Stainless honey settling tank

[JamezF]

My Thorne plastic honey settling "tank" is reaching the end of its life. The material is starting to degrade (one of the handles came away in my hand when I was extracting a few weeks back) and given that at this point it really doesn't owe me anything, I think it's about time I replaced it with some nice shiny stainless.

Does anyone have an opinion on the Old Castle Farm (unheated) tanks? The sloping floor seems like it might be handy. But their comparative cheapness makes me wonder if they're made out of tinfoil or something similar. Are there others that are worth considering? Or are they all much of a muchness?

James

 

[ericbeaumont]

others that are worth considering?

The Thomas from Gwenyn Gruffyd is very well made, though it adds up once you buy the fine and ultra fine filters, the stand and the Thomas Perfection tap. Trust me, you will need that as the standard is nothing special and the weight of honey in the tank makes clean filling troublesome. I'm cursing it while I wait for the Perfections to return to stock at about the end of December.

The OCFH equivalent is down to the same price (£115) in the sale but no mention (that I can see) of filters to fit it. The other aspect to consider is spares and back-up: Thomas have a very good rep. in the industry.

 

[Garry R]

I use the below for final filtering. Out of the extractor the honey passes through a coarse stainless filter into a 30lb bucket then pass through the final filter. As a one man band I am not keen to lift anything much heavier than 30lbs so make sure that your 50kg settling tank is in the position where you finally want it for bottling etc.



https://www.temu.com/uk/-future-nyl...32176338800_a1wqv3slsi&_x_sessn_id=s93qcu4332


I made a piece of 5mm plastic sheet which fits on the top of the tank with a hole in it less than the diameter of the filter and away you go.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/40072172...S9139kpY=|tkp:Bk9SR7r28NzpZA&var=673184683767


If the end of the cone is a bit long and sits in the honey when the tank is full a simple fix is to tie a knot in the tip to effectively shorten it. I find this works well for me and cheap as chips.

 

[JamezF]

Thanks for that. The strainers I'm not too worried about as I already have several sets (so I can swap them when one eventually gets blocked up).

I see Thorne do what might be a knock-off of the Perfection tap (as do OCFH; in fact it may be the same one).

James

 

[ericbeaumont]

strainers I'm not too worried about as I already have several

Check they fit the tank you choose. I gave up on using twin stainless strainers: gap allows entry of stray stuff, and the Chinese copies tilt severely when loaded (side brackets shorter than Swienty version).

knock-off of the Perfection tap

Spoke to GG about this last week; they've had a few in for comparison and the verdict is that the real deal is worth the extra. The issue is common: cheap copy looks identical online but arrives with corners cut in manufacture; irritation persuades the buyer to chuck it and invest again in the real thing.

The issue is endemic, driven by a lack of knowledge of the value of quality products and an addiction to pay the least: I can buy copy AMP Superseal waterproof electrical terminals to upgrade my Land Rover, but dig deeper into user feedback and the copies turn out not to be worth the saving.

 

[JamezF]

The issue is endemic, driven by a lack of knowledge of the value of quality products and an addiction to pay the least: I can buy copy AMP Superseal waterproof electrical terminals to upgrade my Land Rover, but dig deeper into user feedback and the copies turn out not to be worth the saving.

I agree. This seems to be the case with almost everything these days And even paying decent money for something doesn't mean it won't turn out to be junk.

James

 

[ericbeaumont]

even paying decent money for something doesn't mean it won't turn out to be junk.

Yes, what is needed is one eye from Poirot and the other of an eagle: even Land Rover endorse the variable rubbish supplied by Britpart, a shameful British company producing parts a long way away and down to the lowest manufacturing cost.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Check they fit the tank you choose. I gave up on using twin stainless strainers: gap allows entry of stray stuff, and the Chinese copies tilt severely when loaded (side brackets shorter than Swienty version).


I mentioned while ago that I was investigating means if stopping inquisitive flies and other unwanted visitors/material finding a way into the honey. It caused a few disparaging remarks at the time but I've had some perspex sheet cut larger than the bucket top and with a snug fitting hole the strainer sits into. I also made a top cover with a hole and upstand which sits close under the extractor outlet valve for continuous run through. I did have ideas about modifying the valve outlet for close connection but it got tricky so I drape a clean tea towel over it and it works as intended. No flies, no bits of fluff or dust etc in the honey in the bucket.