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British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

  • Beginner's Honey Extraction Methods?

  • Beginners forum, ask beekeeping related questions and get help from other experienced beekeepers. Please use the Search Feature please to avoid duplicated threads
Beginners forum, ask beekeeping related questions and get help from other experienced beekeepers. Please use the Search Feature please to avoid duplicated threads
 #4192  by Japey Edge
 21 Jul 2019, 13:46
Hi guys,

I probably won't get much, but I need to start thinking of how I would empty some shallow frames of honey.

I'm buying stuff as and when I need it, so I don't yet have an extractor. My wife has been patient with me buying poly hives, nucs and all my other kit, but I'd imagine she'd draw the line at a few hundred quid on a decent extractor. I'm not one for the manual handle type either so I'd be after a motor driven one.

I've seen a video where they just cut all the comb out and mash it into a strainer over a bucket. Is this the way I would be looking?
 #4193  by Patrick
 21 Jul 2019, 15:33
Hi Jazz

There are no shortage of views on this but here goes with mine.

For most hobby level beekeeping manual extractors are fine. I am not personally a fan of the table top mini types as they are quite unstable unless dealing with perfect loading. The 6 or 9 size plastic bin radial types owned by lots of local associations and hireable for a few quid are a better proposition, although even they are less stable when empty unless loaded evenly. The issue for me is the premium on storage space for something used to process a food product.

Squishing up honey loaded combs and then draining off honey is a total no no for me. It’s often the only option for some beekeeping methods and totally unnatural IMHO. Messy messy messy, mixes up any pollen stored in the combs, bits of wax and destroys all the comb which has to be rebuilt. A cloudy aerated mess. Don’t start me on calling it “raw” honey. If that is the only option, just go for cut comb and at least produce a premium product for far less mess.

Powered extractors are great but are a major cost for maybe 2 or 3 days use a year. And take up space in storage. And can go wrong. But ultimately are the way to go if your production warrants it.

At your stage I would keep it simple and hire the local association kit for a fiver. A great investment however is a double strainer stainless steel filters for £20 odd to empty the extractor into a bucket. Makes a lovely clean result and most importantly can be used for lots of other jobs.
 #4194  by Japey Edge
 21 Jul 2019, 16:08
Good shout Patrick, I like it. Squishing comb sounds too messy for me. I'm not keen on getting sticky and I'm sure it would wind the wife up.

Will enquire about a possible future loan of association kit. Will look for one of those double strainers
 #4196  by Adam Bee
 22 Jul 2019, 08:18
I’m going to have this issue soon too.

However, due to “honeygeddon” the other week, when a wild comb collapsed in my hive, I rescued about 6 lbs of broken honey filled comb. This gave me an early opportunity.

I made 3 plastic takeaway boxes of good looking “cut” comb and the rest I did crush and strain with.

The crush and strain I did using the finest weave pillow case I could find and I washed/rinsed it at least a half dozen times to remove any residual soap products.

As this was a fine cloth filter, the honey came out clean and clear, but I needed to leave the pillow case and comb in a strainer over my largest soup pot for a few days until it really had dripped itself out. As a final stage, I crushed it in my citrus press and let it sit over night.

Now I have at least a cricket ball’s worth of crushed and sticky wax I’ve put in a plastic container in my fridge. I’ll probably freeze it, but I’m not sure what to do with it.

My association does rent extractors at a very reasonable price, the only issue is scheduling. My problem is that with the exception of the original 6 frames that came with my nuc, all the rest are unsupported foundationless frames, so no spinning there. I was planning on going cut comb, as it’s what I prefer to buy.
 #4198  by Chrisbarlow
 22 Jul 2019, 12:32
With foundationless frames I use a couple of bamboo skewers to give support which they can be extracted then. I got my ideas from the apiarist blog.
 #4202  by AdamD
 22 Jul 2019, 13:21
I was fortunate that I was able to borrow an extractor for a couple of years before I purchased an electric one (that takes a drill to power it). Generally honey is run through a double stainless steel strainer into 15 kg buckets. It might or might not set before it's needed, it is warmed before putting into a 'settling tank' and run into jars.
 #4203  by Japey Edge
 22 Jul 2019, 14:05
AdamD wrote:
22 Jul 2019, 13:21
I was fortunate that I was able to borrow an extractor for a couple of years before I purchased an electric one (that takes a drill to power it). Generally honey is run through a double stainless steel strainer into 15 kg buckets. It is warmed before putting into a 'settling tank' and run into jars.
What would happen if one was to just strain the honey into food grade buckets then pour directly into jars and seal up?
 #4204  by AdamD
 22 Jul 2019, 14:24
That's fine - Pouring from buckets is probably going to be messy though. A tap or 'honey gate' makes things much easier. This item is fairly cost-effective and what I borrowed when I started.
https://www.thorne.co.uk/honey-and-wax-processing/tanks-valves-storage-and-strainers/tanks?product_id=4697
 #4205  by Japey Edge
 22 Jul 2019, 14:35
Nice one Adam thanks :D

That looks like it'll make the job easier. At the moment, thinking of heaters and all that other stuff is a bit daunting. After doing it the first time, no doubt I'll be more comfortable.

Here's me assuming I'll get any honey :lol:
 #4210  by NigelP
 22 Jul 2019, 17:25
You can borrow my unused fruit press if you want crush and strain.... I upgraded to a hydro-press for heather honey.
Otherwise if you have supers just drive down the A19 and we shall extract for you.