Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: DLMKA on January 26, 2014, 11:40:42 am
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I have 800 frames to build and install foundation in. I much prefer wired wax foundation because I have fewer problems with it. The handful of frames with plastic foundation I'm guessing I had to scrape the comb off 25% because the bees messed it up the first time. Built comb perpendicular to foundation in most cases or started building free form off the frames between the foundation. I know a few people here use wired wax foundation entirely. How long do you estimate you spend on installing and wiring say 10 frames of foundation. I use all mediums for my honey hives but will be building some nucs this year on deep frames as requested by a couple people interested in buying some from me. The medium frames have been fine just using a bobby pin to hold the foundation and haven't crosswired.
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I'm not that fast, but i think i can do 20 frames an hour, i do cross wires (2 across the middle holes, and i have to drill the holes in the side bars. I like the hooked wired foundation and frames with the slotted bottom bar. I also use the elec. embeder and the star hand held embeder, i do brood and super boxes the same. I just ordered 100 deep frames from our club member who makes and sells them for $1.00 ec. put together, (just the frame not the foundation) if your time means anything, i don't think i could make them for that? My bees like wax foundation better than the stinky plastic foundation, and i have never had them draw half frames or build what i call snakes across foundation when i use bees wax foundation ;D Jack
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Do you have a jig or fixture to hold the frame and foundation when embedding? I can make something if I have to.
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Yes i built a jig that will hold the spool of wire on one end and the table that will hold either deep or med. frames. Maybe someone on here has one they can post a picture of. I'm going to try and learn how to post pictures this year. Jack
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I need to replace some plastic frames with wood frames and wired wax foundation. The problem is that we have to travel 6 hours round trip to pick up the wax foundation. The bee companies say that in the cold weather the wax foundation can fracture in shipping. How do you guys obtain your wired wax foundation?
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I need to replace some plastic frames with wood frames and wired wax foundation. The problem is that we have to travel 6 hours round trip to pick up the wax foundation. The bee companies say that in the cold weather the wax foundation can fracture in shipping. How do you guys obtain your wired wax foundation?
My dad has a co-worker that goes to Dadant weekly for a meeting. I only live 1.5 hrs away from the Hamilton location if I really need something, I can have it that day.
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Not Fair ;) 8)
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Get the frames all cleaned up, rewired and ready for the new foundation, or built and wired, and wait for the weather to warm up, then get it delivered. it takes no time at all to install the foundation once the frames are prepped and ready.
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I use a holder for the wire, but not the frame. I wire the same as jack. I wire the frames before installing the wax. I embed with an electric embedder and transformer from Walter T. Kelley. I use a 1X6 that fits inside the frame laying on the table to embed.Since I do most of mine while training a new beek, and letting them do most of them, it takes much longer than it should. I buy wax in the summer and always buy extra, as my trainees will be wanting some, too.
