Honey Super Cell

[Rob-bee]

The last time I checked their website http://www.honeysupercell.com/index.php there was no new information on the fully drawn frame. And I think I read on this form that the inside dimensions may be too small. “The dimensions of the cell are as follows: OD includes the cell wall - 4.9mm, ID is 4.3mm. The cell count is 2250 cells per side.” Wonder if this is going to work for the small cell people. It was supposed to be ready on May 31st. No update on their site as of this morning. Anybody have any additional information? I am very curious about this product.

[Rob-bee]

I emailed them and got this response.
It is coming. We are doing a nonstick coating to the mold at present.
Other than that everything is done
Fully drawn frame is not ready yet, small issue with the mold still
needs to be cleared up.
Thanks,
Supercell

[BULLSEYE BILL]

Latest update:

8/3/2005

Our fully drawn 9-1/8" frames have continued to be a real challenge. We have made a significant change to enhance our process and we will see the results of that somewhere around September 1st, 2005.

Great. Just in time to do splits :rolleyes:

[BULLSEYE BILL]

Another latest update

"9/15/2005

The fully drawn 9-1/8" x 4.9mm i.d. frame will enter production testing on 9/22/2005. Stop back by for updates."

The big difference is that now they are calling the cells 4.9mm I.D. Before it was 4.3mm i.d. and 4.9 mm O.D.

Perhaps someone let them in on the 'secret'?

I bet that was their 'small issue with the mold'.

[Dan Williamson]

Have we heard any word as to what these frames might cost?

[Rob-bee]

>I bet that was their 'small issue with the mold'.

I would agree with you Bill on that being a very high possibility. I started that post in March, and it is still not ready. I am willing to bet they will cost, this is just a guess...because the Permacomb is 3.95 a pcs so I figure 4.95 a pcs would be the going price.

[power napper]

By the time these things are ready to go they may be obsolete.

[Michael Bush]

My emails to them bounce now because I'm not a known sender.

[Hillside]

What's the deal? We all know you.

[Michael Bush]

I assume they got tired of my emails. smile.gif

[Rob-bee]

The latest news:

9/24/2005

We have produced samples of one of our fully drawn frames and are working to bring it to production. Our second fully drawn model is due to be tested next week.

[Rob-bee]

Our price is 4.00 each + shipping and handling.

--Mark
I was wrong they will be 4.00.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

>I was wrong they will be 4.00.

No, you were probably right, figure about a buck apiece for shipping.

[thekeeper]

5$ per frame makes it 45$ per deep 10 frame box of frames plus box price. pretty high price for my high class trash ***!! I'll stay with the old style till I make some commercial kind of cash.

[Jim Fischer]

> 5$ per frame makes it 45$ per deep 10 frame
> box of frames

Wouldn't that make it $50 per 10-frame super?
($5 * 10 = $50)

But don't be so quick to claim that $5 is "too much".
Even at $2 per pound for honey, the old rule of
thumb about how much honey is "lost" when bees
draw combs is like 10:1, and plastic will never
degrade or get brittle (I hope), so there is
an eventual breakeven and a payback on such
investments.

But I don't run any deeps. I run 100% mediums.
I'm still looking for someone who has cut down
a super to fit the permacomb frames and not had
gotten all the brace comb. It has to be possible,
maybe a spacer shim needs to be added to the
top bar too...

[Hillside]

> 5$ per frame makes it 45$ per deep 10 frame
> box of frames

>Wouldn't that make it $50 per 10-frame super?
>($5 * 10 = $50)

Hey! You're both right! I have to believe that thekeeper uses nine frames in his ten frame box.

My intellectual powers are pretty impressive, aren't they. tongue.gif

[BULLSEYE BILL]

Posted from their site;

About Us:
Our company was established in 2004 and is creating outstanding lifetime, high quality plastic honey frames and full size, fully drawn brood/honey 9 1/8" standard frames. Our specialty is mechanized beekeeping supplies. Our regular customers particularly value high quality, lifetime products that eliminate the need for spending long hours assembling, wiring, installing foundation and repairing broken woodenware. We now have 4 models in production and are now starting on a full size, fully drawn 4.9mm I.D. model that will utilize your wooden frame. We are also starting a 4.9mm plastic foundation. We want to be your source for all small cell bee supplies. Keeping checking in for news.


I wonder of what value would be a fully drawn 4.9mm I.D. model that will utilize your wooden frame. ?

Makes no sense to me.

[ October 10, 2005, 08:13 PM: Message edited by: BULLSEYE BILL ]

[Michael Bush]

4.8mm ID would be perfect. They sure are confused on the size. 4.7mm wouldn't hurt my feelings. Any smaller is too small to get good acceptance by large cell bees and any larger is too large to handle the mites... Oh well...

[Robert Hawkins]

Sorry Sir,

did you just say that their 4.9 will not handle the mites?

Hawk

[Phoenix]

Forgive me for answering for Michael, but I don't want others to get the wrong idea before he responds. He merely referred to the inner diameter, not the cell size.

The cell size of the natural comb, of retrogressed bees in my yards measure approximately 4.9mm, center of wall to center of wall. The wall thickness is approximately .1mm, therefore the inner diameter is 4.8mm. These colonies seem to be able to keep the mite levels in check with no medication, cell size alone seems to do the trick.

On the other hand, colonies of mine that are not fully retrogressed, still have an average cell size approximately 5.1mm, which means the inner diameter is about 5mm. And these hives have a little heavier mite load.

From what Michael has said in the past, and from this post, I'm sure that is what he is referring to. If the "Super Cell" frames do not have cell sizes of 4.9mm, 4.8mm inner diameter, then the colonies upon which these are installed will have a higher mite load.

[ October 11, 2005, 09:30 AM: Message edited by: Phoenix ]

[Michael Bush]

Exactly. If you measure across ten cells and get 4.9mm that's the field method of measuring cell size. You're COUNTING the walls. The ID of those cells are about 4.8mm but across ten cells is 4.9cm. If you have an ID of 4.9mm then you have the equivelant of 5.0mm cell size, NOT 4.9mm cell size. ID and cell size (across ten cells) are NOT interchangable measurements.

[Michael Bush]

Also, I should point out, the cell wall on a natural comb is about .1mm where the cell wall on molded plastic comb is always thicker than that, so the "across ten cells" method on "fully drawn" plastic is NOT interchangable with the "across ten cells" on comb with "bee drawn" wax walls. Comb with wax walls would also include any plastic FOUNDATION where the bees draw the walls.

Basically if you want to know the cell size of fully drawn plastic, measure the ID of the cells and add .1mm to that measurment.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

I still wonder of what value would be a fully drawn (snip) model that will utilize your wooden frame. ? would be good for?

Makes no sense to me.

[Michael Bush]

I'm guessing it's a misprint, but who knows.

[db_land]

My guess is that it's fully drawn comb without a frame that would fit within a regular wooden frame (like foundation). Avoids some of the size and wax bridging problems of perma-comb. The frame wire holes would be somehow used to attach the comb. Sounds like a good idea to me. :cool:

[Rob-bee]

UPDATE:
I wrote and asked:

> Any update on the fully drawn frame?

The reply was...........

"You can tell all that we are testing our mold this weekend and will post
something next week. It's been a real experience. I can tell you that."

--Mark