Extractor size

[johna]

I bought my motorised 9 frame stainless steel from th--nes about 30 years ago ( I think) at least when they were first on the market.The inner frame was powder coated mild steel and is going to have to be replaced this year as it has started to corrode under the plastic coating which has now cracked exposing the steel.Its replacement cage will be stainless steel as will the drive shaft.When I first started with my bees 40 years ago I struggled with a tin coated 4 frame manual tangential which was probably older than me and certainly crankier.It was with enormous relief that I replaced it with the 9 frame radial job.9 frame is a good size as it means that I can extract a complete super on wide spacing at one go.I can leave it spinning while I uncap the next box and so on.It is also supplied with 3 tangential inserts so that I can extract brood frames if necessary

 

[oliver90owner]

I bought my motorised 9 frame stainless steel from th--nes

So did I, except it was a manual when purchased. Seemed to be good value at the time, but even more useful, or easier, now it is electrified.

I think eight frames might have been a better format simply from a 'balancing' point of view - they can start to 'walk away', but that was one of few available ten years ago.

I take the point of a whole super but usually, if one needs a 9 frame extractor there are more than one super to extract - and the last load has to be three six or nine frames. But 50% chance the last load will be an odd number, I suppose!

RAB

 

[drstitson]

hard graft

"I had a brainwave down the pub once - I'll set up a posh gym next to my honey room. All those people on bikes will be unwittingly driving my extractor for me, and paying for the privilige. As with all pub brainwaves it'll never happen of course."

sounds good to me - could also add cider making to the list of activities - i was knackered after crushing and pressing several barrels of apple juice!!! not to mention the back breaking "clearing an overgrown allotment" activity and the ever popular "the council has just delivered 20 tonnes of free compost that needs moving before neighbours get it". oh and "2500kg of nice dry winter logs have just been tipped on the drive and it's about to rain" always gooes down well with punters!!!

"The Good Life Gym" - perhaps too late to start up this year (have we missed the new year sign up period yet) - but maybe rather than direct debits from bank accounts we could get regular orders of our produce (at a discount).

 

[oliver90owner]

You only need 80W!

 

[drstitson]

surely you can ensure that you have a sensible number of frames to extract from last super by keeping 1 or 2 aside for local honey show.

 

[hedgerow pete]

getting back to the fiorst question i would get a small plastic two frame extractor if i was only dealing with two or three hives, and the trick to using it is simpley dont try to clear three hives of supers in one hit, why cant you remove the filled combs as and when they are ready say one per hive per day , take it home and extract it and so on

any more than three and you realy do need some thing larger, a 9 frame model is great because you can move it . since i do not have anywhere to set one up properly it has to be a nine frame for me.

opther places to look at buying one is as well as the usual places try the german version of ebay there is some one there who sells them with delivery cost still cheaper than thornes

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

and the Giordan described in this thread is I think exceptional value for an 8 frame electric. Drex and I have both bought one in anticipation of next year

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7304

 

[Haughton Honey]

As a slight aside......does anyone on here have a recommendation for a larger, motorised extractor that can take brood (DN4) frames as standard?

 

[Hombre]

Chris B will recommend the Lega 20 frame. Very nice job, but expensive.

 

[oliver90owner]

The bluebell lot have a large extractor for about 12 hundred quid + VAT.

Not sure what size frames it will manage. They had a second hand one recently but my enquiry was not answered. That appeared to be excellent value at 550, IIRC, but I know nowt about the supplier or the machine.

Regards, RAB

 

[Queens59]

I have a horrible feeling I have a hobby I can't afford to progress furher with...need an extractor - can't afford one...bees produce honey, need to move it... any suggestions? While I have 1 hive at the moment, but I have also been asked to put 2+ hives on a local farm, and have the hives but not the bees.

 

[Hombre]

Build up your hive into double brood by splitting the nest between two boxes and feed well when they are building up well in the spring.

The object is to split your bees four ways so that you have a colony and three small nucs. The nucs being small should have a greater imperitive to ensure that the virgin queens are mated as early as possible.

This should give you four small colonies and so a single queen failure will be tolerable and you will still be able to meet your target.

This is the outline only and there is a lot of detail that can make it work well, but that has both been described previously or will be again once you have decided whether this is a route you feel is good for you.

Extracting, well you won't be bothering about honey as at least three of your new colonies will be building up and may not produce much to write home about, but I'm happy to be wrong.

If you need the use of an extractor then hiring from your BKA is an option and should only cost about £7 a day, so for £14 your 2011 extraction problems should be solved at very little cost. Alternatively a local beek may be able to help you out with the use of extraction facilities.

You might need to buy or make a small nuc, some sugar, frames and foundation, but with a bit of wit, feeding and luck you should be able to exceed your object and have three or four colonies at least going into next winter. The queen right part of the split should be fed to help it grow, but not to the point of getting syrup in any supers.

Two in the garden? and two at the farm with luck.

===

I can't afford an extractor either.

 

[Queens59]

Thanks Hombre - the splitting idea is what I was considering doing (although my family may revolt at another year without anything to show for it & they don't include extra hives in the equation) - the only floor in the plan being a reliance on a BKA. My local...well, after a year as a member - I have no idea what they possess, how to go about hiring it or indeed where it is. Hence the need to purchase one.

 

[Haughton Honey]

Thanks Hombre - the splitting idea is what I was considering doing (although my family may revolt at another year without anything to show for it & they don't include extra hives in the equation) - the only floor in the plan being a reliance on a BKA. My local...well, after a year as a member - I have no idea what they possess, how to go about hiring it or indeed where it is. Hence the need to purchase one.

Or consider getting yourself on to a swarm list (local council/police etc).

Take a couple, re-queen them after assessing/treating them for disease etc and Bob's your aunt.

 

[steve1958]

after a year as a member - I have no idea what they possess, how to go about hiring it or indeed where it is. one.

Try google to see if they have their own website.
Lots of associations do nowadays.
Then if the info you need isnt on there
hopefully a contact number/email sddress will be
It worked for me

 

[Drew]

With all this talk about Extractors

Fleabay item 150541731184 for about £7 might be worth a punt for those of a practical nature.

Plans for a DIY motorised extractor (EMailed from the states).

might is the operative word....

 

[Hombre]

The secretary or the apiary manager is probably the one doing the hiring etc., but understand your difficulty there.

How close are you to members here that have a regular set up and capacity to sort you for a couple of afternoons at most? In two years time you should have more honey so the problem will be different, but by that time hopefully you will be established and know a few bee keepers in your neck of the woods that can help you.