Extracting DN frames

[Beedogg]

As a bi-product of the Demarees I seem to have quite a lot of capped-stores-filled DN frames. The 9-frame radial extractor that I've borrowed appears to fit 3x DN frames, but not absolutely radially orientated. Consequently they tend to either collapse when spun, or fall into the wrong position.

Is there a trick to spinning DN frames?
Or another way of extracting them?
Or do I just need to find a different extractor?
Or, if I put the frames back into the colonies but above the crown-board (WBC hives), will the bees re-store the honey in the supers?

 

[Murox]

Try spinning more slowly or go tangential.

 

[Beedogg]

OK, but if spinning tangentially in what is a radial extractor the frames are entirely unsupported. So I'd have thought that even very cautious spinning is likely to cause them to blow. I guess I can make up some sort of wire frame to hold them in tangentially but it's a bit of a faff and I wondered if there was a better way.

 

[enrico]

The cheapest manual one that takes DN frames if you can afford it

 

[Boston Bees]

if I put the frames back into the colonies but above the crown-board (WBC hives), will the bees re-store the honey in the supers?

No. Bees want honey at the top of the hive, they don't move it down, and are not particularly bothered by having a crownboard with a hole in dividing the nest up

 

[Beedogg]

No. Bees want honey at the top of the hive, they don't move it down, and are not particularly bothered by having a crownboard with a hole in dividing the nest up

But I thought that one can put wet frames above the crownboard (but under the roof) in order to allow the bees to clean them up. If so, surely they are then taking the salvaged honey back down into the colony, aren't they?

 

[Boston Bees]

But I thought that one can put wet frames above the crownboard (but under the roof) in order to allow the bees to clean them up. If so, surely they are then taking the salvaged honey back down into the colony, aren't they?

No, you can't do that. I mean, you can try, but it will very rarely work. Certainly not in June, when the bees are in expansion mode anyway

If you want frames cleared of honey, the only reliable place is at the bottom of the stack. Bees don't want honey there. But it's a vast amount of work for the bees - imagine all the work it has taken for them to get that honey capped up there, and now you want them to take it all out and move it somewhere else...... I would just keep those frames and put them back into the hives in October for winter food.

(Or get yourself a cheap tangential extractor if this is going to happen regularly, or tangential screens for your existing one, if they are available)

 

[Mint Bee]

if you place an empty super above the crown board, then a crown board and finally the bruised frames they are more likely to draw down the honey. Its about making the bees think they have found an external source of honey. All my harvested supers were cleaned like this from the spring harvest, as well as the cappings. Make sure you have sufficient super space in the hive or they can start building comb in the empty super

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

but if spinning tangentially in what is a radial extractor the frames are entirely unsupported

then get tangental converter screens

 

[enrico]

if you place an empty super above the crown board, then a crown board and finally the bruised frames they are more likely to draw down the honey. Its about making the bees think they have found an external source of honey. All my harvested supers were cleaned like this from the spring harvest, as well as the cappings. Make sure you have sufficient super space in the hive or they can start building comb in the empty super

But f you have more than one hive it an encourage robbing so be careful.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

if you place an empty super above the crown board, then a crown board and finally the bruised frames they are more likely to draw down the honey. Its about making the bees think they have found an external source of honey. All my harvested supers were cleaned like this from the spring harvest, as well as the cappings. Make sure you have sufficient super space in the hive or they can start building comb in the empty super

why not just put the empty frames back on for the bees to refill during the main flow?

also, if there is a flow on you have two hopes of them taking the honey down - one is called Bob

 

[Mint Bee]

why not just put the empty frames back on for the bees to refill during the main flow?

also, if there is a flow on you have two hopes of them taking the honey down - one is called Bob

OSR honey, so didn't want it left in the supers to potential act as trigger for crystallisation of main crop. Any part filled supers that fail shake test get treated like this as well. I've had problems in the past with significant numbers of frames already crystallised when coming to harvest main crop. Does it make a difference? Well it seams to reduce the number I need to melt out later in the year
The harvested honey is already set like concreate. post harvest weathers not been good so bees have cleaned the lot up already. Again seams to work for me, but might not in other situations