Api melter

[Chrisfnvs]

Hi Guys, i am hoping to add an Api Melter to my honey house after Xmas, i know we in the BFA were able to purchase them a while back for a very good discounted price,( i believe that a forum member had organised this on behalf of the BFA) unfortunately as a new member that was before i became a member, it was mentioned at our regional meeting that some members had still managed to obtain this discount after the event so i was wondering if anyone had any details or a contact number so i can make enquires many thanks Chris

 

[Chris B]

Chris why not put an ad. in BFA News, asking for other interested parties. You could probably chivvy up a bit of interest and get a better discount.

But if it's just you then Swienty are always happy to bring one to the Spring Convention and at least you save on transport costs. I bought mine that way about 5 years back.

And before I forget, if you do get one order a few extra thermostats as that's been the only problem I've had with mine, and it's a right pain if one fails at the wrong time and you can't replace it straight away.

 

[Chrisfnvs]

Thanks Chris B i know of one other member who could be interested in one as well, so that could be the way to go. Chris

 

[DanBee]

Hi Chris (& Chris),

I organised the last bulk buy. Chris B is right - ask David Bancalari to put a piece in the Bulletin looking for interest. We worked it to about £300 off per unit, with delivery included - shared because they came into one central location and were collected from there. This would have been better (500+ discount) but it coincided with the time that the euro jumped sharply against the pound.

Swienty's offer of delivery to the spring convention is always good, but these are awkward heavy buggers when delivered. It's a two man lift into something, and of course out again at the other end.

Chris B - was it the thermostat or the heating element that had a reputation for failing - I hear it was the latter, just curious in case I need to get parts in! However when my bottling machine went pop (literally) on a Friday afternoon, Swienty had the parts with me by Monday. I find their service has been excellent.

 

[Chrisfnvs]

Thanks Dan, i thought it was you that had organised the last one, but did not want to post that just in case i had got it wrong, i will start to ask around to see if there is any interest from others, and ask David to ask also and place an advert, have you got a contact name and number for swienty so i can see what price i can negotiate as a starting point many thanks Dan.

 

[Chris B]

Dan it was definitely the thermostats for me. I've replaced 3 or 4 already. Not a difficult job but a bit fiddly and you then need to reseal the electric unit with something properly waterproof or else condensation gets into the electric boxes and you get shorting. The replacement thermostats are about a tenner IIRC. So I got spares and of course everything's been fine for the last 12 months.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

I used high temperature silicone sealer to seal the inside surface of the lid. I gather that the lids on newer models are now sealed on the inside suface with solder and will need drilling out if the thermostat is replaced.

 

[Chris B]

I used high temperature silicone sealer to seal the inside surface of the lid. I gather that the lids on newer models are now sealed on the inside suface with solder and will need drilling out if the thermostat is replaced.

Or with a soldering iron.

 

[DanBee]

Thanks for the info on the thermostats. Mine has been fine so far - oh no, do you see what I've done?!

Swienty's contact details are here. It's probably Bjorn you want to make contact with in the first instance to start haggling, and Josephine will then handle the order. Don't be afraid to phone rather than email as their English is excellent, even the technical guys if/when you need them.

 

[beebreeder]

I am in on this one Chris but not before christmas, to those that use one already would I be right in the thought thats its one of those pieces of kit that you could not imagine managing without ounce you have one.

 

[Chris B]

would I be right in the thought thats its one of those pieces of kit that you could not imagine managing without ounce you have one.

That's true. Unless I could replace it with some sort of inline equivalent.

 

[beebreeder]

did you buy yours direct chris or through bfa

 

[Chrisfnvs]

Is there a bit of a reliability issue with the thermostat ? i would hope not if laying out that sort of money ! i have sent an email to get a ball park figure then see if there is any interest from others, i will keep you all posted.

 

[Chris B]

did you buy yours direct chris or through bfa

Direct I'm afraid. I think slightly before Dan put an order in.

