embeding tool, how to use

[MuswellMetro]

found one of these in my father old bits and pieces

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/embedspur.html

and embeding tool

i though it was to cut pastry...ok, so i assume its for wax, does it just press the wire in, or does it creat an impression for cells in plain wax

 

[Repwoc]

The answer's on Dave Cushman's site:

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/embeddingtools.html

p

 

[BKF Admin]

I have a couple of them,what I do is heat up the wires and then use the tool to embed the wax in any areas that the wire is cooler,you can use it without heat/heating just the tool but I find with Thornes wax that the tool gets clogged up fast.

 

[Poly Hive]

It's far far easier to use a battery charger. It also helps enormously to make a jig to hold the frames whilst you wire and then heat same to embed it in the wax so that the wires are lying flat on the foundation.

PH

 

[Finman]

It's far far easier to use a battery charger.

Yes, that is quick and easy.

 

[BKF Admin]

What I do is use a battery charger,I sometimes find that the metal next to the frames does not get as hot as the centre,I then use the embeding tool to just finish off and clean up any wire that has not sunk far enough..
This could be caused by bad tolerence in the wire meaning its a little thicker in places.

 

[Hombre]

A few points if I may:

. . . ,I sometimes find that the metal next to the frames does not get as hot as the centre,I then use the embeding tool to just finish off and clean up any wire that has not sunk far enough..
This could be caused by bad tolerence in the wire meaning its a little thicker in places.

I suspect that most of us use stainless wire, the dimensional tolerance of which is today very good. I suspect that the brass ferrules in the frame to be responsible for the slight variation in temperature in close proximity to the frame.

A slight deviation perhaps:
I use a 12 volt battery charger and the frames have slotted guides in the side bars for the wax.
I embed each wire separately with a crocodile clip attached to the common centre point on the side of the frame and a second clip fixed to the bench (crocodile fashion).

I'm right handed, just for the record.
With my right hand holding the pliers, I twist at the common point while making contact between one of the wire starting points on the bottom side of the frame (stood on end) against the fixed bench contact.

The twisting takes up the slack as the wire expands and embeds into the wax. Adjustments are made with a deft left finger running along the path of the wire (unpowered). The method works well for me, but perhaps wouldn't work at all well if the wax wasn't already largely supported by the grooved side bars.

dave-cushman.net/bee/framewiring

Q: How do you ensure that your wire is properly tensioned after the embedding operation?

I feel that crimping the cold wire does little for final wire tension and is a poor substitute for a tightly wired frame before the embedding takes place.

Opinions please.

Drawing package: Inkscape (SVG).

 

[RoofTops]

I find a crimper works fine after simply hand tightening and then stapling with stainless steel staples. The first staple goes over the wire then I fold the wire back and put in another. Ideally the end of the wire should be pushed back into the brass eyelet so it doesn't poke out and stick in your finger. If the wires go slack after heating they were too hot in my view. It takes only a second or two to melt the wax into the wire.

 

[Hombre]

If the wires go slack after heating they were too hot in my view.

I didn't actually mention the wires going slack after heating, but because the wire expands when heated, visibly so, then that is a good opportunity to get a more effective crimp through the use of a pair of pliers and a bit of wrist action, taking the length out of the expanded wire. Without the expense of a crimper.

However, each to their own as long as it works. I did ask for opinions after all and I appreciate your experience is well established.

Good point about inserting the wire end back into the ferrule. With my relative inexperience I missed that and will doubtless prang a finger to remind me of your good advice.