Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Cross Wire Installation  (Read 6537 times)

Offline Astrocycler

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 19
  • Gender: Male
Cross Wire Installation
« on: January 10, 2010, 06:18:11 pm »
Good afternoon,

I was wondering what is the correct way to cross wire wax foundation?

Is the wire run then the foundation 'weaved' between the wires so alternate runs are on opposite sides of the foundation? Or,

Is the foundation installed and the wires run on alternate sides? Or,

Does it matter? Or,

Is it OK to run the wire on just one side?

Just getting started but it is obvious the more I know the more I know I don't know.

Thanks for your help.

Have fun

Ed
I know it is going to be a good day when I get up in the morning look back in the bed and I am not in it!

The best part of having grandbrats is I now have people my own age to play with.

Offline fish_stix

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 375
  • Gender: Male
Re: Cross Wire Installation
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2010, 10:06:15 pm »
Ed; the correct method is to install the wire first, then the foundation. The wire is then embedded into the wax with either an electric embedding tool or with a spur type embedder. If you're using the crimp wired foundation you only need to wire the two center holes of the deep frames, so that you'll have 2 cross wires to embed. If using plain wax you really need all four holes wired. With medium frames and crimp wired foundation, no wiring is needed. I live south of you in Palm Bay so if you get down this way any time soon call me and I'll show you all the tools we use for this operation and if you'll bring some frames we'll wire some while you're here. 321-725-0898.

Offline Jim134

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 3045
  • Gender: Male
    • Franklin County Beekeepers Association
Re: Cross Wire Installation
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2010, 07:02:10 am »
This may help you ???  Robo is one of the staff at Beemaster


http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/frames-and-frame-assembly/


   BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :)
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
 John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

Offline Astrocycler

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 19
  • Gender: Male
Re: Cross Wire Installation
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2010, 08:07:46 pm »
Thanks Fish_Stix and JIm... great info and videos... just what I needed.
I know it is going to be a good day when I get up in the morning look back in the bed and I am not in it!

The best part of having grandbrats is I now have people my own age to play with.

Offline Two Bees

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 614
  • Gender: Male
Re: Cross Wire Installation
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2010, 09:17:05 am »
Also, you may want to check out FatBeeman's video on "wiring" frames.  He uses fishing line and no eyelets in the end bars.  Just another way of accomplishing the same thing.
"Don't know what I'd do without that boy......but I'm sure willin' to give it a try!"
J.D. Clampett commenting about Jethro Bodine.

Offline deknow

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 876
  • Gender: Male
    • Golden Rule Honey, LLC
Re: Cross Wire Installation
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2010, 11:07:49 am »
Don does quite a bit right...but not this (imho).  frames that were done like this (by don) didn't get drawn well in our apiary.  I tried doing it myself, and for our use, it's a waste of a sheet of foundation to do this.  wire horizontally and embed.

deknow


Also, you may want to check out FatBeeman's video on "wiring" frames.  He uses fishing line and no eyelets in the end bars. 


Offline Astrocycler

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 19
  • Gender: Male
Re: Cross Wire Installation
« Reply #6 on: January 24, 2010, 02:00:17 pm »
A nearby beekeeper I met recently steered to Fatbeeman. Interesting videos.  It would be fun to spend some time with him.

Interesting about the fishing line cross wire not working.

Because I am just starting, received my equipment this week bees due in mid-April, the plan is to start with everything plain vanilla and expand horizons as I move on.  All the various techniques various beekeepers use make beekeeping interesting.  It's great to learn new things... drives away the boredom.

Keep the info coming as this beginner needs all the info he can get.

Ed
I know it is going to be a good day when I get up in the morning look back in the bed and I am not in it!

The best part of having grandbrats is I now have people my own age to play with.

Offline Jim134

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 3045
  • Gender: Male
    • Franklin County Beekeepers Association
Re: Cross Wire Installation
« Reply #7 on: January 24, 2010, 04:16:19 pm »
Fishing line cross wire do NOT work for me (try about 100 frames) it's a waste of time and a sheet of foundation to do this. Wire horizontally and embed.



   BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :)
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
 John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

Offline Astrocycler

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 19
  • Gender: Male
Re: Cross Wire Installation
« Reply #8 on: January 24, 2010, 06:54:22 pm »
Question for those who have had issues with fishing line as cross wire: was it a general problem of foundation strength or an issue during extraction?  Curious minds want to know?

Have fun,

Ed
I know it is going to be a good day when I get up in the morning look back in the bed and I am not in it!

The best part of having grandbrats is I now have people my own age to play with.

Offline Jim134

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 3045
  • Gender: Male
    • Franklin County Beekeepers Association
Re: Cross Wire Installation
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2010, 07:52:15 pm »
Curious minds want to know?

Have fun,

Ed

Ed........


    Foundation didn't get drawn out well around the fishing line   And look it Reply #5 all so



             BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :)
« Last Edit: January 25, 2010, 07:10:46 am by Jim 134 »
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
 John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

Offline deknow

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 876
  • Gender: Male
    • Golden Rule Honey, LLC
Re: Cross Wire Installation
« Reply #10 on: January 25, 2010, 12:02:42 pm »
although wire does add strength for extracting, this is not the main reason for wiring foundation.

properly done (no matter how you do it), the foundation should be attached firmly to the top bar (either with a wedge, or by attaching with melted wax), _and_ embedded with horizontal wires.  this keeps the foundation from moving around and sagging under the weight and heat of the cluster.

the frames we got from don were done with an "X" of fishing line on either side of the foundation, with no embedding, and not attached to the top bar.  the resulting comb was drawn poorly (especially at the corners).

deknow