Reducing the faff of extracting

[Stedic]

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong but I'm finding extraction to be a major pain in the arse. So much so that it's putting me off. So - I'll post what I'm doing and maybe you can advise where I can improve things? Background, currently have 5 hives at an out apiary.

1) Clearing - I stick rhombus boards on after an inspection and collect later in the evening. Bring a few bees home by mistake but nothing drastic, maybe 10 in total. Pretty fuss free.

2) location - I extract in the kitchen. Only option is the garage but it isn't bug proof (or hygienic?).

3) uncapping - I do it with a knife, which is fine if a bit sticky. I don't want to use a heat gun as I want the wax. I uncap into a plastic box and can do about 8 frames at a time.

4) extracting. 4 frame tangential from Maisie's, with the tank built in underneath. It's ok but the drum got knocked during house move so cage catches it. Seems hard to keep it balanced.

5) once extracted I put frames in an empty super on an upturned roof. Stack goes back to the bees in the evening. Always seems to be a fair bit of honey dropping onto the roof etc when I start moving them - perhaps I'm not spinning enough?

6) Clean-up - cappings strained into extractor tank, whole lot filtered in to buckets. Cappings go into solar melter. Everything goes outside and is hosed down. Seems to attract quite a lot of wasps, despite trying to get everything clean.

Is there much I can do to make it easier? Cappings tray? Bigger extractor? Do they make much difference? Could store supers wet but I wonder if I leave them too wet!

 

[PaulCarroll]

It is a time consuming process, especially if you are using a knife so as to retain the wax for future use. It is also very messy with lots of sticky honey that attracts other bees and particularly wasps. I think there is little you can do to speed things up if you don’t want to use a heat gun. You might try a chemical solution to clear your bees from the supers, but you do need a warm sun to heat the cover board to allow the best dissipation of the chemical. My only other suggestion is that following removal of your supers you cover them, store in your garage and then extract in the evening once bees and wasps are less likely to bother you.
Happy extracting remember the end results are worth the mess and hard work!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Millet]

Everything you have stated sounds part and parcel of keeping bees and extracting the honey they have gathered.. you could spend thousands on electrical equipment to sped things up but can you justify paying those prices for the amount of honey you are getting..regarding the dent in the extractor just knock it back out with a rubber mallet.

 

[Murox]

Extracting - PAY DAY!!!!.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong but I'm finding extraction to be a major pain in the arse. So much so that it's putting me off. So - I'll post what I'm doing and maybe you can advise where I can improve things? Background, currently have 5 hives at an out apiary.

1) Clearing - I stick rhombus boards on after an inspection and collect later in the evening. Bring a few bees home by mistake but nothing drastic, maybe 10 in total. Pretty fuss free.

2) location - I extract in the kitchen. Only option is the garage but it isn't bug proof (or hygienic?).

3) uncapping - I do it with a knife, which is fine if a bit sticky. I don't want to use a heat gun as I want the wax. I uncap into a plastic box and can do about 8 frames at a time.

4) extracting. 4 frame tangential from Maisie's, with the tank built in underneath. It's ok but the drum got knocked during house move so cage catches it. Seems hard to keep it balanced.

5) once extracted I put frames in an empty super on an upturned roof. Stack goes back to the bees in the evening. Always seems to be a fair bit of honey dropping onto the roof etc when I start moving them - perhaps I'm not spinning enough?

6) Clean-up - cappings strained into extractor tank, whole lot filtered in to buckets. Cappings go into solar melter. Everything goes outside and is hosed down. Seems to attract quite a lot of wasps, despite trying to get everything clean.

Is there much I can do to make it easier? Cappings tray? Bigger extractor? Do they make much difference? Could store supers wet but I wonder if I leave them too wet!

You are not doing anything wrong. Here are some thoughts numbered appropriately.
1) Thats how it is, rhombus work fairly quickly, porters are slower.
2) & 5) Always an issue unless you have space for dedicated honey room. I have used a conservatory so everything kept warm when working honey.
3) Sounds normal. Maybe try an uncapping fork ?
4) Sort out the dent. ?new bearings?
5) Spin harder and longer, make sure the frames are 'warm' be forehand, honey does come out more easily.
6) After straining cappings put then in a feeder and let the bees clean them, they will come out nice and dry. Same with wet frames. That honey smell is bound to attract the attention of a myriad of unwelcome insects. Wash it indoors.

I wouldn't get a bigger extractor unless your going to expand your apiary. Sort out the extractor you have. Looking after bees and equipment often takes up a lot of time and you have to put in a lot during the season. Its a way of life really. Storage of equipment is often a problem. Look for a solution that works for you. Something I did in the past was to "store" all the frames in a large plastic box which fitted into a big old chest freezer. Safe and out of the way til I needed them again.

 

[B+.]

4) extracting. 4 frame tangential from Maisie's, with the tank built in underneath. It's ok but the drum got knocked during house move so cage catches it. Seems hard to keep it balanced.

Are you sure you're getting all the honey out? You said there was still quite a bit dripping afterwards.
Try weighing the frames before and after extraction. Compare that with the empty weight and you'll see how much honey is still in the comb.
Tangential can be a pain as you have to keep turning the frame. I note that it's a 4 frame extractor so it can be a time consuming business if you have a lot to extract.

 

[Amari]

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong but I'm finding extraction to be a major pain in the arse. So much so that it's putting me off. So - I'll post what I'm doing and maybe you can advise where I can improve things? Background, currently have 5 hives at an out apiary.

