension.  A bag of 500 is only a couple of bucks.  Drive them in with a small punch.  I like Idee's idea of only using two holes, I typically put the spool on a screwdriver, thread wire through holes, starting at one end and going to the other (ie, back and forth, top to bottom), drive a nail and end and tie off, then work back with pliers tensioning each row to starting point, drive a nail and twist off.  It takes a couple of minutes total per frame, if I cut down to two wires, it would be under a minute...
-Mike

Offline CVBees

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Re: wiring frames
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2010, 04:29:53 pm »
I wish I could give credit where it was due but I forgot where I saw the video.  I watched a guy in a huge warehouse style shop very tidy looking use a frame jig to put his frames together then put his frame individually in a clamp to wire them, then.. get this used a large clamp to put a little pressure on the frame sideways then attached the wire to the 2nd nail driven into the front side of the frame and when the large clamp was released the wire was "guitar string tight" as mentioned in above post thanks Iddee.

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Offline iddee

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Re: wiring frames
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2010, 07:12:42 pm »

You might want to look at reply #2 in this thread. It may jog your memory.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline CVBees

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Re: wiring frames
« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2010, 09:16:52 pm »
OMG.. I replied at work where the videos don't show...  :imsorry:
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Offline robbo

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Re: wiring frames
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2010, 04:16:40 pm »
Got a laugh from me  :-D

Offline JWChesnut

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Re: wiring frames- use a shop stapler
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2010, 07:24:38 pm »
I protect the frame holes with a 1/4 inch shop staple (T-51 style) on the upstream side. Unless the hole is protected from cutting the wood back the wire will cut into the frame and loosen very quickly.  Loose wires do no good. Staplers are cheaper and more available than using eyelets, and work just as well. 

The two sides of the deep have different patterns, the wire starts and finishes on one frame and loop by the other. The pattern becomes second nature after a few boxes worth of stapling frames. The start  and end staples are off axis a bit as I use a nail at the bar/end piece intersection to do double duty as wire lock and reinforcement.

I wire using the spool mounted on rod stuck into an old slab of wood with an eyelet to guide the release. I've used the same block of wood for twenty years. You want the wire to unroll in a controlled fashion, not too fast or you leave wire loops that kink the wire.

I start threading the frame from the top hole.  I loop the wire to an end nail and hammer the nail home to lock the wire. ( on side of frame at bottom bar). I  tighten by pulling through to the top nail without cutting the wire, I loop the top wire, hammer and then cut after the wire is already locked.  The wire can be hand tightened this way, as it is easy to pull when uncut.  Using "dikes" (diagonal pliers) is an alternative to those with soft hands, but you tend to leave kinks in the wire which will pop and break unexpectedly.  Pulling by hand reduces the number of breaks substantially.

I tighten the wire by pulling the loops along the side bars off axis and stapling them. fingernails help a lot in this process.  The wire can be tightened almost to breaking by pulling the slack out of the wire this way.  You need  a good eye on aiming the shop staplers to trap the wire in the correct position.

Offline jgaito

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Re: wiring frames
« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2010, 12:56:50 pm »
great video.  in a pinch 1/8" short pop rivets removed form the shank work great for eyelets.

 

anything