Broken honey gate for SAF Natura 9 frame radial extractor

[Aestivum]

Hi folks, I've been lurking here for ages, but haven't got around to posting before, but I just dropped my faithful honey extractor and broke the honey gate. It has a thread with an external diameter of 47mm that screws into the extractor body rather than into a nut, so fitting is crucial.

I've searched the entire internet for a replacement but it seems impossible to find something which is accurately described, and the only SAF replacement I've seen is in the USA and costs a fortune to ship - does anybody know of a UK supplier who could help?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I bet that any plastic honey gate would fit, all beekeeping suppliers stock plastic honey gates for plastic settling tanks, loads of cheap lookalikee plastic honey gates available on ebay too.

 

[Aestivum]

Thanks for the reply - I've got a couple of the normal ones that screw into a nut that I use for settling - they measure 44mm - this is a few millimetres bigger.

 

[Jimmy]

Ring Thornes, they may be able to help. They were very helpful when I replaced a honey gate on an old Thomas stainless tank.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Thanks for the reply - I've got a couple of the normal ones that screw into a nut that I use for settling - they measure 44mm - this is a few millimetres bigger.

Have a look on the FB group Home Workshop Engineering. Making up an adapter to a smaller standard type or even a new valve in polyethylene or polycarbonate is the sort of job some of the folks there would relish.

 

[Aestivum]

Have a look on the FB group Home Workshop Engineering. Making up an adapter to a smaller standard type or even a new valve in polyethylene or polycarbonate is the sort of job some of the folks there would relish.

Wow, that's a radical potential solution - thanks!

 

[holmbee]

You could try Easibee they have UK distribution for SAF. Or possibly Dingle in Ireland. I sympathise with you as I am so delighted with my SAF extractor.

 

[pargyle]

Hi folks, I've been lurking here for ages, but haven't got around to posting before, but I just dropped my faithful honey extractor and broke the honey gate. It has a thread with an external diameter of 47mm that screws into the extractor body rather than into a nut, so fitting is crucial.

I've searched the entire internet for a replacement but it seems impossible to find something which is accurately described, and the only SAF replacement I've seen is in the USA and costs a fortune to ship - does anybody know of a UK supplier who could help?

View attachment 41245

I replaced the gate on my ancient Lega extractor with a stainless steel one from Abelo - the diameter of the the threaded hole in my Lega was 48mm so I suspect this one will do the job for you - at that price it's worth a punt and if it does not fit - put it on a plastic bucket and turn it into a settling tank.

https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/tanksbottling-valves/honey-valve-39mm-1-12inch/

It states that it needs a 48mm hole ...

PS: They don't seem to sell the stainless ones anymore.

 

[Garry R]

Lega say 47mm but worth checking that is across the threads

https://www.ecrotek.co.nz/product/4...NB8KAvPHDnMSsTkSfpsbzAAwGuK9gZ0ZyGuKqwdfUX6s_

 

[Anduril]

https://www.thorne.co.uk/processing...-strainers/valves/clean-cut-valve-medium.html
This one says 47mm hole

 

[pargyle]

https://www.thorne.co.uk/processing...-strainers/valves/clean-cut-valve-medium.html
This one says 47mm hole

It may be that they are 47mm or 48mm depending on who measures them and whether they measure the diameter at the top of the threads or in the valley ? I replaced my Lega one (See above) and even without any PTFE tape the replacement screwed straight in .. as it was a stainless threaded gate on a stainless threaded spigot there was no room for error - if the threads were wrong they would not have screwed in and would have cross threaded. As the gate I suggested is only a tenner and has a nut and washer - if it does not fit the extractor it is not wasted - it could be used on a tub to make a settlement tank. No lose situation ...

 

[Anduril]

It may be that they are 47mm or 48mm depending on who measures them and whether they measure the diameter at the top of the threads or in the valley ? I replaced my Lega one (See above) and even without any PTFE tape the replacement screwed straight in .. as it was a stainless threaded gate on a stainless threaded spigot there was no room for error - if the threads were wrong they would not have screwed in and would have cross threaded. As the gate I suggested is only a tenner and has a nut and washer - if it does not fit the extractor it is not wasted - it could be used on a tub to make a settlement tank. No lose situation ...

Same but, £15, has a nut on the back.

 

[Aestivum]

I replaced the gate on my ancient Lega extractor with a stainless steel one from Abelo - the diameter of the the threaded hole in my Lega was 48mm so I suspect this one will do the job for you - at that price it's worth a punt and if it does not fit - put it on a plastic bucket and turn it into a settling tank.

https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/tanksbottling-valves/honey-valve-39mm-1-12inch/

It states that it needs a 48mm hole ...

PS: They don't seem to sell the stainless ones anymore.

Excellent - many thanks!

 

[Aestivum]

Thanks for your help folks, I'll get the Abelo one and see how it goes!

 

[Aestivum]

Excellent news - the Abelo gate fits! Had to reverse the gate (the lip is at the top) but I can certainly live with that!

 

[pargyle]

Excellent news - the Abelo gate fits! Had to reverse the gate (the lip is at the top) but I can certainly live with that!

RESULT ...and useful for those that may follow your path !

 

[Antipodes]

Would it work I wonder, to add another black washer and swap the bolts?

 

[Aestivum]

Would it work I wonder, to add another black washer and swap the bolts?

I think it probably would - it came with a large square-section white washer which didn't line things up well, and the o-ring is from the original honey gate - I'll see if I can find something else with a different cross-section so I can get it lined up properly (and obsessively!). No problem with swapping the bolts back around.

 

[bobba]

Excellent news - the Abelo gate fits! Had to reverse the gate (the lip is at the top) but I can certainly live with that!

Maybe try some PTFE tape, it may take a bit of trial and error but I think you should be able to get it the right way up.

I have had a similar issue when fitting a new garden tap and managed to get it aligned with PTFE.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Maybe try some PTFE tape, it may take a bit of trial and error but I think you should be able to get it the right way up.

I have had a similar issue when fitting a new garden tap and managed to get it aligned with PTFE.

Food grade silicone sealant between the flange and the body of the unit is a useful solution. Don't get it between the thread and the nut or it'll be difficult to remove if you need to. Give it a day or so to cure and it can be nipped up if necessary. Dow Corning clear ss is probably the best product for your application.