# HSC vs. Pierco cell size



## Tulipwood (Jul 16, 2006)

I just noticed that 10 embossed cells on a Pierco frame take up less space than 10 cells on an HSC frame. Any thoughts?


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## kenpkr (Apr 6, 2004)

Can you post some comparison pics with a ruler? I'd like to see this.


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

*Thicker cell walls*

The manufacturing process requires thicker cell walls in the fully drawn plastic frames to make it strong enough for the process.

The bees draw comb wax very thin so the cells are closer together.

The reason that there are more cells on a drawn plastic frame is because of either no top, side, and bottom bar as with PC, or very thin as with HSC.

But the reason you can count more cells in a given area with Pierco is because of the thinner cell walls spacing the cells closer together.


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## Tulipwood (Jul 16, 2006)

Pierco frame here:
http://s174.photobucket.com/albums/w85/Tulipwood/?action=view&current=Piercovs-1.jpg

HSC frame here:
http://s174.photobucket.com/albums/w85/Tulipwood/?action=view&current=Piercovs.jpg


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

I'm looking at the inside demensions of the cell based on one cell's width, and I don't see much of a difference between the two. The HSC width is easy to see, the pierco you would need to account for the thickness of the wall and it may make it a smaller cell width afterwards.

Its no secret I am a big fan of doing things "naturally" within reason. BB mentions the abnormally thick walls of the HSC comb due to manufacturing needs. I can't help but think that this is as UN-natural as one can get with keeping bees. And the effects of communication, the effects of hive warmth, and other factors, are no doubt changed. 

Yes, one can say "You hypocrite, your foundation is plastic afterall!" And I admit that. But I think there is a world of difference between using plastic foundation, with comb finished by the bees, and comparing that to completely encasing bees in full plastic.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

The difference is the cell wall. A natural cell wall is .1mm. The cell wall on the HSC is about ten times that. If you measure the inide diameter of HSC it's about 4.8mm. If you add in a natural cell wall (as you would have added it in measuring across ten cells) that makes it 4.9mm. The Pierco will be drawn by the bees with a natural cell wall (.1mm) and it measures (depending on if it's sheets, frames, deep or medium) between 5.2mm and 5.3mm.


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## Tulipwood (Jul 16, 2006)

*Thanks.*

Thanks. That clears it up for me.


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