Extractor questions.

[Bluebell1985]

I'm looking at honey extraction equipment and have a few questions that I'm sure the experienced members will be able to provide guidance on.

I've narrowed down my search to two; a 12 frame manual radial extractor at £510 and a 20 frame electric radial extractor at £1315.

My logic is mostly based on price and necessity. The motor powered ones comes down to price. The price jump between how many frames they take seems quite low. If I'm investing over £1k in an extractor why don't I spend a tiny bit more and get a bigger size. The necessity element is do I really need such a big extractor?

This is the part I would like some guidance on....

Currently I only have two hives but I expect in a few years I'll go up to a maximum of 10, or maybe 12, (hives in pairs feels better all of a sudden). For someone with that number of hives, what size extractor would I actually 'sensibly' require?

The other aspect is regarding the manual extractor. This is currently appealing due to how much significantly cheaper it is. I can afford the more expensive but if it's wasteful then I'd rather spend money elsewhere. How much of a pain would it be (and timeframe) to manually extract 10-12 hives worth of honey. On the assumption it's a totally average year for honey yields being in the south east of England.

Thank you and I hope this is legible.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I extracted my best ever honey crop of just short of 1000lb in 2018 with a four frame hand crank. It was boring hard work. It's actually the first extractor I ever got and it's my favourite. It's easy to clean and I can do just the odd super if I like...
BUT it doesn't take brood frames. I did have a Giordan electric 8 frame that took two brood frames but it was drill driven and in the end I wasn't happy with it. It did the job for 10 years and I replaced it with an Abelo 20 frame electric radial. It's a joy to use, It takes four brood frames, I can get it through the kitchen door and not too bad to clean. Husband has made a platform with wheels for it to sit on

 

[pargyle]

I have an old but perfectky serviceable electric 15 frame Lega ... it's beast and it saves me loads of time for my major extraction ... but I do wonder whether I should also have a smaller one for the odd super extraction at other times.

To be honest, with two hives, I'd start out with a smaller extractor ... have a look at these for £200 for a motorised extractor which will take 6 super frames ... cracking deal. When you need a bigger extractor ... you can sell this for almost as much as you paid for it ... and get a bigger one when you have 8 or 10 colonies. Less space to take up, lighter to handle...

https://m.vevor.co.uk/honey-extract...ames-honey-spinner-bee-6-combs-p_010829768020

 

[Erichalfbee]

https://m.vevor.co.uk/honey-extract...ames-honey-spinner-bee-6-combs-p_010829768020

Does this take brood frames?

 

[pargyle]

Does this take brood frames?

I think it takes three national brood frames or 6 super frames ....but I don't think it will manage 14 x 12's

 

[Wilco]

Does this take brood frames?

Listing says:

Fit for frames of 9.2 x 17.3 x 19.2 in /23.5 x 44 x 48.8 cm.

So theoretically could fit two super frames or one brood per cage.

Looking through the reviews it looks like there are some for a two frame extractor and some for a four frame one plus others have pictures added which are nothing to do with bees so I'm conflicted about trusting the reviews.

 

[pargyle]

Listing says:

Fit for frames of 9.2 x 17.3 x 19.2 in /23.5 x 44 x 48.8 cm.

So theoretically could fit two super frames or one brood per cage.

Looking through the reviews it looks like there are some for a two frame extractor and some for a four frame one plus others have pictures added which are nothing to do with bees so I'm conflicted about trusting the reviews.

I've not bought an extractor from Vevor but I have bought other things ... what I've bought has been well made and does the job. .. nice people to deal with as well.

Looking at those frame measurements they should take 14 x 12's as well ...

 

[Murox]

Listing says:

Fit for frames of 9.2 x 17.3 x 19.2 in /23.5 x 44 x 48.8 cm.

So theoretically could fit two super frames or one brood per cage.

Looking through the reviews it looks like there are some for a two frame extractor and some for a four frame one plus others have pictures added which are nothing to do with bees so I'm conflicted about trusting the reviews.

Well I am just confused by the way the measurements are listed.

 

[pargyle]

Well I am just confused by the way the measurements are listed.

