Stainless Steel Wire Crimper - Frame Wire Tensioner

A Frame Wire Crimper That Pulls Slack Wire Taut in Seconds

Every wired frame goes slack eventually. The timber dries and shrinks, the eyelets work loose, and the wire stretches a fraction each time the frame goes through the extractor. One day you pluck a wire that used to ping and get a dull thud instead. Foundation on a slack wire sags, bows in the heat and breaks out in the extractor, and re-stringing a frame that is otherwise fine is a job nobody enjoys.

A wire crimper fixes that in a few seconds per wire. Squeeze the toothed wheels onto the wire and run them along its length, and they press a tight zigzag into the steel. The zigzag shortens the wire's path, pulls the slack out and leaves it taut again without touching the eyelets or the frame. This one is stainless steel throughout, so it shrugs off honey, propolis and the wash-down afterwards.

Why Crimped Wire Holds Foundation Better

A crimp does two things: it tightens the wire and it roughens it. Smooth wire embedded in wax can slide, so the foundation creeps and the comb can shear off the wire under load. Crimped wire grips. The foundation stays where it was set, and drawn comb carries the wire through the extractor instead of tearing away from it. With wax foundation, crimp before you embed and you will have fewer frames fail on harvest day.

When to Use It and When Not To

It is for tightening wire that is already strung and has gone a little slack, and for giving new wire some bite before embedding. It will not rescue a wire that has pulled through an eyelet or snapped, and it does nothing for plastic foundation frames, which have no wire to tension. If you are wiring frames from scratch, pair it with a roll of frame wire and a wiring bench, and crimp each wire as you go.

Specifications

• Material: stainless steel
• Function: crimps and tensions frame wire in a single pass
• Suits: standard beekeeping frame wire, stainless or galvanised
• Use: on assembled, wired frames before embedding foundation

What does a frame wire crimper do?

You squeeze its toothed wheels onto the wire and run them along it. They press a zigzag into the steel, which pulls the slack out and leaves the wire taut.

Do I need to re-string the frame?

No. The crimper tightens the wire without touching the eyelets or the frame, so re-stringing is not needed for wire that has only gone slack.

What is it made of?

Stainless steel throughout, so it shrugs off honey, propolis and the wash-down afterwards.

How long does each wire take?

A few seconds per wire.

Why crimp wire before embedding foundation?

Crimped wire grips the wax, so the foundation stays where it was set and the comb is less likely to shear off the wire under load.

Can it fix a wire that has snapped?

No. It will not rescue a wire that has pulled through an eyelet or snapped.

Does it work on plastic foundation frames?

No. Plastic foundation frames have no wire to tension.

What wire does it suit?

Standard beekeeping frame wire, stainless or galvanised.

Why does frame wire go slack?

The timber dries and shrinks, the eyelets work loose and the wire stretches a fraction each time the frame goes through the extractor.

Can I use it when wiring new frames?

Yes. Pair it with a roll of frame wire and a wiring bench, and crimp each wire as you go to give it some bite before embedding.