Advice on buying a good quality extractor?

[Bandini]

Hi, I'm new to beekeeping and have just discovered this fantastic forum. Already learnt a lot from reading posts. Please can anyone recommend a good extractor. I have three colonies at present, but intend on expanding to around 10 over the next years. There's a lot of rape grown in the area so I understand this may be an issue next year. ( this year I missed it). Look forward to hearing.

 

[enrico]

It so depends on your useage. as a starter I would go for a three frame hand extractor that is big enough to take brood as well as super frames. It is good to do by hand. But if you intend extracting loads then a nine frame electric. All the big companies sell them. PVC is good and easy to clean. I would suggest you get the best you can afford but don't forget a tray, an uncapping knife, a storage bucket, a sieve and of course muscle and patience and loads of newspaper for the floor!!!!!

 

[Bandini]

Enrico, thank you. I didn't think I would extract from the brood chamber? How does that work? I will go for muscle power for now! And I guess my budget is around £300. Are there reliable makes, makes to avoid?

 

[Foxylad]

Lots of extractors on E bay, don't buy anything that is not stainless or food grade plastic.

Be careful with old second hand stuff, as you may not be able to get spares.

I recently bought one of the agri nova extractors, with a drill drive. Very pleased with it to.

 

[RoseCottage]

We had a 2 frame Thor nes budget extractor in our first year. It was ok to get things up and running but last year we had 11 stone of honey and bought a non powered 9 frame plastic extractor from tho rnes again. Actually due to age or stupidity I cannot recall right now how much it was...I think under 200 pounds.

When choosing an extractor design I would be honest and say that weight, ease of access for cleaning, number of frames (oh I wish they held a British standard super in one load) are the things that matter to me.

All the best,
Sam

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Highly recommend the Giordan. Mine is an 8 frame radial with electric drill (supplied) - cost about £350 last year but believe its now around £420 or so but still a very good buy. Stainless steel and two cages for spinning larger frames tangentally.

The supplier Clive is a nice helpful chap as well. Tel is 01799 543901, email [email protected]

 

[enrico]

You rarely need an extractor for the brood but there are times when you end up with no bees and a brood full of honey. For example if you go Q- and they are still foraging. Or for example where you have a double brood and they fill one box completely full of honey and lay in the other! I just found it annoying that I couldn't spin honey off.
I have recently bought a heavy UV resistant food grade Plastic nine frame extractor from Th***rnes for a group of us. we shared the cost which helps no end although you have to draw up some rules for useage!! I would strongly advise using a big company that you can complain to if all goes wrong!! There are radial extractors and the other type! (Can't remember what they are called) Radials go in with top bar facing outside and extract both sides at once. Other type goes in flat and you have to do one side, turn it, do the other side, and turn it twice more. As you can see one is far more labour intensive than the other! BUT the radial one is a large machine and takes up a load of storage room. The final thing I would say is always store your honey stuff including extractors in a mouse free room,. They will eat holes in ANYTHING including leather gloves, extractors, frames etc They just love the smell of propolis and honey.
I don't know of any bad makes but stick with known names
E

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Highly recommend the Giordan. Mine is an 8 frame radial with electric drill (supplied) - cost about £350 last year but believe its now around £420 or so but still a very good buy. Stainless steel and two cages for spinning larger frames tangentally.

The supplier Clive is a nice helpful chap as well. Tel is 01799 543901, email [email protected]

I've got one of these.
I'm happy.

 

[oliver90owner]

oh I wish they held a British standard super in one load

My nine frame extractor does exactly that. !

RAB

 

[nelletap]

I have a Giordan; they seem to be popular and spoekn before before they are imported. Metal price and exchange rates driving up the price. I ordered a drill driven one so was a little disappointed that when Clive delivered it, it was a manual so I have aasked him if it can be upgraded. I have to say I am very pleased with it and had it been the one I ordered I might well be over the moon. I have a form of leukaemia so wanted the comfort of some extra power as I don't know how much more tired/weak I will become.
Clive was rushed off his feet at Stoneleigh where the order was finalised so I guess that is where it all went wrong.

Tricia

 

[RoseCottage]

Rab,
Have I been drinking again?!?

