# Honey Sticks



## Cam (Sep 27, 2005)

I bought an impulse sealer and some straws, thinking this will be easy. But once I got the straw sealed with the honey on the inside I tried to open one. Is there a trick there. These things are sealed like a cd from Wally World.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

Scissors


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## Cam (Sep 27, 2005)

That's what I had to resort to, but that seemed pretty drastic for something I was going to market as a quick honey snack.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

I know...... I find them frustrating as
all get out. But they are an impulse buy
and appear to sell well.


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## Cam (Sep 27, 2005)

So on another point. Does for anyone who makes their own honey sticks and flavors them, do you add food coloring to match the flavor?


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## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

> I bought an impulse sealer and some straws,
> thinking this will be easy. 

But how did you *fill* the straws in the
first place?

> ...I tried to open one.

Bite off the end with your teeth?


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## tarheit (Mar 26, 2003)

Here is how I fill mine:
http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/honey-stick-machine-the-manual-version/40

It's ok for doing a few, but can be terribly tedious if you are doing hundreds at a time.

-Tim


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## Cam (Sep 27, 2005)

I used the syringe method which was unbelievably slow. I kind of like Tarheit's manual system with the corny keg. Also seems like a lot of work though.


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

>But how did you fill the straws in the
first place?

When I tried it, I put a short rubber hose on one end of the straw and sucked the honey up into the straw leaving about an inch of air in the straw. Then I sealed the end with the hose and turned the open end of the straws up so the air could rise to the top. Later I could seal the top after the honey settled down.

BTW, these were for private use only.

[ November 20, 2006, 08:29 PM: Message edited by: BULLSEYE BILL ]


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## stangardener (Mar 8, 2005)

i find what bullseye wrote very interesting. if a person used the big syringe to suck the honey in instead of squeezing it out they might be able to avoid repeated syringe filling. anyone try it that way?


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## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

How does one prevent the straw from collapsing
when suction is applied? Is viscosity reduced
by heating the honey?


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## tarheit (Mar 26, 2003)

It might work ok if the honey was warm enough so long as you were able to maintain a good seal. I'd think it would be relatively slow though as too much vaccuume would still collapse the straw.

FYI, I ran into another honey stick machine on the market sold be a beekeeper in Michigan. It's still a manual machine and relatively pricy, but does sound like it may work pretty well:
http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/another-honey-stick-machine/56

-Tim


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