Honeysupercell

[Rabbitdog]

Does anyone have any experience with Honeysupercell frames.  I called the company and if you're looking for 6 1/4" frames, you're out of luck.  They only produce deep frames with the fully drawn 4.9mm cells.
Here are my questions:
I would like to put an existing colony in a deep brood box of these new fully drawn frames with large cell, fully drawn wax supers above.  Will there be any problems related to the different cell sizes in the deep brood box and large cell supers above?  I don't mind using an excluder between the two if necessary or starting with just small cell foundation in supers if necessary.  Also, will there be any problems for the "large" bees in using the 4.9 cells without any regressions?  How long could I expect to use these frames?  If you change out wax comb every 8 years to prevent disease buildup, it would seem that the same should be done with Honeysupercell.  Any thoughts?
Thanks much!

[KONASDAD]

I too called HSC. It is highly recommended by some on this site. I may switch to this as well. I want to rid hive of old comb and small cell seems appropariate. For 6 1/4 size, look to permacomb from maryland. Only sells the one size.

[Michael Bush]

>Does anyone have any experience with Honeysupercell frames.

Yes.

> I called the company and if you're looking for 6 1/4" frames, you're out of luck.  They only produce deep frames with the fully drawn 4.9mm cells.

Unless you want to run them through the table saw and cut them to 6 1/4" or buy PermaComb, heat it and wax dip it.

>Will there be any problems related to the different cell sizes in the deep brood box and large cell supers above?  I don't mind using an excluder between the two if necessary or starting with just small cell foundation in supers if necessary.

There will be no problems if you use the excluder.  But if you don't the queen could move up and start using the large cell comb.

> Also, will there be any problems for the "large" bees in using the 4.9 cells without any regressions?

Not at all.

> How long could I expect to use these frames?

They are just like PermaComb except slightly smaller cells and spacers built in and deep.  John Seets has frames of PermaComb that are over 20 years old.  My guess is he has some almost 30 old, since that's about when I first saw him selling it.

> If you change out wax comb every 8 years to prevent disease buildup, it would seem that the same should be done with Honeysupercell.  Any thoughts?

Bees will chew out cocoons when the cell size gets too small.  With 5.4mm cells that is hundreds of generations of cocoons.  With 4.9mm it's not nearly that many.  But if you really want to get them out, you can power wash the combs as long as you don't get the temperature over 220 F.

[lively Bee's]

I have HSC in one of my box's it has been in for about 2 months itis mixed in with some wax frames and they have yet to lay in it they have packed it pull of honey. 

I have 20 nuc that will be ready in april and I am going to place them all on HCS.
 

[Oyster]

I first tried HSC in two hives interspersed with regular brood foundation, and the bees ignored it.  I tried spraying them with 1:1 sugar solution, and they still ignored it.  I then put an excluder over the brood boxes (one deep and one medium), and except for ONE HSC frame with just two worker cells in it, they were ignored (a few had pollen in them, but no honey) -- all the brood was crammed into the upper medium.  I have since given up and taken out all of my HSCs from my hives.

I will take the recommendation of the manufacturer, and start off a queen package using HSCs, and locking the bees with their new queen in a deep for three days, and feeding them syrup. If that doesn't work, look for my HSCs o Ebay!