What's the best extractor

[biggles]

Hi
I have three hives and hoping to make it five soon so I'm looking for a motorised extractor. What's the best value one to buy? Any good or bad one's to avoid?
Any thoughts?
Ta

Pete

PS On a bit of a tight budget

 

[Rosti]

On a bit of a tight budget

The best and most cost effective extractor is the one you borrow twice a year from your local association!

That said I have recently gone half shares in an extractor. With 5 colonies you wont have masses of work to do and with the gearing on a modern extractor you will be suprised how little effort they take to spin up. Most of your time and 'grunt' will still be taken with loading and unloading.

The one thing I would say is 5 hives, 2 supers each, say a 9 castelation = 30 cycles on a small 3 frame tangential but only 10 on a 9 frame radial. We purchased a 9 frame radial from thornes (at about £170 I think). More than happy with it (one outing so far), motors go wrong, arms just work!

For a fixed budget with your number of hives and within the bounds of reason (up to 9 frame capacity), I'd go for a higher frame capacity manual over a lesser capacity motorised everytime.

 

[BKF Admin]

And it is often possible to convert to a motor at a later date.

 

[rae]

We got a 4 frame tangential from an ex-beek, and despite all of the frame swapping, it was fine for 5 supers last week end. When you look at the whole process, shaving a few minutes off the extraction time doesn't make a big difference for an amateur. If I was going to chuck money at the problem, I'd look at the uncapping process which takes me longer than spinning. I'd also look at smarter ways of getting the supers out of the apiary and into the kitchen because that is the really hard bit!

 

[plumberman]

I bought a 4 frame radial motorised extractor from Park Beekeeping last year - it's been very good value IMO and works well. I haven't ever tried using a hand cranked extractor, but I suspect the novelty of using it will wear out after a few supers!

I appreciate the budgetary aspects of using an association extractor, but for me the sheer convenience of owning my own makes up for the cost. In particular this year, with OSR, it has allowed me to remove the super, extract and return the super to the hive within the hour.

 

[roe1uk]

You could always make one.....
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/video.php?do=viewdetails&videoid=17

 

[m100]

You could always make one.....
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/video.php?do=viewdetails&videoid=17

You could, but that design holds the frames such that the contents of the cell are likely to stop in there rather than be flung out.

 

[biggles]

Ok so far we have a choice of hand or motor and tangential or radial

I'm strongly going for radial motor but the budget is £400. Can one be got for this?

The make one idea is good but not sure about cleaning wood after use.

Pete

 

[plumberman]

http://www.parkbeekeeping.com/index.php?s=5

4 Frame radial motorised for £421 + VAT : slightly outside your budget, but I think worth it. Stainless steel and in my view well made.

Roddy

 

[biggles]

http://www.parkbeekeeping.com/index.php?s=5

4 Frame radial motorised for £421 + VAT : slightly outside your budget, but I think worth it. Stainless steel and in my view well made.

Roddy

Looks good to me Bet a week after I buy it a second hand one turns up !

Pete

 

[plumber]

anyone had any dealings with this firm?

http://freespace.virgin.net/bee.equipped/pages/steel.htm

 

[Rosti]

http://www.parkbeekeeping.com/index.php?s=5

4 Frame radial motorised for £421 + VAT : slightly outside your budget, but I think worth it. Stainless steel and in my view well made.

Roddy

each to their own guys, but a four frame extractor means a lot of cycles compared to a larger capacity unit

 

[biggles]

anyone had any dealings with this firm?

http://freespace.virgin.net/bee.equipped/pages/steel.htm

They have moved web site and the prices have gone up a lot They are now at http://www.beeequipped.co.uk/

each to their own guys, but a four frame extractor means a lot of cycles compared to a larger capacity unit

Good news is they do a 9 frame manual for £295

Pete

 

[Rosti]

Good news is they do a 9 frame manual for £295

Upgradeable to motorised to meet your original intention / brief?

 

[plumberman]

each to their own guys, but a four frame extractor means a lot of cycles compared to a larger capacity unit

Fair comment, but I would rather have motorised/smaller capacity than t'other way round when on a budget.

 

[biggles]

AAHHH can't afford a motorised 9 frame one. What one do I get?

Motorised 4 frame or hand turn 9 frame???????????

 

[Rosti]

AAHHH can't afford a motorised 9 frame one. What one do I get?

Motorised 4 frame or hand turn 9 frame???????????

Which do you have more of? Time or Energy!!!!!!!!!

 

[rae]

Am I missing something? Spinning the extractor was hardly a big deal in terms of effort, even doing 4 frames at a time, tangentially.

 

[biggles]

Am I missing something? Spinning the extractor was hardly a big deal in terms of effort, even doing 4 frames at a time, tangentially.

Not missing anything. I have not used one before so I don't know how much effort they take. Hence the questions

Pete

 

[Poly Hive]

For extractores have a look here:

http://www.beekeeping.com/thomas/en/index.htm

Not cheap but you buy quality.

If you cant afford a motorised 9 frame the next best thing is to buy a manual one which CAN in the FUTURE be upgraded to a motor.

Spinning by hand is very easy as once the momentum/speed is reached it is light work.

I started with the association tin plate and sort of progressed. Ending with the Thomas 6 swing basket.

Just another avenue of possibility that is relatively unknown here.

To get the catalogue you need to give them a name, addy and email. Or you can try this...

http://www.beekeeping.com/thomas/download.htm

PH