# Do medium frames need to be crosswired ?



## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

hi
no pins. junk. use two cross wires to make a quality frame. the extra time is minor compared to have frames blow up extracting.
as they say the output equalls the input.

good luck, beeware10


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## The Honey Householder (Nov 14, 2008)

Always cross wire. Well worth you time.:thumbsup:


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

I used two cross wires without vertical crimped or anything else running 50 hives.


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## fish_stix (May 17, 2009)

I've never wired medium frames. I do use crimp wired foundation. Can't recall any problems with blowouts, maybe 1 in 3000 frames! We have more blowouts with wired deeps than with unwired mediums.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I have wired foundation to keep it from sagging in mediums. I've never wired for extraction. I use unwired foundationless all the time and extract.


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## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

on all my crimp wire mediums i just pop it in no cross wires but on deeps cross wires are a must


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## gregstahlman (Oct 7, 2009)

didn't know anyone still used crimp wire.  why not use plastic and deal with less hassle? anyways, used to use crimp wire in our medium frames and have not used cross wires or pins in over 30 years. was just always extra carefull when extracting by starting out at very low speeds. IMO, crimp wire is old school and plastic is way better for various reasons.


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

gregstahlman said:


> IMO, crimp wire is old school and plastic is way better....


IMO, plastic _is_ better.... for beekeeper ease of installation. 
We feel beeswax is better for the bees.
But the question was about wiring medium crimpwire..... 
We primarily use crimpwire. We don't wire the mediums but are careful the first year extracting. We do use heavier foundation which isn't quite so fragile, 9 sheets per pound instead of the standard 11.
Sheri


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## chillardbee (May 26, 2005)

When i was using the crimped wire foundation i would only put one wire through the middle and embed it. but that was 12 years ago. i've since been using plastic for everything.


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## peacekeeperapiaries (Jun 23, 2009)

we dont crosswire medium frames and we use crimp wired foundation. No problems extracting as long as the frame is drawn and comb attached on all 4 sides


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## brooksbeefarm (Apr 13, 2008)

I have always crosswired my crimped wire foundation and i don't have blowouts.I think alot is how you handle your frames,if you don't crosswire and handle your frames rough your going to have problems. Plastic foundation? i was wondering what they done with my recycled milk jugs. Jack


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

I cross wire all my mediums with crimp-wired foundation. I figure if I'm going to all the work to put that expensive wax into a frame I want to protect my investment. Most of all, it keeps the foundation from sagging and bowing.

My heart is in plastic foundation, however. But I still use quite a bit of wired wax foundation and when I do, I take the time to cross wire it. Tried the pins and bobby pins and came back to cross wires.

One change, however, I use one strand of wire on one side of the foundation, the other strand on the opposite side. I never imbed the wire and let the bees work around it. That saves quite a bit of time.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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