Plastic 'spacers'

[Forrest]

Hi all. New member here. I have been lurking for quite awhile and appreciate all the knowledge here. I had bees years ago (35 colonies) and am starting up again-my how things have changed since the sixties!. Anyway, I aquired some slightly used clean hive bodies and supers and am awaiting package bees. Here is my question: With the equipment I purchased there were several dozen plastic 'spacer frames'(brood frame depth). They are molded plastic and have an overall thickness of about 5/16". The vertical bars of which the frames consist are about 1/8 wide ( measured with the length of the frame) with a 5/16" inch space between them. So-the entire 'frame' is made of vertical bars top to bottom (with some small crossbars to maintain the 5/16" space). They hang perfectly between the frames and if inserted between all the frames in a 10 fram box, they reduce the box to an eight frame-using seven spacers. A perfect fit I might add.

They appear to be used to create additional space between the frames without allowing the bees to build brace comb. They have the name "Honey Master' molded in at the top and a company name - Pantec Development.

I have never seen such a device and don't remember ever seeing anything like this at my grandfather's apiary-He had 1,200 colonies.

They look like they would be ideal for allowing larger clusters to form between the frames for wintering.

OK Have at it!!!

Thanks, Forrest

[Bill Ruble]

Your going to have to wait for someone else on this one. Never heard of it.

Bill

[The Honey House]

I believe that the frames were sold as some sort of swarm prevention invention. I have seen them on ebay every once and awhile.

[odfrank]

Ah yes, Honey Master No Swarm Clustering frames. Sold in the '70s or '80s. Collectors item, very valuable. The thought was that by giving the bees more clustering space they would not swarm, or somethng like that. My friend was enamored with them and equipped all his hives with ones made out of masonite drilled with hundreds of holes. The bees promptly moved up into the supers. If you send me two to hang on my extracting room wall to remind me of Herb and the good old days I will rebate your postage.

[Forrest]

Ah the 70s and 80s, that explains why I missed out on them. Well they sure had me befuddled. Swarm prevention, eh? I guess it sounds good if you say it fast. I kinda like my idea better-increasing the size of the cluster for winterng. I may try some experimenting with them and report my findings. Then again............ It's just fun finding out what they were intended to be used for.

Oliver: pm your address? and I'll send you a couple when I find a suitable box. I am sure they would not hold up in a padded envelope. You sure they are worth that much to ya?

Thanks guys

[Jim Fischer]

Honey Masters?

Possibly the silliest idea developed by man
until some moron bolted wheels to a pogo stick
and called it a Segway.

Offer to send one to Jim Tew at OSU for the Bee
Museum! I'm not sure they have any, and they
certainly are the definitive collection of such
artifacts.

tew.1@osu.edu
330-263-3684
Honey Bee Lab
OARDC
Wooster, OH 44691

[Michael Bush]

I'd use them on the outsides as a follower to make it easy to get the first frame out. Or use them when you have some odd space left over because you can't get another whole frame in but some fat comb messed up the spacing.