 

[Chris B]

Is there a bit of a reliability issue with the thermostat ?

I'm not sure if it's a general issue or just me. But I guarantee you over the 20 years or more lifespan things will need fixing/replacing.
I've had to replace electrical components on a Thomas extractor and a cappings spinner over the last few years too. The best one was the extractor. The Thomas engineer couldn't diagnose it over the phone with me following his instructions. My neighbour, a Land Rover engineer, identified the failed component within about 30 seconds.

 

[beebreeder]

chris i have been offered a thomas 20 frame radial but it has a plastic coated basket and paul from thornes reckons a replacement would around 400.00, seems alittle excessive to me can you deal direct with thomas

 

[Into the lions den]

Chris...........dont start me on about Thomas....................getting involved there cast me in excess of 15K down the drain.......still have a parallel radial in the shed that trashed 100 pallets of combs in two seasons, and needed three people to get the lid off and a contortionist dwarf to excavate the trash (mostly the detritus of dozens of destroyed frames reduced to matchwood) out of the bottom...............an hour long job for three and needed done daily.

Then there was changing belts on a Spinomel. Interesting structure a Spinomel.............its as if the first component was the belt, and eveything else built round it. It took 2 days to do it, cracked an eccentric and thus very expensive bearing, and that was following their instructions exactly. They said two men four hours........us two men 14 hours.

Take out the baskets, remove the whole top of the machine, remembering to remove the tiny grub screws from the collar on the bearing housing. Then take out the drum. Then, again being careful to remove the grub screws (virtually inaccesible!) from the collars on the bearings of the shaft. Unbolt the machine from the concrete floor and turn it up onto its side, unbolt the large pulleys the belt goes round so they slide down the shaft, then draw the shaft out about three inches so shaft comes clear of the bottom end bearing. Slip new belt under bottom of shaft. Reassemble everythiing in reverse order. Meanwhile the procedure cracked the eccentric angled bearing in the inner floor of the machine.

Primitive engineering and a real pain. Of course the shaft was stuck, and we ended up also needing to get the local blacksmith in to drive fox wedges into the structure to get the shaft to move at all.............bad bad day at the office.

Thomas subsequently revealed that they had never actually done one themselves and that this was how they would recommend doing it.

As he was leaving the blacksmith volunteered the rather less than happily received advice, 'Why did you not just use link belts?' Blue air time.

 

[Chrisfnvs]

Fair point Chris B, i guess it all depends on the level of usage it gets during the season, i am assuming yours gets used a lot

 

[beebreeder]

So Murray what do you use a cowen line from the states ?
Kev

 

[Into the lions den]

So Murray what do you use a cowen line from the states ?
Kev

No............is only suitable for non gel honey.

sequence thus................

Deboxer
Dakota Gunness uncapper..........thence
Channel 1........combs
Scratch any low bits
store stack.........
Ceracell Boutelje Loosener (heather time only)
72 frame turntable
Ceracell Boutelje tangential Manuka extractor (24 deeps or 48 shallows/mediums)
Out flow to sump tank
Combs assessed and redone/chopped/returned to store as needed.

Channel 2.................cappings etc
Limousin wax/cappings press for all cappings and chopouts
Outflow to sump tank to join honey from extractor
Wax to hoppers then to melter tank (custom build Swienty /Fritz)


Pump from sump into Spinomel,
to collecting tank
Pump into barrels

Other than the sump being kept warm, no other heat applied at any stage.

Melter tank is just that, a triple walled insulated tank to melt the baskets of wax pressings (aka the 'dog biscuits' here). No honey is recovered from these as 95% has already been pressed out.

Some of these items are seriously expensive. The extractor would set you back c15K today, the wax press about 10K, the loosener about 6K.

For reliability I cannot speak highly enough of the Dakota uncapper..............20 seasons of work, and not even a single flail needed replaced. No repairs whatsoever.