New Extractor

[philipm]

Put my new four frame vivor extractor together today for £179 cant really go wrong.I will do some mods just to make things easier for myself.The build quality for the price isn't too bad.I can now consign my old plastic extractor which was a nightmare to clean to the shed and possibly if it goes ahead the bee sale next year.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

I want to upgrade my extractor so I had a look at Vevor's website. I think you've identified the maker of my current extractor. When I look at the 2 frame extractor the bevel gears and the standard of the welding look familiar.
Mine is a 4 framer where the drive goes through the side of the drum. The bevel gears rust! The nuts and bolts tarnish, don't exactly rust but they don't look good enough quality. I've probably spent over £100 on it to make it useable replacing the bevel gears and all the nuts and bolts and the bottom bearing which is an unsealed ball bearing. When I bought it second hand the bearing was greased!! At the bottom of the drum! Where the honey collects.
Even now I have to take the extractor completely apart before each use as cappings get stuck behind the frame that supports the spinner.

I hope they've fixed some of these issues. With the bevel gears above the drum you don't have the same issues. I'd warn people off the 2 frame tho'.

 

[philipm]

Sorry my mistake its a Vevor 4 frame manual. think I might convert it to motor driven if it serves me well this year.

 

[madasafish]

I grease my extractor: with foodsafe grease.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

OK. Maybe someone can confirm that what I've done is food safe. (sorry to hijack the thread)

I've replaced the open ball bearing at the bottom of the vertical shaft with a plain oilite bearing bush mounted in a piece of plastic chopping board. I washed the oil out of the bearing before using and clean it before each use.

Is this 'food safe'?

Thanks . . .. . Ben

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Sorry my mistake its a Vevor 4 frame manual. think I might convert it to motor driven if it serves me well this year.

This looks like a newer model to mine and the rotor has better baskets to hold the frames.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

OK. Maybe someone can confirm that what I've done is food safe. (sorry to hijack the thread)

I've replaced the open ball bearing at the bottom of the vertical shaft with a plain oilite bearing bush mounted in a piece of plastic chopping board. I washed the oil out of the bearing before using and clean it before each use.

Is this 'food safe'?

Thanks . . .. . Ben

I believe "oilite" is a sintered, porous bronze which would make a wonderful harbour for bacteria personally I would have sourced a high density polypropylene top hat bush to sit in the bottom support then fit a stainless steel collar to the shaft such that the ss collar ran on the top hat bush to support the rotor

 

[philipm]

I think they may have reacted to the comments about sharp edges as I didnt cut myself once when it was assembled.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

I believe "oilite" is a sintered, porous bronze which would make a wonderful harbour for bacteria personally I would have sourced a high density polypropylene top hat bush to sit in the bottom support then fit a stainless steel collar to the shaft such that the ss collar ran on the top hat bush to support the rotor

Thanks. More expense. (I hate my extractor.)

 

[pargyle]

Thanks. More expense. (I hate my extractor.)

Replace the ball bearing and buy a tube of food safe grease - it only needs a tiny amount - you don't smother it - and even when the bearing finally wears out (or you lose it when you tip the extractor up for cleaning) they cost pence to replace and actually do the job they were intended to do ... sounds to me like you have solved a problem that didn't exist ! (Nicely done engineering although it is ....)

The slight staining that appears on the stainless parts is not really a problem either - there are various grades of stainless steel and some do tarnish with the acidity of the honey but I would not worry too much about it - it's too late now as you appear to have replaced the nuts, but the tarnish can be quickly and easily removed with a splash of oxalic acid solution.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Replace the ball bearing and buy a tube of food safe grease - it only needs a tiny amount - you don't smother it - and even when the bearing finally wears out (or you lose it when you tip the extractor up for cleaning) they cost pence to replace and actually do the job they were intended to do ... sounds to me like you have solved a problem that didn't exist ! (Nicely done engineering although it is ....)

I destroyed the bearing housing when I made changes. I'm thinking a plastic bush will be simpler. Maybe even a couple of layers of cutting board with an 8mm hole drilled in it. Taken apart and cleaned before each extraction. Cheap to replace when it wears.

Food safe grease looks expensive and the sound of silicone or lithium being safe-in-food . .. .? Yuck.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Thanks. More expense. (I hate my extractor.)

My previous extractor was an early manual Thorne's radial with plastic coated mild steel metal parts. The plastic began to shed so I bought a new stainless steel rotor (Thorne's sell them but make to order so there's a waiting time). I also bought some stainless steel flat strip and fabricated a replacement for the bottom nylon bearing support, plus swapped all the nuts and bolts for stainless steel. I only sold it when my arthritic wrists began to complain and I bought a motorised extractor. Stainless steel flat strip, screws and nuts are readily available in small quantities via eBay

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Watched this yesterday. Vevor don't seem to sell motorized extractors in the UK. In the US, $232 for 4 framer. How much in the UK? (we don't have a free trade agreement tho' do we.

 

[pargyle]

Watched this yesterday. Vevor don't seem to sell motorized extractors in the UK. In the US, $232 for 4 framer. How much in the UK?

They do - but they only seem to stock them when the extraction season starts ..I think the 'paid' advert/comparison above is a bit critical of the Vevor product - they are lighter than the equivalent 'Quality' extractor and they are made in China but they are less than half the price of the equivalent quality job. At present they have a four (8 super frames) frame manual at a clearance price of £179 ...the equivalent Konigen is over £600. The Vevor may well be the same as the Thornes branded Unimel looking at the photos of the two.

If you can get over the fact that they are made in China ... for a keeper with a small number of hives or just starting up the Vevor spinners represent good value - at the price they are you could sell it on for very little loss when a bigger extractor is needed. Or you could convert it to an electric one with a bit of creative engineering .... I've bought quite a few things from Vevor over the years ... yes, you get what you pay for, but they do the job and usually for a fraction of the price of UK made products (I have some concerns that some products branded as UK are actually just assembled from Far East/China made components anyway ...

This looks a bit like the one in the video:

https://www.manomano.co.uk/p/electric-honey-extractor-separator-4-frames-stainless-steel-51401013

 

[philipm]

Used my new Vevor 4 frame yesterday, it does 8 super frames 4 Brood frames .The idea of using cable ties to hold frames in place worked well.I found it easier to remove the honey valve and put a bucket underneath which meant there is no honey left when I empty the extractor,I'll put the valve back when I wash the extractor out. For the price very impressed.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

This looks a bit like the one in the video:

https://www.manomano.co.uk/p/electric-honey-extractor-separator-4-frames-stainless-steel-51401013

£420 !! More than double the price in the US.

 

[oliver jordan]

Used my new Vevor 4 frame yesterday, it does 8 super frames 4 Brood frames .The idea of using cable ties to hold frames in place worked well.I found it easier to remove the honey valve and put a bucket underneath which meant there is no honey left when I empty the extractor,I'll put the valve back when I wash the extractor out. For the price very impressed.

Hi Philip,
Will the vevor work with national super frames?
Regards,
Oliver

 

[pargyle]

£420 !! More than double the price in the US.

Yes... but that is not direct from Vevor ... Mano Mano are not renowned for low prices ....

 

[pargyle]

Hi Philip,
Will the vevor work with national super frames?
Regards,
Oliver

Yes they take 8 super frames tangentially but you need to make some loops of cable ties to hold the lugs at the top of the cage and keep the super frames in place. No problem they work fine.

 

[oliver jordan]

Thanks much appreciated