Wiring the frame

[Jerrymac]

I was just wondering how you tie off one end of the wire so it can be streached like a piano wire and then how to tie it off on the other end.

Just wrap it around the side?

Got pictures?

[Robo]

Small nail in the side of the frame.  Start the nail, wrap the wire around 2-3 times and drive home.


click image for larger view

[Jerrymac]

Well gee, why didn't I think of that?

Thanks.

[Jerrymac]

OK. You know what I have not read in all the stuff that I have read these past few months. HOW DO YOU.... Oh sorry. How do you get the wire tight? I have a dozen cuts and gouges on my hands and The wires look like boiled noodles.

[Horns Pure Honey]

use a pair of needle nosed pliers lol. bye

[Jerrymac]

Details man, details.

I'd get the top strand tight and by the time I got to the third strand the first and second would be loose. So I pull slack here and there as best I could and thought, "I can do this, if I had four hands.'

[Horns Pure Honey]

It sounds like you are either making the rest to tight and making the others slack or your nail isnt holding the wire well. I like these little clips at a little hardware store in town that the wire gets cliped into and tied and twisted till tight. I dont know the name but I am shure you could find some. It is kinda like the things that you put in a cattle fence to tighten it latter after they lean against it for a while, they are like turn buckels, or what ever they are called, bye

[Jerrymac]

I tie the end of the wire to a nail after threading it through the holes in the frame. I thought it would be as easy as grabbing the other end and pull it tight but, it won't tighten around a corner. So I try one wire at a time. Pull the first wire tight and work the slack around the corner to the next level. After pulling that one tight the ends sort of bow in a little and the first is loose. As I pull one of the levels the sides bow in and loosens the others. If I don't pull it that hard then the level I am working on doesn't get tight. It would work out great if it would pull around a corner, then the bowed frame sides would tighten all of it at once.

Is this making sense?

Now if I could somehow put a turn buckle in there, It still would not tighten around a corner. I have seen some metal eyelets in betterbee catalogue. Would those let the wire slide around them? I do have them on order but will be over a week getting here.

I have thought about taking a clamp and bowing the sides in, then thread the wire as tight as I can then take the clamp off letting the un=bowing pull the wires tight. You think they will get tight enough that way?

[Horns Pure Honey]

I like the eyelets. They alow it to stay tight and move when you are doing it. bye

[golfpsycho]

are you putting the eyelets in?  metal eyelet inserts into the holes?  I always fing it easier to get the nails started and almost in before putting the frame in the wiring jig.  Next time around... I just pry the nail up and go again.   One continuous wire

Sounds like your wire is biting into the wood and sticking

[Jerrymac]

Well I don't have the eyelets yet, was trying the staple method. Also probably the wire I am using is too stiff. A friend of mine said this stuff was a bear to work with as he handed it to me. What did he say it was.... I thought it must be expensive by the name of it... Silver Solder??? Something one puts two pieces of metal together with. Doesn't tarnish or rust. I usually just weld two pieces of metal together. I was actually trying to make some swarm catcher frames. Why do they call them swarm catchers, swarms don't have comb do they? Anyway just grabbing up stuff as substitutes for other stuff I'm still waiting on just in case I can't talk these people into waiting a while for me to get the bees.

What the heck, I can't work unless I'm under pressure.

[Horns Pure Honey]

Havent you gottn it yet Jerry??? Lol, one point for little brother, lol. bye and good luck with the staple method

[golfpsycho]

Holy smokes... do you need eyelets?  I can go pick up a bag for you and get it in the mail.

I like to give a swarm a frame of brood to tend.  Never had one leave that way.  Extractions are different of course.

Silver solder?  Isn't that for supply side plumbing?  Earth to jerrymac.... come in.... jerrymac.... ..

bahahahahahahahha... sorry. sometimes I just think funny

[Jerrymac]

I don't know what it is for. My friend uses it to put other things together. Not plumbing.

I guess it flew right over my head Ryan, what am I suppose to get? Can't give out points if I don't know what you did to score.

[Robo]

How do you get the wire tight?

Use something to spread the top and bottom bars apart while you wire the frame.  I suggest getting the eyelets and using 1 piece of wire.  Use the needlenose pliers to get it hand tight.  When you release the strain that is spreading the top and bottom bars,  the wire will tighten right up.

[Jerrymac]

I think I got that. By spreading the top and bottom it pulls in the sides. Correct?

Are you pulling my leg? I just grabbed a frame and was afraid of breaking it before they even expanded very much.

[Robo]

Notice the block I screwed on my frame jig,  and the little spacer I place between that block ant the bottom bar.

[Jerrymac]

I will give it a try. Thanks

[Anonymous]

Even with the eyelets it is diffacult to get the stainless steel wire sold for this to tighten around the corners.
(1 I use only two wires in brood comb frames.
 I have to do some 4 wire frames as trades for swarms caught and given to me by some one who wants 4 wires.
(2 for that I wire the frame with out foundation, clamp the frame, and use a clamp to bow the frame and work the wires aroind the corners with a wedge stick I made.
Also our wire is on a spool and we turn the spoon in the oppsite dericton to take up the slack.

I really think you would find it easier if you were using the correct gauge wire. Silver sodier is used when making jewelery.
  Al

[latebee]

Another idea is to use staples, the small ones  from your staple gun near the holes in the endbars as  they stop the wire from cutting into the wood.