I want to try producing "comb honey in Ross Rounds". Have read Eugene Killion's "Honey in the Comb" book. Richard Taylor's "The New Comb Honey Book" is on the way and reading C.C. Miller's "Fifty Years among the Bees".
Has anyone had success without doing a cut-down split?
Any advice, tips or methods is greatly appreciated!
The problem I see with them is what do you do with the rounds that dont get entirely capped? With cut comb you only cut completely capped and have the option of crushing or feed back. No waste!
Bees need to be very crowded with a good flow to getr them to fill Ross Rounds or any section comb honey.
one of the catalogs has a suggestion for section comb that only experience beekeepers should use them. if you want to do cut comb and you are a beginner, check out tillie's blog. she has an excellent video and instructions on doing cut comb without the sections. better, cheaper, and much safer in my opinion.
http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/ (http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/)
Rail, I am a newbee, I got my bees last dec from an estate. I extracted 4 shallow supers last month. I had some foundationless frames that I cut and put the comb in jars. Left about 1 1/2" or so of comb at the top and a little down the sides of the frames. The jars with comb were gone in a week.
Joe
If you try it, wait until next year. Your flow stopped a week ago.
When doing a cut-down split for comb honey, is there a time of day that is preferred; what time of day will most of the foragers be away from the hive?
Place section super on strong hive in a good honey flow & they will fill them just fine. if you have incomplete sections you can cut them out and crush and strain them. Use the rings over next time. I have a hard time selling them, your area may be different.
Comb honey takes a compressed hive and a strong flow.
If you compress them to close to the brood they plug them out with pollen. Its ok if its for you or someone who knows what it is but if someone dosen't know they may never buy comb honey again.