Frame Wiring Equipment

Frame wiring equipment is the hand tools and jigs used to string wire across hive frames, fix it in place and embed it in the foundation: chief among them are the wire spool, the wiring board, the wire tensioner and crimper, the eyelet punch, the electric wire embedder and the spur embedder. The right equipment lets you wire hundreds of frames quickly, tightly and neatly. On this page you will find what each tool is for, how to choose according to the size of your operation and how to use it safely.

What equipment do you need for wiring frames?

Wiring can be done with a few simple tools; but as the number of frames grows, a good jig both saves time and gives the same tension in every frame. The basic equipment falls into four groups:

• Wire and spool: Stainless frame wire and a spool holder that pays it out without tangling.
• Tensioning devices: Wiring board, clamp, wire tensioner and wire crimper.
• Fixing materials: Small nails, hammer, pliers, side cutters, metal eyelets and an eyelet punch.
• Embedding equipment: Electric wire embedder (transformer), spur embedder and embedding board.

Wire and wire spool holder

Frame wire is usually sold as stainless steel, about 0.4–0.5 mm in diameter, wound on a spool. If the spool is mounted on a holder that turns freely on a spindle, the wire can be drawn off without kinking or tangling. Kinked, bent wire does not tension evenly and breaks easily.

For batch work a wire-length template is useful: the length of wire needed for one frame is measured once, marked on a board, and the wire for each frame is cut to this length. This eliminates both wasted wire and wire that comes up short.

Wiring boards and wire-tensioning devices

Wiring board (wiring jig)

A device that holds the frame steady and can bow the end bars slightly inwards with a lever or screw. The wire is tensioned and fixed while the end bars are bowed; when the jig is released, the end bars spring back to their original position and tension the wire further. A simple clamp does the same job. A wiring board is the easiest way to get the same tension across a large number of frames.

Wire tensioner

A hand tool that grips the wire at one end and pulls it tight run by run. Even without a wiring board the wire can be tensioned adequately with this tool. Care should be taken not to pull the frame out of square while tensioning.

Wire crimper

A tool that puts small waves into the wire as it is passed between two toothed rollers. The crimped wire shortens, which increases the tension; the wavy wire also grips the foundation better. Over-crimping can weaken the wire.

Wire-fixing materials and the eyelet punch

• Small nails and hammer: Both ends of the wire are fixed by winding them around small nails driven into the outer face of the end bar.
• Pliers and side cutters: For winding and bending the wire and cutting off the excess.
• Frame stapler: Used to join the bars during assembly; some beekeepers also fix the wire ends with staples.
• Metal eyelets and eyelet punch: Small metal rings are fitted into the wire holes in the end bars; the eyelet stops the taut wire from cutting into the soft wood and enlarging the hole. The punch seats the eyelet in the hole and flares its rim (details on the "Metal Eyelets for Frames" page).

Wire-embedding equipment

Electric wire embedder

A low-voltage transformer or a suitable battery passes a brief current through the wire via two leads connected to its two ends. The wire heats up, melts the wax beneath it and sinks into the sheet; when the current is cut, the wax sets again at once. Because all the wires are embedded in a single operation, it gives a fast, neat result.

Spur embedder

A small wheel with a grooved, toothed rim. Rolled along the wire, it presses the wire into the wax. It can be used cold, but gives better results when used warm or dipped in warm water. It is cheap and needs no electricity; it is enough for a small number of frames.

Embedding board

A flat board cut to the inside dimensions of the frame that fully supports the underside of the sheet. Without a board, the sheet bends or breaks while the wire is being embedded. Lightly wetting the surface of the board keeps the sheet from sticking.

What should you look for when choosing wiring equipment?

• Fit for your frame size: The wiring board and embedding board must fit the frame type you use (Langstroth, Dadant etc.).
• Sturdiness: The wooden or metal body of the wiring board must not flex under load.
• Adjustable heat or time: In electric embedders, controlling the current time keeps the sheet from being cut.
• Stainless surfaces: Parts that touch wire and wax must not rust.

How do you wire frames with this equipment? (quick workflow)

1. Place a square frame whose glue has dried on the wiring board; fit eyelets in the holes if needed.
2. Use the board to bow the end bars slightly inwards.
3. Fix the wire to a nail, thread it zigzag through the holes, tension it run by run and fix the other end.
4. Release the board; test the tension with a finger and use the crimper if needed.
5. Fit the foundation, set the frame on the embedding board and embed the wire.

Equipment care and common mistakes

• Wax residue: Wax building up on the embedding board and spur embedder should be cleaned off regularly.
• Checking leads and clips: The leads and clips of the electric embedder must not be worn; damaged leads must not be used.
• Damp storage: The wire spool and tools should be kept in a dry place.
• Forcing the wire too hard without a wiring board and pulling the frame out of square.
• Using very tight wire in soft wood without eyelets; the hole widens over time.
• Keeping the current on too long while embedding and cutting through the sheet.