[Nicksotherhoney]

Just put together some frames with wax/ wired foundation and noticed some of the foundation bows.. what causes this?

 

[Akademee]

You might have it held to tightly and the expansion/contraction of the wooden frame, wax, or wire. It is also possible that your frame is a bit too small or it isn't the proper style. If the bowing is not really that much, the bees will not care.

 

[crofter]

Is it hook wired or not? Are you cross wiring and embedding or attempting to use split pins through the wiring holes? Are the vertical wires standing on the bottom of the bottom bar groove? Wax foundation should hang not stand.

The bees wont care if it curves, but you will when you have interfering surfaces on capped cells. Good way to roll queens when you pull frames. Even rolled workers gives off alarm phermones that make a colony harder to work.

 

[Clayton Huestis]

Doesn't sound like they cross wired or used pins. Hot weather can also cause sagging. Heck gravity can cause sagging. Horizontal support is really important. Personally I'd skip pins they don't work as well as a quick loop of cross wiring.

 

[JWPalmer]

The hooks on a lot of wired wax foundation are not bent at a 90° angle. When you nail down the wedge, it makes the top of the hook parallel to the top bar and the sheet of foundation will bow. Use a pair of pliers to bend each hook to form a right angle and you wont have as much of a problem. Heat will still cause bowing in between the wires, but it is minor. Use the foundation pins for securing the sides or in a pinch, you can use bobby pins.

I am assuming you do not have framing wire and an embedder.

 

[Trin]

I noticed that some of the unassembled frame kits seem to be made for plastic foundation. ?? The slot in the bottom strip isn't that deep and is kind of wide. Plus there is no nailing strip. I like the bottom wood strip slot to be cut through the bottom. That way any change in height allows the foundation to remain straight. I inherited a whole bunch of improperly assembled frames. The wired wax foundation is too tall for the frame by about 1/8 inch. Will be melting a bunch of badly warped combs. It is just a mess to manage a hive with lots of them. I don't think the bees like them either. They seem to jump on straight foundation first, and draw out the warped stuff last. probably has something to do with proper bee space. Some of the warped foundation frames show a lot of crazy comb. Nor is it good for the queen, cell depth matters in the brood nest.

 

[Nicksotherhoney]

I don’t have an embedder. It does seem to be about an 1/8 too long.. no wire loops at the end of foundation either just straight wire. Hopefully that picture helps

 

[crab414]

I've got the same problem. I found that after I remove the cleat, I have to take my knife and remove the ridge. The cleats seldom break cleanly, never on Mann Lakes and better on Better Bee's. I still have to cross wire though. I think I got second rate foundation as the hooks are not at a 90 degree angle. I'm playing with going foundation less on my brood boxes and plastic for the supers.

 

[Nicksotherhoney]

I was thinking about cutting the excess off and then making holes to run fishing line for support

 

[wildbranch2007]

whose frames are they? Mann Lake frames are to short for wax unless you use the bottom that has a slot all the way through, they tell you that in the catalog, of course in today's world none of us use the catalog.

 

[Nicksotherhoney]

It’s a brick mortar shop that primarily sales Mann lake

 

[Nicksotherhoney]

That would explain it thank you.

 

[Gray Goose]

Just put together some frames with wax/ wired foundation and noticed some of the foundation bows.. what causes this?

Nick, I am assuming you used the wire embedded with hooks. I have seen this as well.
either the wax is a bit too log for the opening and bows or the hooks not being at 90 Degrees are causing it.
try looser or tighter nailing of the wedge bar when nailing.
Also if these are old frames being re done, be sure to clean out the bottom bar well, a medium flat blade screw drive works.
I had some that was bad, I ended up cutting off all but 3 hooks each end and one in the middle. Also bending them to a 90 with a pliers helps.
real PITA IMO with the hook wire but it is what I use.

GG

 

[crofter]

I was thinking about cutting the excess off and then making holes to run fishing line for support

Not a good solution. No way to embed the monofiliament into the wax to get a grip on the foundation. Cross wiring elmbedded into the foundation can hang the foundation. Wax foundation wired or not will warp if you try to stand it supported from the bottom. I really do not know what the wired foundation without hooks was designed for! I inherited a bunch and finally resorted to bending new hooks on it but it still needs to be hung in wedge top bars, not grooved top and bottom bars.

If the grooved top bars are not yet assembled the rabbet for the wedge can be cut into it. It requires new wedges to be ripped. I would suggest just putting that no hook foundation on the shelf and order the plastic rite cell or acorn foundation the frame is designed for. When you get equipped you can deal with that later.

I use some odd ball frames to make drone combs which are good to have in the hive. Cross wire with mono or wire and they draw them beautifully. Improperly hung wired foundation is a curse.

wildbranch is spot on about it being explained in the catalogue but unless you already know the relationships, the info goes over the head of most people new to the business. Called threshold knowledge.

Pictures 3, 4, and 5 show slotted or split bottom bar so foundation is free to hang suspended from top anchor or cross wires.

 

[Fivej]

Support rods for the ones you have already assembled will help.
https://www.betterbee.com/hardware/psr16-plastic-support-rods-16-pk.asp