Extractor advice

[Wilco]

Been asked to source an extractor for a friend as a gift for another friend, small scale beekeeper I'm helping get started. Both of the following are within budget and was wondering if anyone has used either and can advise whether they're any good?

https://paynesbeefarm.co.uk/products/swb-4-frame-extractor
https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/extractors/manual-4-frame-extractor-with-legs/
I know these are probably overkill for a small setup.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I'd go for a radial all day long, less damage to the frames if used properly.
And probably go for a plastic one... My first one I used was plastic and light to move around.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'd go for a radial all day long, less damage to the frames if used properly.

How do you make out either (radial or tangential) damage frames - neither type do if 'used properly'

 

[Curly green finger's]

How do you make out either (radial or tangential) damage frames - neither type do if 'used properly'

I was waiting for someone to contradict me usually you , have you ever said a good work no!!.
Right using a tang frames are pressed up against mesh and can have minimal damage.
Radial frames aren't and come out completely damage free, yes both work if used properly but IMO radial are better and I think frames come out cleaner as well.
Maybe set a poll up not had one for a while?
Good morning sir!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning? no need for a personal attack when all I'm doing is correcting something which isn't really factual, just your opinion

Radial frames aren't and come out completely damage free,

I extract both radially and tangentially, by far, I would say you are more likely to get damaged (or more often written off) frames with a radial, I seldom get a badly damaged frame when extracting tangentially, it's very easy to not notice the occasional frame which has part set or heather honey in in a batch of frames in a radial extractor, the first you'll know of it when you hear the bang and a frame blows and knocks the whole extractor out of kilter.
Never seen that happen with tangential - yes, you get the odd frame where the comb gets a bit squished or sticks to the grille, but it's seldom a writeoff.
So the advice given was a little sub par. Or at least incomplete.
It's also a fact, oft reported on here that, as long as you accept it's a bit more faff, that tangential extraction gets a lot more honey out of the frames ie, they are cleaner.

 

[Arfermo]

Been asked to source an extractor for a friend as a gift for another friend, small scale beekeeper I'm helping get started. Both of the following are within budget and was wondering if anyone has used either and can advise whether they're any good?

https://paynesbeefarm.co.uk/products/swb-4-frame-extractor
https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/extractors/manual-4-frame-extractor-with-legs/
I know these are probably overkill for a small setup.

Look very expensive for mere 4 framers. Are you sure that there aren't the same or similar that cost a lot less?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

both gives you the ability to extract Deep Nationals as well as shallows, but the first at least extracts twice as many of both sizes. If you want to extract radially (as the second does) you could always spend a little bit more and go for the Maisemore's extractor with integral filter and tank - in the end it means you need one less settling tank so no more expense really

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have both. I never get any frame damage in a tangential. The only faff is having to turn the frames round. Stan has blown frames in the radial and is not allowed near it any more. You have to be really careful with frames that have some crystallised honey in. The radial does get more honey out that’s for sure

 

[Boston Bees]

Interesting. I would have thought that physics would dictate that radial would be safer for the frames than tangential, given that the structure of frames must be much weaker when force is applied from the side than from the top or bottom. I wonder why this isn't clearly the case in peoples experience.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It's not just centrifugal force though is it? centripetal plays its part and when you have a mass within a frame that wants to move to the sides but cannot - bang!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thing is, with all safeguards in place, you can apply a lot more force to a frame in a tangential extractor than a radial without wrecking it. That's why we extract heather honey tangentially, thus also get cleaner frames.
That's why, nowadays, there is a growing popularity in swing frame tangential extractors - even for non thixotropic honeys.
Laurence at Black Mountain Honey has switched to a swing frame tangential and on more than one occasion has waxed lyrically about how clean the frames turn out.

 

[enrico]

I would go for a nice plastic easy clean one that you can convert to a motor later if you so wish. For years I have used a three frame tangential. I have also had a lot of use from a nine frame radial which I later converted to electric. One of the most important things is how easy it is to clean in my opinion!

 

[Wilco]

Thanks all for the advice, much appreciated.