# Wire Crimper



## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

I wire all my frames and use my own wax foundation. I placed an order with Dadant several weeks back and purchased their wire crimper.

https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1105

I went to use it today. Before I embed new foundation, it's good to crimp the wires so they are nice and taut. I'm sorry, but this crimper is worthless. The wheels won't hardly turn. They just slide along the wire. It's a lousy design. Anyone know where to get a good one? Don't want any plastic in it.


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## NasalSponge (Jul 22, 2008)

Yea, that thing is trash however, I have seen pictures (not sure if it was on here or the "other" forum) that a beek took the rollers off and reworked a pair of needle nose pliers to install them on and said it worked great.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

What it needs is for the heads to be mounted over bearings at the very least. The crimping pressure without bearings, especially when on plastic, keep the heads from turning. I think Dee Lusby had her crimpers custom made as well. They were all metal as I recall.


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## 67630 (Jul 17, 2008)

those crimpers will work ok if you take them apart and grease the stud the wheels are on. Then they turn just fine.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

OOPs. Just ordered one b/c I thought it would save me some time. Guess you shouldn't take short cuts. 

Mike


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## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

yea listen to what micheal says we did the same thing when i used one years ago just take it apart and grease the wheels i think i also took that spring out of the middle for some reason. Nick


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Please forgive my ignorance, but why would you want to make the wire less than straight? We wrap the wire around a nail in the endbar, and then take a small needlenose pliers and make a z in the wire on the outside of the endbar. It should "bing" the right pitch then. The straight, taught wires seem to embed better.

Roland


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

A crimped wire disperses the stress better than a straight wire.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Roland said:


> Please forgive my ignorance, but why would you want to make the wire less than straight?


It's not about the way the wire looks, it's about the wire being tight. In time, most wires lose their twang and simply crimping them twangs them back up.


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## Pugs (Jul 15, 2004)

Question on using wire crimpers, when the wire is crimped, should the crimps go up and down, or side to side?

Just wondering as I plan to wire frames this winter.

Pugs


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## 67630 (Jul 17, 2008)

Really, there is no need to wire at all unless you plan to extract deeps.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Barry - I agree, 

it's about the wire being tight

By making the Z in the wire on the endbar, it is tight, and straight. It works well, embeds well. What an I missing?

I run only deeps.

Roland


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

I wire the same way, but over time, the wire stretches and loses its twang.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Pugs said:


> Question on using wire crimpers, when the wire is crimped, should the crimps go up and down, or side to side?


When you use the crimpers, you'll see that there is only one option. The crimps stay in the plane of the foundation. You'll see.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

michael-bees said:


> Really, there is no need to wire at all unless you plan to extract deeps.


I have to disagree. I have deeps with just wired wax in them, the wires pop out and the comb starts flailing all over the place. 



Barry said:


> I wire the same way, but over time, the wire stretches and loses its twang.


I second that. 

Mike


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## Bob Nelson (Feb 10, 2005)

Pugs said:


> Question on using wire crimpers, when the wire is crimped, should the crimps go up and down, or side to side?
> 
> Pugs


It does not matter as the cell bases vary as much as the crimps.

I got one of the Dadant hand held crimpers this year. At first had troube with it but after I started holding correctly and a firm grip it works fine. Have not used it lately but seems I held frame with end bar up against my chest and crimped from bottom up. I liked it once I got onto it.

I always prided myself with the tensioning of the straight wire but there is stoutness about the crimp that I like. And it was inexpensive.

Bob Nelson


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I bought the plastic handled ones and took them with a pair of cheap lineman's pliers to the local welding shop and got him to make me these:
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/WireCrimpers.JPG


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

I would try welding the pins on the sides of the pliers so a simple squeeze and pull-motion could be used.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I worked it out pretty carefully. An angle was cut on the face of the pliers to get the angle right. Bolts were welded onto that angled face. The rod across gives you something to keep the wire in the wheels while running it. It works perfectly which is more than I can say for the original.


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## Pugs (Jul 15, 2004)

Michael, what angle is it? I'm going to have a pair made and I'd like to get it right the first time.

Thanks,
Pugs


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## Alex Cantacuzene (May 29, 2003)

We have one of those crimper pliers and initially were considering to do the same thing that Michael Bush did. However, with a little experimentation, the crimper as purchased, does fine now. I believe the trick, and that is what Michael has found with the revamp pliers, is that there is a bit of an angle required. Once we were used to holding the pliers a bit upward, in the direction of the crimping motion, it worked great. The crimping actually shortens the overall length of the installed wire and that is what makes it tight. We are doing it and will keep doing it. However, we will do some lubrication on the wheels, good idea! Take care and have fun


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I don't have them handy but it seems like it was about a 45 degree. Maybe a little less, but that seems about right.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

I also found out yesterday that these cheap plastic crimpers work much better if you remove the spring. This allows the wheels to seat better and it doesn't require so much hand pressure to squeeze the wheels together. I'll try lubricating them as well, but I'm going to fabricate the same design, only in metal. I like having my hand right up next to the crimping wheels as opposed to something like pliers.


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## max2 (Dec 24, 2009)

I use this one and it works very well http://www.johnlguilfoyle.com.au/Web pamphlets/How To - Beg a.pdf


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## ukewarrior (Jul 4, 2013)

Michael,
Any chance you could ask this welder if he will make these for beeks?


Michael Bush said:


> I bought the plastic handled ones and took them with a pair of cheap lineman's pliers to the local welding shop and got him to make me these:
> http://www.bushfarms.com/images/WireCrimpers.JPG


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I think he's retired now. But any welder should be able to work from the picture...


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## ukewarrior (Jul 4, 2013)

After some exploring, I found this.
It looks like it would be much easier on your hands than the plastic unit.
I'm going to order one and see how it works.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/320971806320


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## sweetas (Apr 16, 2012)

If you are using new frames, you shouldn't need a crimper. If you make yourself up a board with a toggle on the end to push in the end of the frame.; you should get the wires taught.


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## ukewarrior (Jul 4, 2013)

This is hard to do with medium frames. 
I use all medium wooden ware.


sweetas said:


> If you are using new frames, you shouldn't need a crimper. If you make yourself up a board with a toggle on the end to push in the end of the frame.; you should get the wires taught.


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## jbeshearse (Oct 7, 2009)

ukewarrior said:


> This is hard to do with medium frames.
> I use all medium wooden ware.


No need to crosswire in mediums.


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