Author Topic: Wiring Frames (Read 26605 times)

Dunkel · « **on:** February 26, 2014, 11:38:32 am »

For those of you who wire frames, how tight do you get the wire. I see where many clamp and do other things to get them ultra tight. I just pull it tight by hand and tie off and can't any problems. I guess I am asking about any advantages about getting it super tight.

G3farms · « **Reply #1 on:** February 26, 2014, 12:07:25 pm »

I just pull mine by hand, well actually with needle nose pliers. It makes a pretty good twang sound, no problems here.

DLMKA · « **Reply #2 on:** February 26, 2014, 02:15:38 pm »

I just added a peg and toggle clamp to my form board that squeezes the endbars in a little. It was $13 and made it easier to keep the wire tight.

robo · « **Reply #3 on:** February 26, 2014, 03:18:33 pm »

Hand tight and then a hand crimper. I wish they had these years ago. I use to wedge out the bottom bar to pull the sides in. The hand crimper makes life so much easier.

Dunkel · « **Reply #4 on:** February 26, 2014, 04:48:37 pm »

Robo I have wondered about those. How do they work? I have just been getting it tight and rolling it in with the pizza cutter/ spur wheel.

robo · « **Reply #5 on:** February 26, 2014, 05:35:19 pm »

Quote from: Dunkel on February 26, 2014, 04:48:37 pm

Robo I have wondered about those. How do they work?

I got a yellow one when they first came on the market and it was junk, wheels kept locking up. I have since purchased a couple or red ones and I don't know how I lived without this tool before. Simple, quick and does a real professional job

Dunkel · « **Reply #6 on:** February 26, 2014, 05:43:09 pm »

So it crimps the wire to tighten it up after you have it wired, but before rolling it in?

G3farms · « **Reply #7 on:** February 26, 2014, 05:53:33 pm »

Yep! After you have your wire in place clamp the gear toothed wheels on the wire and pull it across them. It crimps the wire thus taking up the slack. Works like a pair of spring loaded pliers.

robo · « **Reply #8 on:** February 26, 2014, 06:08:02 pm »

Quote from: Dunkel on February 26, 2014, 05:43:09 pm

So it crimps the wire to tighten it up after you have it wired, but before rolling it in?

G3farms · « **Reply #9 on:** February 26, 2014, 06:11:26 pm »

Rob he means rolling it into the wax foundation with a star wheel.

iddee · « **Reply #10 on:** February 26, 2014, 06:48:47 pm »

Sounds like Rob has learned how much easier it is to wire if done before installing the wax.

WIRE

CRIMP

INSTALL WAX

EMBED

Dunkel · « **Reply #11 on:** February 26, 2014, 06:50:04 pm »

Where did the good one come from , if you don't mind me asking? As far as that goes, where did the bad one come from?

Dunkel · « **Reply #12 on:** February 26, 2014, 07:14:33 pm »

Looked on ebay, since I didn't want to have to order one from Kelleys or dadant unless I get a bunch of stuff. Crazy Ky charges sales tax on bee supplies but no other ag stuff. Any way they were all yellow

tecumseh · « **Reply #13 on:** February 26, 2014, 07:39:49 pm »

I use a wiring jig. Really a quite home made affair. It uses a toggle clam and a nail to slight bow the end bars inward. It is set up with everal old wood thread spools to turn the wire back in the other direction. When removed the wire should play like a cheap banjo.

On deeps I use four wires for standard foundation and two wires for ripple wire foundation. For a long time I used gromets but now I simply use 1/4 inch staples.

robo · « **Reply #14 on:** February 26, 2014, 07:57:39 pm »

I'm not sure where the yellow one came from (Betterbee or Brushy most likely), it was probably 10 years ago. I know the first good one I got came from Dadant, picked it up in High Springs, FL. When they first came out they were like $10-15, now you can get them for $5.

Here is an old picture of my wiring/embedding board. You can see how I use to wedge the bottom bar out to get the wire tight, but even that was a challenge. With these crimpers, you can take a super loose wire and tighten it right up.

Dunkel · « **Reply #15 on:** February 26, 2014, 08:31:14 pm »

A picture is worth a thousand words. I bet that crimper would be nice on tightening wires when replacing combs with foundation. Especially when that haven't been crimped before. I have found that the stainless wire is worth a little more than the tin. The tin may rust where the stainless is newer looking.

I may bite the bullet and order one up from Dadant. I have about 400 frames to wire up in the next few weeks. Probably not many snow days left here in KY. I hope.

tecumseh · « **Reply #16 on:** February 27, 2014, 06:28:15 am »

a snip..
I bet that crimper would be nice on tightening wires when replacing combs with foundation.

tecumseh...
you are absolutely correct about this assumption although it really seems to make little difference if the use frame had wire that was tensioned or not. once used the wire always appears a bit saggy to me.....

Beeracuda · « **Reply #17 on:** March 03, 2014, 05:28:59 pm »

What is the diameter of the wire in inches? I have stainless safety wire that I rarely use anymore and I could wire frames and tighten them up rather well with my safety wire pliers.

Dunkel · « **Reply #18 on:** March 03, 2014, 07:59:37 pm »

I think mine is 26-28 gauge. I'm not sure how that translates to inches.

While discussing wiring, does anyone else cross wire in a x pattern instead of across horizontally in deep frames?

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #19 on:** March 04, 2014, 09:08:49 am »

If the wires are not tight, i put a wood wedge under the wire on the side bar. Jack