Hello, name name is Matt and I am from the thumb area of Michigan.
I have two fully capped flow frames that are giving me difficulty turning the key to let the honey flow to the tube on the bottom. I am unable to turn the key at all. The only think that moves when I turn the key is the clear plastic viewing window that the key’s handle is closest to. Does anyone have any tips on how to get my honey out? I am getting suggestions on Facebook to use a decapper and use an extractor, but I purchased Flow to avoid all the expensive extraction machines.
The instructions say that this is common. You have to put the key in a little at a time and it’s possible you may have to open each of the 40 channels one at a time.
Open the 40 channels one at a time? Is the flow manual available online. I will go look and read now if it is. Yes a video would be very helpful for the remaining of us that have not received ours yet.
Hi @Matt_Moss I’m assuming you got the full instruction manual with you Flow Frames?
Did you put the key in the bottom slot? This is what opens the frames.
The top slot is what closes the frames.
If you have tried this, then a picture or video would be good, as it is strange that it’s not working for you after all the field testing that gone into making sure this works.
Please have a look at this video- just to make sure you are putting the Flow Key in the right spot - http://www.honeyflow.com/gallery-videos/videos/p/60#ryWC92NT2Eo
This picture shows you how to open the cells
This picture shows you how to close the cells (once al the honey has drained out)
I think you solved this on the facebook group but I would like to suggest, on the next one that is too tough to open in one go, that you try opening 1/4 of a frame at a time while it’s in the hive. Here is my facebook comment:
Hi Matt, glad you solved it. When it’s too firm to crack in one go, as you worked out, you can put the flow key in a little way and turn it, then a little further until you have the whole frame flowing. I’m surprised you went one cell at a time though. Try at least a quarter of the frame at a time on your next one that is too firm to turn in one go. It sounds like you had it in your kitchen sink when you did this. You will probably find it a lot easier when it’s in the hive as the frame is held firmly and it’s warmer too, which makes for softer wax. From my observation it’s wax not propolis that they use on the flow combs. Sometimes they just do an amazing job of waxing it and it’s quite firm to turn. Great to hear you are harvesting already. Cedar
Michigan,
I had that same problem but without honey. if you will take the top “L” handle you insert into the flow frame, after you take out the little plastic cover piece, just insert the tool only 1/2 inch to loosen the first frame then perhaps 1 inch to loosen the next set of frames. I had to do this all the way down as the bee’s sealed mine like your’s seem to be. So don’t try to do all of them at once, you will hear the crack if you do a small section at a time and work your way to fully inserting the “L” hive open/close tool.
Also open and close them several times to get them slipping again.
Des
Michigan I live in central Illinois. I was wondering how do you like the flow hive. How did it winter over. Did you have todo anything special to winter over the bees.
I don’t think anyone has had one long enough to say how it has overwintered. Only about half of the crowdfunding frames have been delivered so far. I’m sure through the beginning of the new year we will get all kinds of feed back which will be fun for us folks on the tail end of the deliveries. We get to benefit from everyone else experience.
Don’t leave the Flow super on over winter. Take the super off and leave the bees their 2-3 deep brood boxes (I’m in NJ and do the best with 3-8 frame deep boxes.
