Newbie and embedding wire in natural foundation
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That is an incredibly kind offer. I am stubborn though and am determined to make my first 100 sheets work! I think the crimped wire foundation just creates too much interference to be able to use electricity to heat the horizontal wires I've put in the medium frames. Heating up my embedding tool and a little bit of the wax is working ok for the little that I have left to do. It's unlikely my queen will lay eggs where I've put my wire, but maybe on my next 100 they'll be even prettier. I might even be efficient at it if I get to 500 or 1000 frames in this adventure called bee keeping.
I will say that my previous questions on the best way to install the wedges was really helpful. I had been clipping the long wire hooks off of the sheet if they weren't close to a 90 deg. angle as was suggested. I got distracted on one sheet and missed a really bad wire. Lo and behold that end of the sheet was a warped mess and I knew exactly how to remedy it. Sometimes it's the little things that keep me going!
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If you are both stubborn and observant you will get it figured out. Re Rolands offered visit; don't "look that gift horse in the teeth"!
I played around with the spur embedder and dismissed it. Problem is you have to have the wax plenty warm or you risk shattering comb to vertical wire bond. It does not embed the transverse wire deeply and the wax does not heal over the transverse wire like it does when the resistance heated wire is pushed down into it and recongeals above the wire. With resistance heating when you get pressure, heat and timing just right you will often see some of the wire peeking through on the reverse side especially so if you are crimping the cross wire as you appear to be doing. I have had the spur embedded wire come loose. If you use that process do not take your freshly embedded frames out to store a 20 below shed. The wire and the wax have enough difference in expansion to pop them loose and the bees often do not incorporate them well, but chew a hole instead.
I see in one of your pics that you are alternating transverse wires. Some batches of vertical wired foundation have a lot of memory in the vertical wires and may want to curve. On deeps especially you may want to put the top and bottom wire on one side of the sheet and the two middle wires on the opposite side of the curve. Some batches lie nicely flat others really need attention. It has already been mentioned to correct hook wires to a true 90 deg. bend. Warm the foundation above room temp. to prevent shattering the bond with the wax. Down by the wood stove is my foundation installing spot.
I played around with the spur embedder and dismissed it. Problem is you have to have the wax plenty warm or you risk shattering comb to vertical wire bond. It does not embed the transverse wire deeply and the wax does not heal over the transverse wire like it does when the resistance heated wire is pushed down into it and recongeals above the wire. With resistance heating when you get pressure, heat and timing just right you will often see some of the wire peeking through on the reverse side especially so if you are crimping the cross wire as you appear to be doing. I have had the spur embedded wire come loose. If you use that process do not take your freshly embedded frames out to store a 20 below shed. The wire and the wax have enough difference in expansion to pop them loose and the bees often do not incorporate them well, but chew a hole instead.
I see in one of your pics that you are alternating transverse wires. Some batches of vertical wired foundation have a lot of memory in the vertical wires and may want to curve. On deeps especially you may want to put the top and bottom wire on one side of the sheet and the two middle wires on the opposite side of the curve. Some batches lie nicely flat others really need attention. It has already been mentioned to correct hook wires to a true 90 deg. bend. Warm the foundation above room temp. to prevent shattering the bond with the wax. Down by the wood stove is my foundation installing spot.
Ok! My type A personality wants both functional and beautiful frames. I’m sure I will look at my first 100 and just shake my head. February sounds like a great time to meet, Roland. By then I will have the rest of my frames wired and ready for foundation.
Crofter, I did start weaving my foundation sheets in between the two transverse wires shortly after I took photos of first fails.l, but I did so indiscriminately. I will pay closer attention to the shape/curve of the existing crimped wire moving forward. Thank you!
Crofter, I did start weaving my foundation sheets in between the two transverse wires shortly after I took photos of first fails.l, but I did so indiscriminately. I will pay closer attention to the shape/curve of the existing crimped wire moving forward. Thank you!
moussy
if you are using J hook foundation the "curve" should be somewhat consistent either over 90 degree bend or under.
if they are bad sometimes I cut off every other hook still hangs but then has less bow, bending the wire also works but as Crofter states the wax may break from the wire, As I do this in winter, been there.
BTW let that type A thing go....these are a box of bugs...
As my uncle used to say there is prefect and there is done, sometime each has use.
keep up the good work
GG
Moussy
click on a persons Avtar
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GG
click on a persons Avtar
then click on start conversation
a pop up come up for title and conversation box to fill.
then click your own avatar in the upper right of the BS page
and look in conversations for a reply or to edit your conversation
scroll to the bottom of the page and click start conversation.
I'll send you a short one
GG
And Roland saves the day! I have over 50 foundations to go and his embedding device works like a charm. I am going to take some detailed photos and put my Dad (retired lineman) on the task the next time I head to La crosse. Thank you all! I truly appreciate it.
I finally got around to taking photos of the 2 embedding devices Roland loaned me. I ended up using the first and "walked" it along the wire. The lightbulbs also worked brilliantly (pun intended) to indicate when the right amount of contact was made with the horizontal wire on my frames, though I think their main purpose is to provide resistance? I still managed to melt a few small holes into my foundation due to operator error, but I finished 50 frames easily one evening.
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