Do what I've done for the first time: I advertised on the village community email service (Jungle Drums) for an assistant (student or 6th-former suggested). Wages according to age. I outlined the duties: Day 1 - place clearer boards (c.2 hours) ; Day 3 - remove supers (c.2 hours); Day 4 - extract (c.5 hours).
Five replies. I appointed a sturdy post-GCSE student. He did all the uncapping (12 boxes) and took pride in removing the caps in one sheet! I supervised the extractor. Result 190 lbs in buckets. Wages £50.
A no-brainer for me (just passed the first flush of youth).
PS: a mother replied suggesting her son for the post but pointing out that he was frightened of bees and wasps. He was not short-listed.

 

[enrico]

I think an electric extractor will make a world of difference to you. You can leave it going while you get on with other tasks. You leave it till every ounce of honey is out.........

 

[Amari]

I think an electric extractor will make a world of difference to you. You can leave it going while you get on with other tasks. You leave it till every ounce of honey is out.........

 

[Eyeman]

Before I acquired a dedicated honey extraction room we used to extract over one weekend a year 100+ supers. I would round up some work colleagues who were interested and get them to come round and help out. We had 2 shifts with 4 colleagues per day over 2 days. They were fed and watered and took a jar of their extracted honey home.
Funnily enough no one ever came round a second time!
It was fun while it lasted but hard work. At least the kitchen only needed cleaning once.

 

[bontbee]

Before I acquired a dedicated honey extraction room we used to extract over one weekend a year 100+ supers. I would round up some work colleagues who were interested and get them to come round and help out. We had 2 shifts with 4 colleagues per day over 2 days. They were fed and watered and took a jar of their extracted honey home.
Funnily enough no one ever came round a second time!
It was fun while it lasted but hard work. At least the kitchen only needed cleaning once.

Dont' want to be rude, but did you really mean a jar???

 

[Swarm]

Electric? What's that?
Everything sounds normal and fine to me, in fact you sound quite well organised.
Those extractors are good, all I would say is load them thoughtfully and try to get equal weights diagonally....
Eg.
L = light frame
H = Heavy frame

Set them up like this ....HL
LH.
That will stop the extractor jumping.
Don't spin too hard but build up to a speed and stop when you see no more honey flinging out.
Do one side partially, turn, do the other side then finish the first.
My combs go back in the super and the super is bagged.
The extractor is hosed clean outside, there is not enough honey left in it to attract much and it's soon clean water anyway.

 

[Amari]

Dont' want to be rude, but did you really mean a jar???

My thought too! Your colleagues voted with their feet. You cheapskate.

 

[bontbee]

I was fortunate enough to have a windfall which went on an electric nine frame extractor and uncapping tray/drainer. They revolutionized my extracting. Being able to carry on uncapping, while the frames do a long slow spin - with a final whizz at the end - makes extracting so much more bearable. Solo manual extraction was, of course, sticky, but also tedious, tiring and sweaty!! (Sorry, TMI...)

Cons? Takes up a lot more storage space than a small tangential.

 

[Eyeman]

My thought too! Your colleagues voted with their feet. You cheapskate.

They were fed & watered as well.
What's this world coming to?
Just as well they didn't come back. They'd be expecting the shirt off my back.
All that hands on experience they should have bluming well paid me!
Only joking!

 

[Beefriendly]

Is there much I can do to make it easier? Cappings tray? Bigger extractor? Do they make much difference? Could store supers wet but I wonder if I leave them too wet!

With 5 hives and only able to extract 4 frames tangentially I'd say at this point the extractor is your biggest bottleneck.
You really need at least a 9 frame radial or a tangential with automatic turning cages. Electric being preferable to manual as you can leave it spinning whilst you uncap your next batch of frames.
Assuming you got at least a super off each of your 5 hives you already have almost enough money to buy one.

If you jar in 12 oz jars and sell at £5/jar thats 133 jars...say keep 33 for you and family/friends. 100 jars generates £500, minus cost of jars and labels.

Sell your old extractor on flea bay etc...get maybe £50...you are about there

Hell push the boat out and go for a 12 frame electric radial for £595....


Of course if you got more than 1 super hive then it's game over you already have the money

 

[taurus]

A trick I learned was to mount the extractor on a wheeled trolley. It absorbs the imbalance quite well and allows you to spin more easily.

I used plastic mounts to secure the extractor legs to the trolley to prevent it moving around on the platform and that's really made life simpler.

 

[protheroe]

A trick I learned was to mount the extractor on a wheeled trolley. It absorbs the imbalance quite well and allows you to spin more easily.

I used plastic mounts to secure the extractor legs to the trolley to prevent it moving around on the platform and that's really made life simpler.

I put my 20 frame on ply board and wheels otherwise I think it would have dug the concrete up never mind the lino.

 

[Bee Bumble]

You could get on of these if you do not mind losing the cappings wax:

https://www.happyvalleyhoney.co.uk/product/honey-paw-slit-uncapper/

They are a bit expensive but work well - no problem with hollows on the uneven surface of the comb that the knife misses.

 

[Stedic]

Thanks everyone.

I've been eyeing a 9 frame electric extractor on eBay which is near to me. I took 50lb, into 8oz jars @£3.50. It's almost paid for it. Although I'm not sure my wife would agree - we'll have that chat later! 5 hives wasn't really the plan...but certainly 4. Being able to extract brood frames would be handy too. I've got another 4 supers to deal with next week, so I'm really really tempted to claim it is already paid for.

Judging by the comments I think I'm as organised as I can be, it's just a bit of a messy/sticky job. I suspect I'm not spinning frames for long enough, so clearly that is an easy immediate fix. I'm happy with the uncapping process at this stage and it would be easier if I could throw more frames straight into the extractor.

Someone mentioned bagging supers - do you use heavy duty sacks? I take it you then store them wet?

Thanks everyone.

Steve

 

[ShinySideUp]

took a jar of their extracted honey home.


Funnily enough no one ever came round a second time!

Not surprised, equivalent of five quid for two days work! Hmmm.