Advice on extractor use please

[SimonB]

I bought an old extractor from a beekeeper who was giving up. It's a Lee (of Uxbridge) for whom I can find very little information and assume they no longer exist.

The cage looks like this

I am assuming it's a 3 frame tangential type, and will take super and deep frames. However I am unsure how to position the frames - where do the frame lugs sit at the base, and how are the frames secured to the edge of the cage. Or do they sit loose and the centrifugal force of spinning them is sufficient to push them to the side of the cage. That approach seems a bit unreliable and am sure there is a proper way. If anyone has a similar extractor or can explain its usage I'd very much appreciate it.

Thanks

 

[VEG]

frame lugs go in the holes comb against the mesh spinning holds them against the mesh.

 

[SimonB]

Thanks, so they essentially sit loose?

With well drawn frames, does the comb not just end up as a mush against the mesh?

 

[Beeline]

To avoid collapse of the comb against the mesh give it a slow spin at first, rotating the face of the frame. After a couple of rotations you can start to step up the pace.

I learnt the hard way on my first 3 frames. An explosion of wax and honey inside of the extractor.

 

[YorkshireBees]

From my limited experience using a tangential extractor (once) the frames should be gently spun with the first surface facing outwards until some honey has been removed and then the frames need switching so the other surface faces outwards. Then you can spin the frames until all the honey is removed from the 2nd side and then finally reverse the frames and finish spinning the honey from the 1st surface.

If that makes sense.

This way you do not put too much stress on either side.

This is also why I decided to go for a electric powered radial extractor as a tangential took so much time for the number of frames I need to process!

 

[scuttlefish]

From my limited experience using a tangential extractor (once) the frames should be gently spun with the first surface facing outwards until some honey has been removed and then the frames need switching so the other surface faces outwards. Then you can spin the frames until all the honey is removed from the 2nd side and then finally reverse the frames and finish spinning the honey from the 1st surface.

If that makes sense.

This way you do not put too much stress on either side.

This is also why I decided to go for a electric powered radial extractor as a tangential took so much time for the number of frames I need to process!

I use a four/two frame tangential, it was cheaper than any radials I could find at the time and is fine for smaller operations but you do need to turn the frames over as above otherwise the comb gets shredded.

 

[SimonB]

Thanks for all your replies - experiment seems to be the answer.

Is it important which way the frame is located ie top bar facing left or right in relation to spin direction? Either for more effective extraction given slight cell angle, or to simply prevent the frame from disintegrating?

Also, not the right thread really, but can frames partly filled with now crystallised OSR be extracted or will this destroy the comb?

Thanks again.

 

[scuttlefish]

On the first bit - no, I put my super frames in back to back (top bar to top bar) and haven't had any problems with either being the "wrong" way to the spin direction.

 

[DanBee]

From the colour and some aspects of construction it could be by Thomas of France. Lee's were an agent for them and indeed our 20 frame Thomas radial dating from 1981 was supplied by Lee's.

Lees of Uxbridge, Steele and Brodie, Taylors of Welwyn, all once popular and thriving but now long since gone.