Electric Extractor advice please

[victor meldrew]

An interesting read !
my electric extractor is home brew . Now twenty eight years old . ( nine frame radial )
I run an average of 5 hives . The motor and speed control are showing their age , the S/S drum and cage are still mint . However the cost of a replacement is so close to the price for a new extractor I may as well take this route.
the Konigin is looking a likely candidate!

 

[victor meldrew]

An interesting read !
my electric extractor is home brew . Now twenty eight years old . ( nine frame radial )
I run an average of 5 hives . The motor and speed control are showing their age , the S/S drum and cage are still mint . However the cost of a replacement is so close to the price for a new extractor I may as well take this route.
the Konigin is looking a likely candidate!

The capacity of the Konigin ( 13 lbs ) seems rather low , The honey from 9 fat frames weighs more than double this ?

 

[Cb50]

Here is another point to consider. If you have sufficient number of hives to justify purchase of an electric extractor then it will be worthwhile to convert supers from ten to nine frames , using 9 frame castellations. Fewer frames loaded with larger quantity of Honey are easier and quicker to extract and better for the bees , probably. My mentor who produces about a ton of Honey per year favours this method.

Like that idea. Time is wasted trying to cut the tops off parts of frames that are not protruding. Have some unmade supers and will give that a try. Like trying to different things to see what works best.

 

[Cb50]

One part of spinning honey is cleaning the spinner afterwards, and how easy it is to disassemble and clean. I looked at a few and the one that impressed me most was the Logar 9 frame radial. The finish and quality was well ahead or the others. Two top handscrews and the motor and lids are off, and then the frame carrier drum lifts out, job done.
One particularly annoying feature about the Konigin was the whine, it's dreadful to work beside. I think it is emitted from a single to 3 phase converter for the variable speed control.
Be sure to see whatever model you choose working, even empty, before you make your decision.

Anyone else with a Konigin getting this noise

 

[Cb50]

The capacity of the Konigin ( 13 lbs ) seems rather low , The honey from 9 fat frames weighs more than double this ?

Yes saw capacities as low. I like having good weight Of honey in helps stabilise it. I thought it was a misprint on the capacity

 

[Cb50]

We were lucky to get a second hand 8 frame radial as our first machine, with extra cages for 12 x14 /Langstroth brood frames.
That was on the advice of a few BK's that suggested, get the best you can, then upgrading will be one less thing to think about.
We only have 2 hives at the moment. and we use the hot air gun method to un-cap, and can fill and un fill the extractor in mins. it only takes about 40/50 mins to extract 5 supers (55 frames) takes more time getting it out, cleaning it and putting it away!

What’s the consensus on hot air gun uncapping. My hands kill after extracting, but a fair trade for all the lovely honey

 

[Cb50]

Much as I like to agree with young Merrybee, on this occasion I agree with Amari. I fill my 12 frame and spin it until I have another 12 frames to put in it. They come out almost dry .

On another point about the Konigin 12 frame - I got a set of supports which allow me to spin 14x12's tangentially (I didn't order them but they were in the drum when I picked it up). I believe these don't come free as standard but are available at a price.
Also be aware that the 12 frame has a large drum which won't fit through narrow doorways...... check before you buy.

Must measure that. Do the 14 12 only fit tangentially then

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What’s the consensus on hot air gun uncapping. My hands kill after extracting, but a fair trade for all the lovely honey

A faff, and it won't work on all cappings. I'll stick to the knife thanks

 

[Cb50]

A faff, and it won't work on all cappings. I'll stick to the knife thanks

Hot or cold knife. I am not heated but wondered if they are worth it

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Also be aware that the 12 frame has a large drum which won't fit through narrow doorways...... check before you buy.

Yet I have a 20 frame Lyson from Abelo and it fits through a standard 2'6" doorway easily

The hard work - uncapping each frame, loading it into the extractor and taking it out again - is exactly the same whether your extractor takes 4 frames or 12 or 20.
Isnt it?

But you have conveniently disregarded time. Try this bit of mathematics then:

Say for arguments sake you have a 10 frame extractor, it takes 10 minutes to extract one super of frames. (I think 9 frame supers are an absolutely ridiculous concept - but that's just me)
so if I have 40 supers to extract, that's nearly seven hours work.
Does it take seven hours with a 20 frame extractor?
last year I upgraded from a 9 frame Lega to a 20 frame Lyson - I was amazed at the time I saved at the first extraction this year.
And I can tell you now, I was a bit reluctand to go from a top mounted motor to one fitted under the extractor, but what a difference! The Lyson extractor is by far a lot quieter than the Lega - I think part of that is due to the position of the motor. Not just that, when it comes to cleaning, if you must take the extractor apart, it's a lot less faff with no need to struggle with lifting the motor off, then again struggling to get it back on and married to the top cog of the cage.

 

[Angry_Mob]

What’s the consensus on hot air gun uncapping.

If you want wax cappings then don't bother; otherwise its much quicker and cleaner than faffing with a knife.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hot or cold knife. I am not heated but wondered if they are worth it

I use a cold serrated knife - I have a hot knife but I just can't be bothered with it.

 

[GuyNir]

What’s the consensus on hot air gun uncapping. My hands kill after extracting, but a fair trade for all the lovely honey

I tried that first time this year, works great. Makes the uncapping process quicker and cleaner (no capping to deal with, no waiting to get the honey to drain)

 

[manek]

I'd think just a little before rejecting a tangential. I bought a Lyson 8-frame tangential swing-cage fom Abelo: it allows you to rotate the cage 180 degrees within the extractor, no frame handling required, quick and simple. And the cages support the wax well, so the risk of a collapsed frame is minimised.

 

[Newbeeneil]

The capacity of the Konigin ( 13 lbs ) seems rather low , The honey from 9 fat frames weighs more than double this ?

My 12 frame takes 23lb before you need to open the honey gate but to be honest I tend to leave it open while I'm extracting, I only close it when I remove the bucket.
I've never noticed a whine with my motor.
Yes the 14x12s do require the tangential cages but if you need to extract 14x12's I don't think you can do it with a Konigin 9 frame.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Oh and I forgot. The 12 frame is only £15 more expensive than the 9 frame

 

[madasafish]

cheapest stainless steel 4 frame radial #I have found is Park beekeeping supplies, very compact , it also takes a three frame tangelial cage and will extract tangentially national Broods and Commercial brood frames

That extractor is what I have ( s/h ebay in March 2019 for 50% price of new one. Hardly used but needed a good clean and new ball bearing on main shaft and new Food safe grease..)

Works well. I have extracted 25 supers 2019 and 17 YTD 2020.. (I don't extract all at once preferring to do 7-8 maximum at a time (Old age!)

 

[sean-a]

What’s the consensus on hot air gun uncapping. My hands kill after extracting, but a fair trade for all the lovely honey

What’s the consensus on .........

Consensus is a concept not recognised by Bee Keepers!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Here is another point to consider. If you have sufficient number of hives to justify purchase of an electric extractor then it will be worthwhile to convert supers from ten to nine frames , using 9 frame castellations. Fewer frames loaded with larger quantity of Honey are easier and quicker to extract and better for the bees , probably. My mentor who produces about a ton of Honey per year favours this method.

I like my 9 frame extractor for just that reason.

 

[victor meldrew]

Oh and I forgot. The 12 frame is only £15 more expensive than the 9 frame

I’ve ordered the Konigin 12 Frame should arrive Wednesday.
. I've measured the door width on my honey house . It should fit with ease .
thanks for the tip .
I couldn’t resist the extra capacity for a mere £15 .