I have a super with 11 frames in it and a 9 frame extractor. I assumed that the 11 frames were normal...

So putting aside any excessive amount of diet coke, Dr Pepper, or any other rush inducing beverage...

?

All the best,
Sam

 

[Poly Hive]

Change your frames Sam and using Manleys you will have 9 in a super.

My sage advice is to buy the best you can and if you canna afford it look to share the cost.

I have no experience of a drill driven machine but the motorised ones I have seen appear to have a far more powerful motor than a drill so this needs to be considered.

Stainless is obviously a lot more expensive but will last a lot longer. When buying stainless look closely at the welding, if it's rough it will be a hassle to clean and also reflects the quality of the product.

Always buy bigger than you think you will need as all too soon it will be (on average) too small.

Finally ask yourself is it worth tying up hundreds of pounds in a machine you will only use once or twice a year and have to store. Or would it be better to persuade your local association to buy another one....

PH

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Rab,
Have I been drinking again?!?

I have a super with 11 frames in it and a 9 frame extractor. I assumed that the 11 frames were normal...

So putting aside any excessive amount of diet coke, Dr Pepper, or any other rush inducing beverage...

?

All the best,
Sam

Hi Sam

If using castillations it is common to get 9, 10 or 11 frames in a national super or even 8 in a WBC. The fewer the frames the larger the cells, so I think the theory is the more honey you get.

 

[drex]

.

My sage advice is to buy the best you can and if you canna afford it look to share the cost.

I have no experience of a drill driven machine but the motorised ones I have seen appear to have a far more powerful motor than a drill so this needs to be considered.

Stainless is obviously a lot more expensive but will last a lot longer. When buying stainless look closely at the welding, if it's rough it will be a hassle to clean and also reflects the quality of the product.



PH

I too have a 9 frame Agri Nova stainless steel, drill driven.
Really pleased with it. The build and design are excellent. The plastic tap is a bit flimsy, but perfectly serviceable - if I had known I would have had the metal option. Last years price v. the competition made it a no brainer.

Clive insisted on supplying the drill too as he had had several complaints when people had used their own drill with it. Clive's supplied ( Draper I think) has plenty of power ( and I could not argue with his price).

Customer service was excellent and personal

 

[Alabamaeee]

Change your frames Sam and using Manleys you will have 9 in a super.
PH

If I can maybe hijack the thread for a second if others don't mind

PH I am using Swienty Supers and standard SN1 frames (not hoffman but with castellations fitted, but can only fit 9 in a super.

Have you any experience of these? I bought them from CWJ along with the castellations. Maybe I got the wrong type of castellations?

 

[zippy573]

you say that you are new to beekeeping - my advice would be to borrow until you are certain you want to keep bees long term - i have always been surprised how many beekeepers get bored with bees! If i am right then there may well be a fair bit of 2nd hand kit around in a few years time! But i'm sure this will not apply to anyone on this forum.

 

[Poly Hive]

I used castellations once many years ago, as they were in a super I aquired and then ripped them out as a bl***y nuisance.

I use Manleys in the super and until something even better comes along there I will stay.

PH

 

[oliver90owner]

Sam,

I start with eleven or twelve to get them drawn evenly, but they are soon reduced to 9 to maximise the amount of honey per super and minimise the number of frames to be spun out. Simple economics, as I see it.

I just hate balancing an 'odd-number' cage of frames - diametrically opposite pairs should be so much easier. Giordan 8 framers any comment? Although you are not so likely to have experience of the nine frame extractors!

Regards, RAB

 

[Bandini]

Thank you all for some very useful comments and advice! It's much appreciated, and reassuring that people take the time to be helpful.

I'll have a look at each of the suggestions. I don't think i have a good sense of just how labour intensive manual extractors are, obviously the more frames the better, but those drill attachments don't look up to much?

Just discovered 'Maisemore Apriaries' - which is not to far from me, so i might go a peek at their equipment.

thanks again for helpfulness

 

[Alabamaeee]

I used castellations once many years ago, as they were in a super I aquired and then ripped them out as a bl***y nuisance.

I use Manleys in the super and until something even better comes along there I will stay.

PH

Thanks for the info. Are Manleys hoffman spaced, or if not, how do you set the spacing?