Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: rayb on May 11, 2006, 06:04:19 pm

Title: Embedding wire technique
Post by: rayb on May 11, 2006, 06:04:19 pm: I plan on cross wiring deep and medium frames. How many cross wires are appropriate?
When placing the foundation in the frame, are the wires on the same side of the foundation or on both sides before heating the wires to embed them?

Thanks, Ray.
Title: Embedding wire technique
Post by: Robo on May 12, 2006, 08:43:23 am: I wire my deeps with 4 wires and alternate them from side to side on the foundation.
Title: Embedding wire technique
Post by: rayb on May 12, 2006, 10:15:57 am: Robo, Thanks for the info. I've just started wiring and want to do a proper job. My learning curve is a lot slower than the bee's. I hope they let me catch up.
Ray
Title: Re: Embedding wire technique
Post by: hvac professor on February 12, 2012, 09:07:42 am: Robo, I searched the experiment section of this forum to find the proper method of wiring wax foundation. I have recently posted in beemasters main topics asking for advice on how to wire and get the wire properly embedded in the wax.
From what I have read the wire must be 100% imbedded or the bees will not draw comb properly.
I found a site that said to use a 24 volt transformer to get the wires hot so they will melt into the wax.
I have been informed by many beeks that just pins alone are not enough to keep the foundation from warping, or falling apart during extraction.
I hear there is a tool with spurs on it for embedding wire as well. I have wired a deep frame and it looks very difficult to get this right.
Could you please advise? Thank you
Title: Re: Embedding wire technique
Post by: rbinhood on February 12, 2012, 11:07:13 am: A doorbell transformer, a light dimmer switch and a piano wire works great for cutting Styrofoam. Cut are clean and straight.
Title: Re: Embedding wire technique
Post by: Robo on February 12, 2012, 12:31:53 pm: Quote from: hvac professor on February 12, 2012, 09:07:42 am
From what I have read the wire must be 100% imbedded or the bees will not draw comb properly.
Not true, the bee will draw comb just fine around the wire. In fact, I use and recommend wiring foundationless frames as well.
(http://photos.beevac.com/albums/userpics/10001/normal_housel3.jpg)
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I found a site that said to use a 24 volt transformer to get the wires hot so they will melt into the wax.
Another simple method is to use a 12V car battery charger.
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I have been informed by many beeks that just pins alone are not enough to keep the foundation from warping, or falling apart during extraction.
I totally agree, push in pins are useless. then support such a tiny area of the foundation that they easily break through with just a minimal force.
Quote
I hear there is a tool with spurs on it for embedding wire as well.
Yes there is, I have never used one.

I wire the frames as tightly as I can by hand, and then use one of these to tighten up the wire.
(http://www.dadant.com/catalog/images/M01943---Wire-Crimper.jpg)
You want the wire tight enough so you get a nice high ping out of it. Like plucking a guitar. When you heat the wire to embed it in the wax, it will loose some of it's tension.

Then I weave the foundation through the wires and install it in the frame. So a deep with 4 wires would have wires 1 & 3 on one side of the foundation and wires 2 & 4 on the other side.

I then place the frame in a foundation board, which is basically a board that will fit inside the frame, so when you lay the frame on it, the foundation is supported by this board and the frame is floating off the bench. This allows you to put some pressure on the wire and push it into the wax.

Then take the battery charger an touch opposite ends of a wire until it gets warm enough to soften the foundation. The time depends on the charger/transformer you use. It is a trial and error to get what is right for your set up. Just don't keep it on for too long or you will melt right through the foundation and cut it in half. As soon as you seen the wax changing color by the wire, remove the charger and immediately take your fingers and press the wire into the wax until the wax sets. It does not have to be entirely embedded. The purpose of the wire is to keep the foundation from sagging until the bees draw it out. Do the two wire on the top side and then flip the frame over and do the two wires on the other side.

Hope this helps.

Rob....
Title: Re: Embedding wire technique
Post by: hvac professor on February 12, 2012, 02:03:59 pm: Thank you very much, i did complete 5 deep frames and did use battery charger first on 6 volt and then on 12 although I did not weave the foundation in and out. It worked pretty well. I will now try weaving it and see how it works.
Thank you again for responding so quickly :-D
Title: Re: Embedding wire technique
Post by: Michael Bush on February 13, 2012, 12:30:41 am: Not only does the crimper make the wire tight, it distributes the stress differently so it doesn't cut through the wax so much and holds much better.