Embedding wires in foundation

SlickMick · May 31, 2009, 07:33:20 AM

Having done the job of embedding the wires to support the foundation in the frames by using an embedding tool for years, perhaps my lengthening years are catching up on me.. there has to be a better way :?

Well there is and I should have thought of this years ago. I got hold of an old auto 12/24v battery charger. A second or two with the hot ends of the charger cables on each wire and there you go.. nicely done.. a little practice and the wire is midway through the foundation.

Mick

iddee · May 31, 2009, 10:26:13 AM

Embedder and transformer...

I've had mine for years.

https://products.kelleybees.com/wtkprod/default.aspx

bassman1977 · June 02, 2009, 07:49:15 PM

Sorry if this is trivial, but why not just buy foundation with wire already embedded in it?

SlickMick · June 02, 2009, 08:09:03 PM

Quote from: bassman1977 on June 02, 2009, 07:49:15 PM
Sorry if this is trivial, but why not just buy foundation with wire already embedded in it?

I don't know that I have ever seen it like that over here. Doesn't mean that it is not available but that I am unaware of it. Do you have a pic of it that you can post?

Mick

iddee · June 02, 2009, 11:28:38 PM

You can buy it here with vertical wires. Here is one example.

https://products.kelleybees.com/wtkprod/detail.aspx?item=143

Most embedding we talk about is horizontal wires that we add in addition to the vertical wires.

Two Bees · June 03, 2009, 08:40:11 AM

I use crimp wire foundation and then I run horizontal wires just to make sure. And I wire all frames (mediums and deeps). I don't extract with deeps but I want to make sure that the foundation doesn't curl up and out of the frame in the NC sun!

bassman1977 · June 03, 2009, 12:10:04 PM

Quote from: Two Bees on June 03, 2009, 08:40:11 AM
I use crimp wire foundation and then I run horizontal wires just to make sure. And I wire all frames (mediums and deeps).

This is what I do too. Even my foundationless gets wired.

Two Bees · June 04, 2009, 08:51:05 AM

To "hot" embed the wire, I have the typical sprocket "pizza cutter" that I heat up with a small hot plate and slowly run it down the wires.

The hot plate is a small unit for heating up one cup of coffee so it's only about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Gets the sprocket really hot though! You may want to wipe the melted wax off of the sprocket after you embed but before the sprocket cools. Use gloves! If you don't wipe it off, the cooled wax will seize up the sprocket. No problem though since the hot plate will melt it off the very next time you use it!