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More advanced beekeeping discussion forum.
 #7082  by AdamD
 13 May 2020, 09:41
I am getting OSR honey out now - well, not all of it as some has started to go cloudy. The honey is very pale, as most of you know.
I have 4 unextractable frames that I have put over a nuc of a caught swarm. That will give them enough food to be going on with and draw the foundation. Last year I put a super of semi-extracted OSR under a colony, with a mid-entrance, I wanted to build up - it gave them what they needed during the June gap, the super came out later.
From bottom to top:-
Closed off floor
Super of honey
Excluder
Entrance eke
Brood box
Crownboard
Roof.
 #7085  by Steve 1972
 13 May 2020, 11:13
Osr honey does tend to go cloudy when it starts cooling before it sets like concrete ..not always but 99% of the time it does..i have never been unlucky enough to have it set in the frames as i always seem to get it extracted before it does..i might get caught out this year though through this cold snap..

If i do end up with any set frames i will make a super warmer which will consist of..

A empty brood box on a stand with two x 100watt tube heaters controlled with a ST-1000 thermostat with a small 12v computer fan in there also..any set super frames will be put on top of the brood box and heated at 45C for a couple of days and then turned down to 37C for a day before i attempt to gently extract..
I have never had to do it before but i am confident it should work..

If it does happen to fail i will put the set frames to one side for Autumn feeding..all the frames will have the wax capping's bruised and nadired below the brood box for the bees to clear themselves..
 #7086  by Japey Edge
 13 May 2020, 11:33
Just extracted one super, for the first time in my new extractor.

I see why people can strongly dislike extracting honey now. The excitement soon faded away :lol:

It's all come out, only one small part of comb popped. I think honey gate location could be improved on for extractors as we've had to tip it the last bit out.

Maybe got 5-10 litres from a super? Does that sound right? That's just guessing by looking at the line in a 25L bucket.

Will let it settle and then test it on the refractometer.
 #7087  by Steve 1972
 13 May 2020, 12:30
You are better of testing the moisture content before you extract Jazz..not to worry you have done it now..lol..check the moisture now because as it settles it can sometimes separates..which means you can have a different moisture content in the bottom of the bucket compared to the top..if i remember correct as my brain is like a sieve these days you should get roughly 5 liters from one full super..enjoy by the way the first ever honey always tastes the best.. ;)
 #7088  by Japey Edge
 13 May 2020, 12:42
Haha cheers Steve - I felt like I'd gone too far so would extract and then reap whatever consequences came my way :o

It's decent stuff, had some on my crumpets 8-)
 #7248  by AdamD
 21 May 2020, 09:08
Steve 1972 wrote:
13 May 2020, 11:13


If i do end up with any set frames i will make a super warmer which will consist of..

A empty brood box on a stand with two x 100watt tube heaters controlled with a ST-1000 thermostat with a small 12v computer fan in there also..any set super frames will be put on top of the brood box and heated at 45C for a couple of days and then turned down to 37C for a day before i attempt to gently extract..
I have never had to do it before but i am confident it should work..
Let us know if you do this and how it works. I have tried to heat up OSR honey in the frames and the wax can get too soft to support itself.
 #7254  by Steve 1972
 21 May 2020, 12:29
AdamD wrote:
21 May 2020, 09:08
Let us know if you do this and how it works. I have tried to heat up OSR honey in the frames and the wax can get too soft to support itself.
I most certainly will Adam..regarding temperatures i would never attempt to gently extract at temperatures higher than 37C.
 #7257  by Japey Edge
 21 May 2020, 14:13
My assumed-OSR honey hasn't set in the bucket in 8 days. It has thickened a little though.
Safe to jar, or keep waiting?
 #7259  by NigelP
 21 May 2020, 16:20
I would let it set in the bucket first Jaz.
If you jar it and it sets then you will get a hard set and it will come away from the sides of the jar. and show "frosting"
Any honey with OSR content I always make into a soft set honey before jarring.
There are several ways of making soft set, all work.
One option is to semi remelt your set bucket (You want some set honey crystals that are soft enough to "mash". Then treat yourself to one of these from Thornes or you can borrow mine if we ever get the markets back up and running at Wynyard. The shear forces as you work the masher/creamer through your honey shear the crystals smaller and smaller. A really good soft set is as smooth as butter.
And mash away until you have a smooth almost white paste, then jar. Can take a day or so of mashing at regular intervals. Try not to introduce any air, don't let the creamer escaped from the surface.
I 've tried the drill attachments, but in my hands, they always introduce too much air, which means you end up with a soft set honey with a layer of froth on top....not good.
Image
 #7262  by Japey Edge
 21 May 2020, 17:34
Thanks for that Nigel - I'll leave it a bit longer and see what happens. Might even have another super ready to extract by then - hopefully!