What is this bit of kit for?

[BeeJuice]

I was fortunate to win an eBay auction for a Thorne honey extractor which came with an assortment of other bits and pieces..

There's a nice stainless steel vessel with a gate valve at the bottom. It looks like it was made for a specific use (besides just storage) Can anyone tell me what?

 

[B+.]

Its a settling/bottling tank. See the duplicate thread

 

[BeeJuice]

It looks like the duplicate thread has now been deleted...

What you say makes sense - I can see how I could sit it on a couple of books so I can get a jar under the tap. It is small enough to be easy to move.

Thanks

Part of the lot also included a box of muslin filters. I was wondering if it was part of an elaborate filtration arrangement

 

[B+.]

Part of the lot also included a box of muslin filters. I was wondering if it was part of an elaborate filtration arrangement

It looks as though you have bought a kit from a serious honey exhibitor. There should be a double strainer that the course honey (straight from the extracter goes into). It will gradually fall through these into the settling tank below (The fine strainer may get choked up with fine particles of wax but can easily be scraped to one side with a spoon). The muslin filters are for getting very clear honey and, if they are what I am thinking of, they fit inside a funnel suspended above a jar so that the filtered honey goes into the jar. You can use multiple cloths to clarify the honey even more but it can take a long time to strain through
Thornes used to sell these. I'm not sure if they still do but you could check their website/catalogue

 

[BeeJuice]

The seller's father was a beekeeper who died around 10 years ago. She is a nice lady and gave me everything he had including stuff not in the auction.

The filer system you describe sounds interesting.. I'll have to experiment

I've attached a photo of thee glass cases - two contain full supers. The other would take an empty deep. One of the super boxes is pine. The other looks like mahogany.

 

[BeeJuice]

The top of the box slides back allowing the frame to be accessed with ease. Not sure what they would have been used for.

 

[Swarm]

Showing by the look of them.

 

[B+.]

Showing by the look of them.

Swarm is right. They are for showing "a frame of honey suitable for extraction". If you look on the National Honey Show website, you will see honey judges shining a light through the comb from the back to highlight any imperfections (or travel stains caused by the dirty feet of foragers).

 

[Swarm]

Looks like there are super combs in those cabinets.

 

[BeeJuice]

Looks like there are super combs in those cabinets.

That's right

I shaved off the capping with a razor blade thinking there would be some honey. There was nothing!