# Honey straws. Will this work?



## beesohappy

Hello every buddy!

We have the opportunity to sell our honey through a busy farm stand and was thinking of making some honey straws. I know it's labor intensive but I'm ok with that right now. My plan is to fill the straws with warmed honey and seal the ends. 

Is this a good sealer to use for the ends of the straws?

http://www.amazon.com/Packaging-Imp...&qid=1432503345&sr=8-13&keywords=mylar+sealer 

I have a food saver and tried it out on a couple. Some of them sealed and some didn't. The ones that did seal was from me holding down the lid for just a little longer. I noticed they also did't have the pressure inside them and seamed a little limp compared to the other honey sticks I've seen. Is this what will happen with the impulse heater also?

Thanks for your ideas and advise.

Also looking for some recipes on how to make different flavors.


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## Honey-4-All

Why not just pay Glenn to fill them the "original" way as thousands of other have for the last 25 years. Works well.


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## beesohappy

Honey-4-All said:


> Why not just pay Glenn to fill them the "original" way as thousands of other have for the last 25 years. Works well.


Is he here in the area? How can I contact him?


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## burns375

I envision large scale production is a long continues tube. Either heat or sonic welder.


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## Honey-4-All

burns375 said:


> I envision large scale production is a long continues tube. Either heat or sonic welder.


Not at all how the patent reads on the "original." 

Very similar to a continuous flow production of canned soup if I recall correctly.


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## dr4ngas

"The cost of the machine is $395.00 plus shipping. It comes with a video and instructions. For more information go to my website www.honeystickmachine.com or contact me on here." 

This came from a thread hear on this site. I did a search for honey straws. Take a look and see what you think.


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## Harley Craig

doesn't get any simpler than this If one were to think about it long enough, it would be simple enough to do them 5-10 sticks at a time with just parts you find at the hardware store.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhLxPRCqtxE


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## beesohappy

Harley Craig said:


> doesn't get any simpler than this If one were to think about it long enough, it would be simple enough to do them 5-10 sticks at a time with just parts you find at the hardware store.
> 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhLxPRCqtxE



That's my plan for the time being. I heard someone mention that the impulse heater needs to be around 750 watts. The one I have posted is 1000 watts. It should work out fine but I don't have any experience with impulse heaters or honey straws.

Maybe it's just the way I was filling the straws but it takes a lot of hand pressure.


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## beesohappy

dr4ngas said:


> "The cost of the machine is $395.00 plus shipping. It comes with a video and instructions. For more information go to my website www.honeystickmachine.com or contact me on here."
> 
> This came from a thread hear on this site. I did a search for honey straws. Take a look and see what you think.



I came across this thread and I trust chef's opinion on other things. I met with him in Seattle a couple times and I'm trying to figure out if this is the machine he's talking about. I wish he was available to ask.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?224044-honey-straw-machine


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## burns375

Honey-4-All said:


> Not at all how the patent reads on the "original."
> 
> Very similar to a continuous flow production of canned soup if I recall correctly.


Oh... like a huge turntable. I see the patent. US4939884 A I was envisioning something like how they fill potato chip bags...honey tubes are too small and not flexible enough to make that strategy successful.


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## bevy's honeybees

Harley Craig said:


> doesn't get any simpler than this If one were to think about it long enough, it would be simple enough to do them 5-10 sticks at a time with just parts you find at the hardware store.
> 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhLxPRCqtxE


That's awesome! I'm constantly being asked for honey sticks. I do the baby bears instead but this make sticks look so easy and not another large equipment piece to buy.

Just ordered one from Amazon, new for $27.


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## beesohappy

bevy's honeybees said:


> That's awesome! I'm constantly being asked for honey sticks. I do the baby bears instead but this make sticks look so easy and not another large equipment piece to buy.
> 
> Just ordered one from Amazon, new for $27.




How's your heater working? I was having good luck with the one I bought (listed above). I made about 150 straws but now I can't get a good seal all the time. I'll try replacing the wire and see if that helps. They are a pain in the butt to get open.


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## bevy's honeybees

Mine is in delivery. What do you mean by pain in the butt to get open? You mean the honey straws after they are sealed? What kind of straws are you using? I grabbed a couple from a restaraunt that are clear and no flex that I am going to start with.


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## beesohappy

Yep. The ends of the straws seal really well. In my eyes to well. They don't pop open with just a bite on the end like the ones I've had in the past. From what I've read that's par for the coarse when you make your own. I'm going to try a round wire instead of a flat wire and try that to see if that makes a difference.

The straws I've been using are from a restaurant supply store like these ones, http://www.webstaurantstore.com/choice-7-3-4-jumbo-unwrapped-straw-500-box/999UJ7TN.html


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## Flewster

dr4ngas said:


> "The cost of the machine is $395.00 plus shipping. It comes with a video and instructions. For more information go to my website www.honeystickmachine.com or contact me on here."
> 
> This came from a thread hear on this site. I did a search for honey straws. Take a look and see what you think.


This is my machine. thank you for the plug. I have sold a couple hundred now and am in talks with a larger bee supply company in Minnasota that will be carring the machine in next years catalog.


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## bevy's honeybees

I got an impulse sealer and I can't get it to do the job. Either it won't seal, or it cuts the straw. I adjusted pressure and temp in a lot of combinations and after several 15 minute attempts, I got maybe one straw to seal the way I wanted. I was using empty straws to figure out best combination. I thought they would turn out like the you tube vid, not happening.

I wouldn't sell enough of them to justify the nice machine at this point.


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## Flewster

bevy's honeybees said:


> I got an impulse sealer and I can't get it to do the job. Either it won't seal, or it cuts the straw. I adjusted pressure and temp in a lot of combinations and after several 15 minute attempts, I got maybe one straw to seal the way I wanted. I was using empty straws to figure out best combination. I thought they would turn out like the you tube vid, not happening.
> 
> I wouldn't sell enough of them to justify the nice machine at this point.


Berry,

here is a video of my machine. the key to a good seal is to keep pressure on the sealer for about 5 seconds after the sealer completes its cycle. that allows the plastic to cool before the honey pushes back on it. set the sealer on about 6 or 7 and should do the trick.


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