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Wired

2K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  rtoney 
#1 ·
Do frames have to be wired to use in an extractor or no?
Thanks
 
#2 ·
Nothing in beekeeping is absolute. I don't wire any of my frames and have extracted both deeps and mediums with a hand powered extrator. They extract better tangentially because of they lay up against the basket and are less likely to blow out. Radially (spokes on a tire) they are more prone to blow out. That having been said, I am willing to bet that you can find beekeepers who have wired their frames perfectly and had some blow out both tangentially or radially. "Blank" happens and I have been too lazy and cheap to buy the wire and install. Of course I'm also the same guy who doesn't use foundation so what do I know.

Rod
 
#4 ·
If your comb looks to be in good shape, I would expect it to hold up fine. I had a horizontally wired frame blow out because the bees made a kind of crease on the wire which I think weakened it at that point. Start slow, make sure the comb is warmed up enough and you shouldn't have any issues.
 
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