From: Barry Birkey <barry@birkey.com>
Date: Tue, 02 Apr 2002 00:05:17 -0600
To: BioBee List <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: wiring and waxing

Hi all -

Here is another approach to embedding, found in BC, June, 1967

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Wiring and Waxing
"With practice, this is a simple operation."

FRED E. ZOERB
Irwin, Pa.

FOR BROOD and super frames I very much prefer using medium brood foundation
and hand-wired frames. I feel that when the, wire is correctly embedded in
the wax it supports the foundation much better than when using other
methods. It will handle the weight of brood and honey in higher temperatures
as well as pressures of high speed extracting.

The frames are wired in the usual manner using brass eyelets in the
pre-drilled holes on the end bars; however, I securely nail the steel wire
in place at either end and pull it up very tight. It should "sing" when
plucked with the finger, rather than just emit a dull "plunk".

To embed the foundation correctly the wired frame is set over a piece of
plywood 7" x 16-1/2" x 3/4" which supports the wire. Then a sheet of
foundation is inserted in the groove in the top bar and laid over the wire.
The foundation is then fastened to the top bar by the wedge. Another piece
of plywood 7" x 16-1/2" X 1/2" is laid on top of the sheet of foundation
sandwiching the wire and foundation together. When heat is applied to the
wire the wire is embedded in the wax uniformly. With practice, this is a
simple operation. Too much heat on the wire merely slices the wax into
strips; where-as, too little heat will not sufficiently melt the wax and let
it harden around each strand of wire. By running your fingers lightly over
the top piece of plywood you apply just enough pressure over the entire area
at the same time.

The electrical heat source for heating the wire was an invention by my
partner, Andy Barco. As a retired electrician, he knew just what we needed
to give us the correct temperature for embedding the wire and scrounged up
all the parts at no cost to us. As the pictures indicate, it is simply an
old radio chassis with a transformer, resistor, plug and two wires used to
make the connection to the wired frame. The transformer is the stepdown
type, it has an input voltage of 120 V. AC. and an output of 12 V. A.C. This
voltage is further channeled through a heavy duty variable resistor of 22
ohms. The resistor is from an old X-ray unit once used by the Army and is
wire wound with a knob that enables the resistance to be changed and
thereby, the final voltage also. With a little practice, we found the best
setting for brood frames and also for smaller super frames and subsequently
marked these on the chassis top. The brood frames with more wire took
slightly more current to produce the correct heat than did the super frames.

On the wire used to make the connection to the frames, we first used
alligator clips, these proved too cumbersome and we finally settled on small
flat metal eyelets crimped on the ends of the wire. These are slipped
between the wire and the wood at either end of the frame. By giving the wire
a slight twist before the end is inserted, pressure is maintained on the
clip, insuring a good connection to the wired frame.

We have had very good luck with this contraption; it is easy with two
persons working, to run the frames through a kind of assembly line. You may
ruin a few sheets of foundation, but keep practicing with the pieces. It is
really very simple.