Uncapped honey - drop test

[jackbee]

How reliable is the shake test to check that honey is Ok for extracting.

I have some frames in supers which aren't wholly capped - probably less than 50% capped but I want to extract this weekend so I can do varroa treatment through september. They have been filled for weeks just not getting capped!!

Have done hold and shake test and nothing drips out so seems Ok, do people generally find that is good enough.

I plan to get a refractometer, but will take cpl weeks to get here and I have borrowed an extractor this week so would like to do this weekend if possible.

I don't want to be impatient and balls it up by extracting too soon but then again I don't want to delay treatment much longer either, so looking for useful advice

 

[Cefn Eithaf]

Hello Jack Bee,

Will you be selling it or is it for your own use ? If its for sale you will have to be more careful as you do not want it fermenting.
I would give it a damn good shake and if nothing comes out go for it.
You could always put the supers in a room for a day or so with a dehumidifyer if you are at all concerned.That would do the trick.

 

[Outlander]

Wow St Pauls Blood Gang Honey

 

[jackbee]

Hello Jack Bee,

Will you be selling it or is it for your own use ? If its for sale you will have to be more careful as you do not want it fermenting.
I would give it a damn good shake and if nothing comes out go for it.
You could always put the supers in a room for a day or so with a dehumidifyer if you are at all concerned.That would do the trick.

by the time I've given to friends I've promised, prob none to sell lol

cheers

 

[stephenpug]

How reliable is the shake test to check that honey is Ok for extracting.

I have some frames in supers which aren't wholly capped - probably less than 50% capped but I want to extract this weekend so I can do varroa treatment through september. They have been filled for weeks just not getting capped!!

Have done hold and shake test and nothing drips out so seems Ok, do people generally find that is good enough.

I plan to get a refractometer, but will take cpl weeks to get here and I have borrowed an extractor this week so would like to do this weekend if possible.

I don't want to be impatient and balls it up by extracting too soon but then again I don't want to delay treatment much longer either, so looking for useful advice

I have had the same but as this is my first year/extraction the two supers area out 25% capped and have been for about 2 weeks so how long should you give them before you have to extract ??

Ii

 

[Elaine]

Refractometers can be got for less than £20 - and will take all the guesswork out of it..... I hav efound thathoney id often 'done' well beefore it is all capped - so if capping has started along teh top,I test some of teh open cells - and if the water % is down - I just extract. Saves wasting the bbes time and efforts in capping

 

[MJBee]

The shake test seems to be pretty reliable - I had a super that was full but not capped, none ran out when shaken and a subsequent test showed it to be 18.5%

If you are concerned extract and keep in the settling tank until you get your refractometer, (My fleabay special from Hong Kong arrived in 8 days), test and if OK then bottle.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Just checking - so I don't get it wrong:

Taken off 3 capped supers. The fourth is largely capped.
If I extract all four (save for any frames clearly not ready), won't the fact that most of what I extract will be fine, mean that a small amount not quite there, will mean the overall mix is, indeed, fine?

(And, yes, I will use a refractometer.)

Dusty

 

[jackbee]

got a refractomoeter on order, from *bay, just takes a while. Any excuse for another gadget

 

[Rosti]

Shake test?

Cost of average investment to keep bees and make some honey: > £300?

To apply the same rigor and detail as to other aspects of the hobby - cost of refrac: < £20

Value of impressed friends and family + returning punters: £priceless

Why guess when you can know?

 

[Lorenz]

Do you think that the refractometer readings are reliable? same honey gives different reading on different refractometers.