Yes ... I suspect that what they have measured is the internal measurements of the cage compartments ... looking at the photos I think the critical measurements are the 17.4 x 19.2 inches which is going to allow most normal deeps.

Langstroth 9.6 x 19 in
Commercial 10 x 16 in
National 14 x 8.5 in

National shallow 14 x 5.5 in So should take two in each section.

 

[thorn]

Whatever you go for, make sure you can manoeuvre it and store it without to much trouble.

 

[Bluebell1985]

Whatever you go for, make sure you can manoeuvre it and store it without to much trouble.

Aye sage advice there. I've been considering that as a big factor.

 

[Jules59]

The trouble with tangential extractors is that its easy to break the comb and you have to swap the combs around - which slows the whole process down a fair bit. Im looking to change from my manual 4 frame tangential to a 4 or 6 frame electric radial. Any recommendations , ideally at a price nearer the Vevor above.

 

[pargyle]

The trouble with tangential extractors is that its easy to break the comb and you have to swap the combs around - which slows the whole process down a fair bit. Im looking to change from my manual 4 frame tangential to a 4 or 6 frame electric radial. Any recommendations , ideally at a price nearer the Vevor above.

The key to not blowing combs out is to start spinning slowly and build up (this applies to both tangential and radial extractors) and ideally turn the comb after part spinning the first siide and then do the second and then return to the first. Yes, it takes a bit longer but for someone with only a few supers to do it's not a big hardship.. I managed with a tangetial extractor (a manual one) that took 8 frames (two in each section) until I got up to seven hives - I would probably still be using it if it wasn't for the fact that I picked up a bargain in my Lega 15 frame electric. The downside is that the Lega is big, heavy and bulky to store.

 

[pargyle]

The trouble with tangential extractors is that its easy to break the comb and you have to swap the combs around - which slows the whole process down a fair bit. Im looking to change from my manual 4 frame tangential to a 4 or 6 frame electric radial. Any recommendations , ideally at a price nearer the Vevor above.

With the basket size of the Vevor it may not be that difficult to convert it to a radial with a bit of creative metalwork to the cage ... Looking at the diameter of the drum (15") the radius will be 7.5" ... even allowing a bit for the central post and clearance at the perimeter I think there may be enough radial depth in the cage to fashion a way to have the shallow frames inserted radially (national shallows 5.5" deep).

 

[blackcloud]

Bought two of these
Both faulty
Sent them back
Bought a Konigin
Lesson learned

Future proof your purchase

 

[Bluebell1985]

Bought two of these
Both faulty
Sent them back
Bought a Konigin
Lesson learned

Future proof your purchase

A Lyson or a Vevor?

 

[Wilco]

Bought two of these
Both faulty
Sent them back
Bought a Konigin
Lesson learned

Future proof your purchase

Would be interested to know the answer to Bluebell's question- Lyson or Vevor?

 

[blackcloud]

It was an Amazon listing which actually came up on a search of vevor and was identical in appearance and close in price.
I can't tell if it was really a vevor or not but it was sold by a hardware supplier called Monster.

I have to say their customer service was excellent.

The first arrived in a cardboard box that was in perfect condition ( bookmark that)
The motor had a big gouge in the casing and greasy fingerprints around the mounts.
Suspicious
It was also electrically dead.
A phone call got a swap arranged .
The second one was also in pristine packaging (pattern emerging¿)
The drum was stoved in so badly the rotor would not turn.
Collection and refund time.

Although being on a restricted budget I stumped up a couple of hundred more like I should have done in the first place and got a 12 frame radial/tangential Konigin - the VIP lounge

Material and build quality are in a different ball park from the cheap and midrange extractors -and yes your needs DO warrant that expenditure.

You money your choice guys but sometimes I wish I could go back in time and give myself a clip round the ear so I could do things right first time.
But I still wouldn't listen...

 

[Sutty]

I've just ordered a Konigin 9 frame electric plus manual drive with baskets so I can do tangential extraction of deep frames. A bit over £1000. I'll report back when it arrives.

 

[blackcloud]

Interested on why your choice of 'dual fuel'?