Cut Comb Honey.

[Dishmop]

How do YOU do it?

 

[Pete D]

Using unwired thin foundation in 4 frames in the middle of a normal drawn out super when there is a flow on. Drawn filled and capped within about a week with nice white cappings. This is the super directly above the crown board.
Last year I removed the whole lump from the frame by running a sharp knife all around the edge. I then cut into 5 pieces and trimmed it to fit the container. Having a sharp knife and a bowl of hot water nearby to warm it helps a lot. Once cut I stand it on a cake cooling rack to drip for about an hour then pack it.

This year (done some last week) I have a comb cutter which makes the sizing alot easier, still had hot water at hand as it takes a bit of getting through the midrib, left to drain and then pack. I had some nice trimmings that I may add to some honey and call it 'chunk'.
Its a messy job so clean as you go helps a lot, especially with 2 of you doing it.

Good video on the national honey show site from last year, lecture on how to produce cut comb.

Whilst clearing up, the trimmings went down well with some friends who turned up and I then got the question.......'does one spit or swallow'

 

[Taylan]

Hi Pete
How do you get the exact weight to 8% or do you do catch weights I have some on this time and wondering about getting the weight right @8%

 

[Pete D]

I found that with 10 frames in a super and the comb cut to fit the container size that achieving 8oz was not a problem, most were nearer 9oz. My label says minimum nett weight 8oz. I did have a couple of underweight ones (weigh them once in the container using the appropiate tare weight) which I gave to my best customers as freebies after cutting them in half, these were unlabelled.

 

[psafloyd]

How do YOU do it?

I will use thin wireless foundation on a new frame, or if I cut out a comb, I will let the bees rebuild to their own spec.

Then I cut it out with a cutter I picked up for a fiver at a divisional auction a few years ago and put it in those nice new Thorne tubs. The old ones were horrible.

 

[psafloyd]

Using unwired thin foundation in 4 frames in the middle of a normal drawn out super when there is a flow on. Drawn filled and capped within about a week with nice white cappings. This is the super directly above the crown board.
Last year I removed the whole lump from the frame by running a sharp knife all around the edge. I then cut into 5 pieces and trimmed it to fit the container. Having a sharp knife and a bowl of hot water nearby to warm it helps a lot. Once cut I stand it on a cake cooling rack to drip for about an hour then pack it.

This year (done some last week) I have a comb cutter which makes the sizing alot easier, still had hot water at hand as it takes a bit of getting through the midrib, left to drain and then pack. I had some nice trimmings that I may add to some honey and call it 'chunk'.
Its a messy job so clean as you go helps a lot, especially with 2 of you doing it.

Good video on the national honey show site from last year, lecture on how to produce cut comb.

Whilst clearing up, the trimmings went down well with some friends who turned up and I then got the question.......'does one spit or swallow'

THat's what I need to do to get some nice clean cappings for a show, but always leave them on longer. Still, the punters love it, so that's what really matters.

 

[Dishmop]

I did read somewhere of the idea of extracting the honey then giving it back to them because they can then cap it quicky and you finish up with nice clear honey and cappings.

There are a few You Tube vids on the subject but the only variations are how you cut it and what you package it in.
I rather like the idea of putting a bit in a jar and topping up with honey, although there is the variation on that idea of using natural unfilled comb in the jar and then topping up.

 

[ratcatcher]

use wax starter strips in all the supers, the comb cutter will cut just below this, six chunks to a frame, any that are a smidging under weight can have honey added over top, rather than leaving to drain overnight.
these hives are over my woodland, so seems simplest idea, rather than removing and extracting honey, I can either remove whole boxes, or single frames, cut and package, and return the frame to the bees within an hour or so,

http://youtu.be/0loIRY0rDsM

 

[Erichalfbee]

Last year I tried it for the first time. I used thin unwired foundation in Manley frames, alternated between drawn comb, in the bottom super.
I tried a few with a strip of foundation from the top bar, similarly placed in another hive and this worked almost as well.
Chunk honey from the remnants went down well with my customers.
I don't drain mine, I don't think there is anything wrong with a bit of honey at the bottom (unless you're showing,I guess).
It goes into thorne's crystal comb containers.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I don't drain mine, I don't think there is anything wrong with a bit of honey at the bottom (unless you're showing,I guess).

I actually enterd my cut comb in the Gower show - did not drain it before putting it in the tub - still got first. Use a cutter for mine (got three on fleabay lasy year for £17.00 including postage!) it's handy because you cut your piece out and then pop it straight into the carton (almost) no mess!! I use both SN1 frames and Manleys with thin unwired foundation.

 

[McNulty]

Does anybody know of a uk supplier who sells the american style cut comb containers? The square ones with a seperate lid?

 

[Jimmy]

Does anybody know of a uk supplier who sells the american style cut comb containers? The square ones with a seperate lid?

Edit: Apologies. Just read your post properly. I was writing about a different container.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Does anybody know of a uk supplier who sells the american style cut comb containers? The square ones with a seperate lid?

Don't know of anywhere that sells them in UK, the first ones i had seen were brought over by Mike Palmer when he visited for the NHS last October, and they do look a very attractive way of packaging comb honey.

 

[Lesley Hoppy]

Don't know of anywhere that sells them in UK, the first ones i had seen were brought over by Mike Palmer when he visited for the NHS last October, and they do look a very attractive way of packaging comb honey.

Just bought some from Th****s. The Hogg Half Comb system.
Expensive - but more honey than wax in each 'cassette' which you then put a lid on and they are ready to sell - untouched by human hands! Page 21 of the current catalogue - bottom right.

 

[Lesley Hoppy]

Does anybody know of a uk supplier who sells the american style cut comb containers? The square ones with a seperate lid?

See my reply below - just bought some.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Does anybody know of a uk supplier who sells the american style cut comb containers? The square ones with a seperate lid?

Just bought some from Th****s. The Hogg Half Comb system.

They don't look like cut comb containers, and are not being advertised as cut comb containers.

These are the cut comb containers Mike uses in the video below.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIjiInZRxrQ"]Comb Honey Production - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Worldsend]

Old chap I knew used an empty corned beef tin as his comb cutter -worked very well

 

[meetballuk]

HI all,
sorry to hijack this thread but how much does everyone charge for cut comb?
Does anyone produce section?
how much do they charge for sections?
any ideas were to get sections packaging from?
many thanks
S

 

[Erichalfbee]

£6.00 for 8 oz.
Not much this year. Bees seem to like to chew the thin unwired I put in.

 

[bontbee]

so £4.50 for 8oz is a bit light, then....?