Extraction and bottling equipment

[dpearce4]

Hiya

I'm not worried about cost at the moment as I'm just looking at best case scenario at the moment.

I have become unemployed and am now going to focus all my time on beekeeping and as such I am looking at what I am going to need going forward. I am thinking that I only want to buy the kit once so am looking at what I would realistically need to run a good extraction unit and bottling for my future planned expansion.

by the end of this season I will have 120 hives and the kit I have will only just cope with that and that's why I'm looking to replace what I have which is a radial 20 frame electric Dadant extractor and the rest done by hand.

By the end of next year I am expecting to have 250 hives and by end of 2020 400. so what I need would be the kit that can cope with that amount of extraction and bottling. I have been looking at the Abelo site and am a bit confused as to what I would actually need from what they sell.

Also are there other UK based companies that sell extraction kit at that good a price that I don't know about as I'm not in the BFA yet.

As another issue, where to you guys store all your boxes in winter as for that number of hives your looking at 1000+ supers and that takes up a crazy amount of space.
cheers

 

[Hachi]

Kit storage is my challenge Doug. I'm looking at an ISO container. I've found out you can pick them up relatively cheaply. The trick is finding a home for them then moving them into position.

 

[Beefriendly]

Also are there other UK based companies that sell extraction kit at that good a price that I don't know about as I'm not in the BFA yet.

Short answer is no...Abelo do really good prices and the kit is quality.
If you have the time a visit to their new premises should sort out what you need. The bottling tables, for example, are smaller than I thought....on my wish list.

 

[Eyeman]

Hiya


I have become unemployed and am now going to focus all my time on beekeeping

Hope it all works out. Looks like you are planning on doubling your colonies each year. Are you going to buy in new queens or rear your own? Hope there are reliable guys out there you can employ?
Maybe I'm just getting old but having enjoyed keeping bees for some time now I couldn't imagine trying to earn a living wage from my hobby.

 

[Poly Hive]

There is a good reason ISU's can look cheap. Damage. The more damage the cheaper they are. The really good ones are at sea....

PH

 

[Hachi]

There is a good reason ISU's can look cheap. Damage. The more damage the cheaper they are. The really good ones are at sea....

PH

Factually incorrect. I found a place that sells them once used coming from China. Almost mint.

 

[pargyle]

There is a good reason ISU's can look cheap. Damage. The more damage the cheaper they are. The really good ones are at sea....

PH

Sorry ... that's not right. Containers have a finite life during which they can be used - there comes a point somewhere between 10 and 15 years where the container is no longer considered as sea worthy. This might be minor dents or a single puncture but more often than not it's simply age and the risk of use outweighs the replacement cost. The re-sale value of an end of life container is between 30% and 50% of the cost of new and you can see that the recovery cost deducted from the cost of new, when compared with the insurable loss of the goods in transit makes it an easy decision for the shippers to take a container out of service.

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending upon which perspective you are looking at) there is currently a container mountain of out of use containers - the price is dropping and until someone finds an economic use for these metal boxes the price will continue to fall. The sellers will always provide a condition report and you can decide what level of condition you are happy to accept.

They are good value as storage, easy to buy and have delivered in the UK, they will comfortably last 25 years or more with a coat of decent paint, service to the moving parts and sited on a well drained base. They will need insulating as they are very cold in winter and can get very hot in summer - a simple apex roof structure over the top to take the rain off and protect it from heat and cold will help.

If you have somewhere that they can be sited (and you may need planning permission) they are an excellent storage solution and can be converted into all sorts of useful buildings.

PS: The chinese ones are made from tinfoil ... (you know what I mean) better to go for an EU made one - metal is about twice as thick.

 

[B+.]

PS: The chinese ones are made from tinfoil ... (you know what I mean) better to go for an EU made one - metal is about twice as thick.

A quick google search turned up these people http://www.containex.co.uk/en/produ...erm=iso container&utm_content=6_iso container

However, if you're thinking of storing supers in them, think about the temperature fluctuations inside a sealed metal box. A lean-to would be much better (so long as the top/bottom are sealed)

 

[Worldsend]

Storage

A number of companies selling used containers out of Southampton docks

 

[pargyle]

A number of companies selling used containers out of Southampton docks

Yes ... several in Southampton. The current price for an end of use one seems to be about £1200 for a 20 foot. Plus whatever the delivery charge is .. most of the firns selling them offer some sort of transport option - only thing to consider is can the delivery vehicle get safely to where you want the container sited. Most have self offloading gear or a HIAB. Lots of space for about £1700 all in with a bit of luck.

 

[alldigging]

Yes ... several in Southampton. The current price for an end of use one seems to be about £1200 for a 20 foot. Plus whatever the delivery charge is .. most of the firns selling them offer some sort of transport option - only thing to consider is can the delivery vehicle get safely to where you want the container sited. Most have self offloading gear or a HIAB. Lots of space for about £1700 all in with a bit of luck.

Do you need planning permission for one?

 

[pargyle]

Do you need planning permission for one?

They are generally classed as a temporary structure and as such would not require planning permission. However, if they are going to be sited in a residential location, somewhere that someone could raise a complaint about it or where the structure is going to be within 15 metres of the highway then it would be wise to consult the local planning authority before putting one in ... as these circumstances and some others could require planning permission. Common sense is the rule of thumb in these matters ... although this is not always reciprocated by Planning Officers !