# Honey Straw Filler



## John Russell (Aug 8, 2003)

Check this out......

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3870127199&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

It makes honey sticks. I really really want one, but the 500 $ price tag is a little much.

anyone have one? Has used one? Can build one?

Any feedback would be very much apreciated

J.R.

[email protected]


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## magnet-man (Jul 10, 2004)

I have seen this on eBay a few times. I don't think the guy can get rid of it. Eating honey out of a straw just does not appeal to me. If they are making so much money from it, why are they selling it?


I think it would be easy enough to make one. It probably uses a gear driven pump to feed the honey into the straws. The plastic straw is likely a pliable plastic tube that can be inserted on a syringe type tube. The end is sealed with the heat sealer you see in front of the machine. As the tube fills with honey you seal the tube again in 12 inch lengths. It just like making sausage at home. 

If you had an air compressor I bet you could make one out of a pressure cooker. Drill a hole in the side near the base and put a bathroom sink small chrome pipe in the hole. Put the fitting on the inside so the pipe cant blow out. Now hook a second pipe up that you can pump air into the cooker. Set your pressure release valve to 15 pounds and off you go. To seal the ends go to the thrift store and buy a used Seal-A-Meal. You could buy the whole thing at the thrift store. 

If you dont have an oil free compressor, most cheap compressors are, make a diaphragm with plastic wrap to separate the honey from the compressor air. 

It would be an inexpensive way to test market and avoid spending $500. I would e-mail the seller and ask well if I buy this where do I get the straws?


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## The Honey House (May 10, 2000)

Why are they putting the straws in a dishwasher?


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## tarheit (Mar 26, 2003)

When you seal the side of the straw it is filled from, some honey ends up outside the seal but inside the end of the straw. I'm assuming the dishwasher just washes this out.


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## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

This fellow makes and sells them.
It is a manually-loaded machine.

I think he has posted about his machine
on the "For Sale" section of the forums.

jim


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## John Russell (Aug 8, 2003)

Thanks guys. Up here there seems to be a market for this. But I think I'll take MM's suggestion and cobble one together at home. 
Just a thought : An oil free compresser would be like one of those little 10 dollar jobs you plug into your cig. lighter to inflate you tires right?

J.Russ


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## tarheit (Mar 26, 2003)

That would probably work though they don't have a tank so likely would run the whole time you used it (I'm not terribly familiar with them). I'm not sure they have a pressure regulator either. 

Many of the compressors you find at sears, home depot, etc. are oil free. You almost have to go out of your way anymore to find one that needs oil unless you are looking into the big ones with 80 gallon tanks.

-Tim


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

You'll sell a lot of straws at a farmers market to kids looking for candy. They love them.


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## tnttommy (Dec 16, 2004)

my ??is how many straws would you really need to sell to make this gadget worthwhile? I almost bought one, cuz it sounded and looked like a good idea but the $$ kind of scared me.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Probably a lot. I would just buy some to have at a stand unless you think you have a bigger market than that.


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## magnet-man (Jul 10, 2004)

Yes the little $10 jobs are oil free. Almost anything under $100 today is oil free. I would get off of the very bottom and get one with a reserve tank. That way you can turn it off and let the compressor cool. I am not sure how long the little emergency tire inflators would last in constant use.

A second option I thought of and would not need a compressor is to get one of those really big and thick ballons that have the rubber band tied to the end. I see them on occasion at supermarket check-outs. 

You could then inflate the ballon with water from the sink. I would hang the ballon from the center of the lid, so the ballon would touch the sides and keep any honey from squeezing up past the ballon. 

Wow! So many ways to skin a cat and so little time


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## magnet-man (Jul 10, 2004)

Did anyone find out about the empty straws and how much they cost?


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## tnttommy (Dec 16, 2004)

They guy selling the filler said he just uses restaurant straws, I did a quick seach and there are several restaurant suppliers that sells these straws in bulk. They (the straws)didnt seem too bad in cost.


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## tarheit (Mar 26, 2003)

The only other machine I've found on the market to fill straws is the 'Sticky Machine' It's over $2900 shipped, but does look to be fully automatic.
http://www.busybeefarm.com/stickypage.htm

They also list a straw supplier: Central Paper Products Co 1-800-339-4065
http://www.centralpaper.com/
No prices are listed on their website.


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## tonyschwager (Dec 23, 2004)

I am the person building and marketing the honey straw filling system being discussed above. Please visit our website at www.AnthonysKansasHoney.com for lots of info. I started out thinking it would be easy to build, but ran into lots of expense and obstacles. We have been using the prototype for over a year and have made thousands of straws. Initially, I purchased a "machine" from someone else and never made a single straw. Anyhow, our system is manual, very easy to use, reliable, and inexpensive. You'll spend at least as much trying to build your own. If you make the average of 400 straws per hour, you'll recoup your investment in days. We have recipes, straws, parts, and lots of advice from the school of hard-knocks. Visit the website and e-mail your questions. We started selling them on January 1st and have been swamped with inquiries and orders. I build one a week since I have a full time job. We are currently about 5 weeks behind. We collect $284.50 when you order and the other 1/2 when it is delivered via UPS COD in about 6 weeks. This makes it easy to buy. We are flattered by all the interest. Thanks! Tony and Terri


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