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No comment to all the stuff you need and time it takes. :P :D
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Here is a few pics of how I do it. I like to put the foundation in first myself.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs29.postimg.cc%2Fae0bmomhv%2FIMG_0523.jpg&hash=dfcaf3e505d124dbd184183f4619ab2832b0952c) (http://postimg.cc/image/ae0bmomhv/)
Wire holder and frame holder (copied from Walter Kelley), no. 15 torx driver, star wire embedder, needle nose pliers with cutters, small hammer, jar to hold small nails and brass eyelets.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs18.postimg.cc%2Fk4p971sc5%2FIMG_0526.jpg&hash=3dad0fc5bf594ac3c3b7fcf0d7dca28feb11338c) (http://postimg.cc/image/k4p971sc5/)
Brass eyelet on the torx driver, I find this works better than the eyelet setting tool you can buy.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs12.postimg.cc%2Fo1smsnae1%2FIMG_0527.jpg&hash=cd01e6416e80e70fe7096b9506892862924f6921) (http://postimg.cc/image/o1smsnae1/)
Installing the eyelets.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs11.postimg.cc%2Ffbk2bftq7%2FIMG_0528.jpg&hash=f2f2ffacd2470bee9ca5787a2a66bcb0d52f9c30) (http://postimg.cc/image/fbk2bftq7/)
Drive small nail in the end bar between the eyelets. This is for the cross wiring to attach to.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs30.postimg.cc%2Fceh7wnmy5%2FIMG_0530.jpg&hash=d3ef4727a7b71b227e6594637c6dd3fe84ddb7f2) (http://postimg.cc/image/ceh7wnmy5/)
Foundation installed and wedge nailed in. I use three small nails and wired foundation with hooks.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs23.postimg.cc%2Fgc91ocq6f%2FIMG_0531.jpg&hash=f251ed79a3c69955af38e2d46a1705637a4d121d) (http://postimg.cc/image/gc91ocq6f/)
Run the wire through the top set of eyelets, then through the bottom set of eyelets. Three turns around the small nail in the end bar.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs30.postimg.cc%2Ft5bfobvu5%2FIMG_0533.jpg&hash=0dc1d1698f2fc53c0a5e973622ce00edba6ece22) (http://postimg.cc/image/t5bfobvu5/)
With the needle nose pliers I give a couple of good tugs to pull the slack out of it and then three wraps around the nail.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs27.postimg.cc%2Fbislg21qn%2FIMG_0534.jpg&hash=fe34fadef7b8c81d5570c16ea89c8c419e9705a7) (http://postimg.cc/image/bislg21qn/)
Drive the small nail home, I do like to pull the ends of the wires up parallel to the end bar so they will be embedded into the wood and not prick your fingers.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs4.postimg.cc%2F70um5gl2x%2FIMG_0535.jpg&hash=d54c79460534c6c86339244c2d974640ab61b78a) (http://postimg.cc/image/70um5gl2x/)
Trim the wire ends off, give another tap with the hammer to embed the wires into the wood.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs16.postimg.cc%2Fajiiowg1d%2FIMG_0536.jpg&hash=acd2540212e58ba99b904315b50d4db818c2398b) (http://postimg.cc/image/ajiiowg1d/)
Run the star wheel across both wires and you are done. It works best when the wax is at around a minimum of 70* F. This wax was a little cold and somewhat brittle.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs1.postimg.cc%2Fgma1df4sr%2FIMG_0537.jpg&hash=707a876895a9d672c8d1fe8410d11e012781d37e) (http://postimg.cc/image/gma1df4sr/)
A finished frame. Once I get cranking on them it takes less than 2 minutes per frame.
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:photos: g, great pix and great tutorial!
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Jen i just received an order yesterday from mann lake 25lbs of thin surplus foundation medium not one sheet damaged. what size did you need as i have some extra medium sheets.
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Hey Rod! I love how beekeepers are so generous! Thank you for that offer. As of yesterday I found a Dadant outlet about 3 hours away from me. I'm going to purchase wired wax foundation from them and the fella on the phone said he would double box my order for me. I thought that that was just Darn nice of him.
I hope you will cross wire your foundation, I'm going to cross wire mine as well.
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:photos: g, great pix and great tutorial!
:yah: :agree:
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Nice G!! Need to use those pics in a do it yourself stand alone post!!
I use all mediums and I dont wire them usually.. when I do (usually in supers) I use a single wire across the lower 1/3 of the frame.. but let the bees build around it rather than using foundation. I have also found that using the support pins instead of wire usually gives me enough strength to extract with no problems. In the event I have moved a brood frame into a super, simply drilling with my battery powered drill and shoving a support pin through makes a world of difference on a comb that is not securely fastened on all sides.
But,,, in my case, if there is a blowout the wife gets all giddy with joy because she gets MOARRR WAX....
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DLMKA I just posted in do it yourself plans & prints how I built my electric embedder hope it helps you and others. I will next post my cross wire fixture in the next day or so.