Someone on sci.agriculture.beekeeping asked about a simple method to wire
frames.  Here is my cheap and lazy technique, which usually works without
trouble:
 
I only use two wires across each sheet of foundation, to hold it straight
and centered in the (deep) frame.  So I only use the two center-most wire
holes in the end bars.  The upper portion of the sheet is anchored by
the wedge in the top bar, and the lower portion is anchored by its fitting
in to the bottom bar, and being fixed by the bees there as well.
 
I hold the frame in my left hand, and with my right I "thread" the wire
through the eyelets so I have two wires crossing the frame.  Next, I start
a brad (small nail) into the end bar, wrap the end of the wire around it a
few times, and drive it in. Then I wiggle or snip off the pigtail sticking
out from under the nail-head.
 
So one end of the wire is anchored, and the wire passes across the frame
twice and comes out of the end now facing "up" at me, and leads back to
the spool.
 
Now I grab the wire with my right hand, a short distance away from where
it emerges from the end-bar hole, and tug firmly to take up any slack.
Now the easy part:
 
I set the opposite end bar against the edge of my work bench, and lean
gently on the frame while pulling on the wire.  What happens is, the frame
bows, ever so slightly, and I take up the slack by pulling on the wire.
NOW right away, while the frame is still under tension, I wrap the wire
around another brad which has been set into the edge of the end bar near
where the wire passes thru.  A few quick wraps, then drive that 2nd brad
in, and wiggle or snip the wire off.  That's it.  The wire is well tense
enough for supporting the comb straight and firm.
 
It  helps to have a little V or groove cut in the edge of the work table,
so that when you press the frame toward it (to slightly bow the frame),
the wire won't get pinched between the far end bar and the edge of the
table iself.
 
I hope this description is adequate.  It is very fast.  Then I insert a
sheet of crimp-wired brood foundation, with hooks, nail the top-bar wedge
back in, and the frame is ready for the embedder.  My cheap method is to
set the frames with foundation out in the sun, or on the warm hood of my
car, for very few minutes, just to warm slightly.  Then I set each frame
over a simple embedding board, and run the hand (spur-wheel) embedder
across the wires.  Works like a charm, and the resulting combs are just
great.
 
If the wire isn't taught enough, just start over, and lean on the frame a
bit more next time.  But not too much!  The wires don't have to extremely
tight, just straight and under firm tension.  You should notice a
low-medium singing note if you pluck them.  I hope someone else will find
this useful. -- JG