Interesting way to get bees to make "pre packaged" honeycomb honey

This is an interesting video I just found about a unique way to have a honey super with clear plastic stacks of the retail sized honey comb boxes in the super. The bees work within the packaging to make honeycomb and store honey.

The idea seems genius. I can’t figure out how he gets the boxes in there held in place.

I’d love to try. When I gave some honey away from my foundationless frames my friends and family loved it.

13 Likes

http://www.betterbee.com/hogg-halfcomb-system/hhcs-hogg-halfcomb-super.asp

Here is what I found when I typed in hog cassette. There are a few other links on here seems reasonable for what you’re getting

Does seem a bit pricey per unit of honeycomb

2 Likes

I will likely be trying it out. Seems very cool. With an 8 frame, you use 32 cassettes

2 Likes

Honeycomb like that sells easily for $15 to $25 per box around here, depending on the weight. The cassettes work out to about $2.50 each, so there is still quite a bit of profit per box. :blush:

1 Like

Nice post, @Cowgirl! You probably worked it out, but the cassettes are held in place by friction from follower boards along the long edge of the box. The follower boards have a metal spring behind them, which pushes the board up against the cassette stack, wedging it in place. In the honey house video, the first thing he does is use a hive tool to remove 3 metal “springs” from the top of the unit. The follower board can then be pulled out, freeing up the cassettes.

3 Likes

WOW that’s really interesting :slight_smile:

1 Like

A follower board (aka dummy board) is the same shape and size as a normal frame, but instead of having foundation or comb in the middle, it is solid wood. They are usually thinner than a normal frame too. They can be used to fill empty spaces, for example if you you have a lot of extra space with only 8 frames in a Flow brood box. Here is one from Mann Lake:

They can also be used to divide a box into smaller sections. In the Hogg cassette box, they are placed on both outer sides of the cassettes with springs behind them, to provide pressure from the hive walls, holding the plastic cassettes firmly in place. Any clearer? Following me now?? :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

1 Like

You know everything Dawn! :slight_smile: :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

2 Likes

I know nothing, Jon Snow! :blush: Just done a lot of different beekeeping on both sides of the Atlantic. :wink:

2 Likes

I am like Jon Snow? Well I never :o
I shall take that as a compliment, but I suspect, I have got the meaning all wrong…

Just a poor quality joke. I don’t want to present myself as a guru - the more I learn, the more I realize my ignorance.

Jon Snow thought he knew a lot. His girlfriend kept reminding him, “You know nothing, Jon Snow”. I am just reminding myself that I am like Jon Snow. :blush:

2 Likes

Hahaha, I thought it was the opposite. And how they were telling him how great he was, and how he could lead them all, etc., etc., anyway, a slight divergence from honey.

I just bought one too. Will have to see how it works!

1 Like

I’m in Southern California - so I have less of a worry about winter! I went hog-wild today and purchased a flow super and this hog cassette as well. I might set this hog cassette between the boxes and the flow super. Or, maybe I need to get more bees…

3 Likes

Was looking at Ross Rounds last season as a few guys in a local Beekeeping club had tried them and didn’t have any success so wanted to check them out for myself… think I will take a look at these instead. Definitely like the system and the reduced handling. Now I just need to figure out how to get these landed in Australia for a decent price!

Thanks for posting @Cowgirl, not sure how I haven’t come across these in my travels previously!

2 Likes

I will be stoked to just keep bees in my box. I am just dreaming on this idea :slight_smile:

1 Like

Hi RBK do a group buy and that should keep the freight down.

2 Likes

Yeah had a chat to others at a club meeting tonight… too many skeptics and we are in a bit of a dearth at the moment… so a hard sell :slight_smile:

I sent off for a shipping quote… i’ll make sure i’m sitting down when the response arrives!

4 Likes

Ill go in for one- assuming they have them in 8 frame format? Or then again- are these ‘ideal depth’? Do I need a special super or can I convert an existing one? I have 10 frame ideal supers…

BTW there is a fellow at our bee society who has had great success with using ross rounds apparently.

2 Likes

@Dawn_SD You realize Jon Snow came back from the dead?

3 Likes