Support Pins or Wire??

[buzz]

Well, I think I'm going to get crimp-wired wax foundation for the brood boxes of my next hives. I read on here that wiring the frames is better than support pins. Are the support pins adequate for brood, or should I wire them? I know that wiring can be tough, so if I could get by with support pins I'd rather do that.

[golfpsycho]

Pins will probably work fine for you.  I think alot of preferences are what you learn on.  I learned on old wired frames, and prefer them.  I rotate boxes to push for big colonys, at the same time I feel it relieves brood nest congestion.  There is alot of discussion about this, but it seems to work for me, old George swears by it, so why not?  The result is that almost any frame could eventually end up in the extractor, so I like the added strength of wired frames.  I also don't want wavy or sagging comb when they are drawing it out.   Just makes a mess of things,  the possibility of more drone comb in the brood nest etc.  They will chew up and rebuild drone comb anywhere they think they need it anyway, so why encourage them?

I'm not the biggest fan of the plastic foundations or fully drawn plastic frames.  After all, bees naturally secrete wax, not plastic.  Might was well give them something to do with it.  I might feel differently if I had suffered great amounts of wax moth or rodent damage, but I haven't.  Old dogs and new tricks I guess... we don't do change well.

[Anonymous]

Ive used pins and four wire as well as two wires. Don't care for the pins because if the girls chew some of the foundation away there is no support in that area. Four wires are ok for the people who can string and tighten it with out a problem. Me I like two wires one on one side of the foundation and one on the other side.
Just the way I was taught by one of the old timers.
:D Al

[Robo]

Not a big fan of pins either.  Frames are much more fragile because the pins have such a small contact area with the wax and easily break thru.

[Horns Pure Honey]

I dont have my bees yet but I know for a fact I am getting kripped wire foundation.

[Anonymous]

I might also add that installing pins is time comsuming because you have to line up the slots to go on either side of the foundation.
:D  Al

[wanabee]

I have never used wire in my frames. I use the pins with duragilt foundations. I don't find it to be time consuming either. I would like to try the wire though to see if i like it better. An old beekeeper friend of mine gave me a frame like thingy that you set your frame in top make it easy to wire. i haven't tried it and forgot how he told me to do it. i should take a picture of it so you can all see it. he made it himself

[Rich V]

Just started installing crimped wire into frames. Its alot of work,stringing wire then enbedding in foundation. If that makes the girls happy then I'll be happy too.

 Rich V.

[Bee Boy]

If the wires installed right it should be fine but it couldn't hurt to do both. It makes it last longer.

[Michael Bush]

http://incolor.inetnebr.com/bush/images/FoundationlessFrame1.JPG

I like no pins, no wire and no foundation.  :)  Mine doesn't buckle if the bees don't draw it right away.  :)

And, yes I extract this stuff sometimes.  But mostly I tend to do cut comb with it but I also use it for everything.  Brood, comb, extracted.

http://incolor.inetnebr.com/bush/images/FoundationlessDrawn.JPG

Here's some drawn.