Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DOWN UNDER BEEKEEPING => Topic started by: the-ecohouse.com on February 19, 2012, 09:32:15 am

Title: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: the-ecohouse.com on February 19, 2012, 09:32:15 am

I just saw some crazy vid on youtube where a guy uncapped a heap of frames with a heat gun, by lightly melting the wax cappings.

thoughts anyone?

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: AllenF on February 19, 2012, 09:42:40 am

Easy way to mess up a bunch of comb?

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: Johnny253 on February 20, 2012, 06:16:12 am

Yeah, I saw that one a while back too. Appeared to work fine, a very clean process and also easy and cheap but I would be worried what it does to the comb. Worth a try I reckon, I'll give it a go one day.

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: yockey5 on February 20, 2012, 04:27:14 pm

I can see it being a great way to do a few, but would it not be time consuming?

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: the-ecohouse.com on February 20, 2012, 09:23:25 pm

Check these dudes and their heat guns

Heat Gun Uncapping (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL7vbrJ6Pvw#)

Bee Spencer - Uncapping the easy way (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eym8rxYeLTc#)

looks quick and easy to me?

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: prestonpaul on February 20, 2012, 11:43:10 pm

I'm going to have a crack at this if I get a harvest this year  :roll:

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: the-ecohouse.com on February 21, 2012, 01:16:27 am

bought one today $30 at bunnings capped 10 frames in 10sih minutes, i'm sure ill improve in time....best part was no mess,
christ i hate uncapping

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: AllenF on February 21, 2012, 06:16:07 pm

Looks easy, but I am still not totally sold on it.   I would like to see what all the cells look like after spinning to see if they all opened up.     

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: OzBuzz on February 21, 2012, 06:22:46 pm

Personally - not a fan - i like the traditional uncapping for a few reasons:

1) You don't melt wax in to the honey
2) Easier for the bees to clean up rather than a bunch of melted cappings
3) You have the opportunity to straighten up the comb surface when uncapping the 'traditional' way
4) You don't unecessarily heat the surface of the honey
5) Are you adding impurities in to the honey that would otherwise be removed by cutting the cappings off?

I could blab on about it being traditional blah blah blah but if i find something new that i think is a good idea i'll embrace it - just not a fan of this one...

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: AllenF on February 21, 2012, 09:27:46 pm

I don't know what impurities you would add to the honey?   If you had something on the frame, whether you melt or cut it off, some will get into the honey.   If you had something on the frame, but I don't have an idea what that could be.   

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: the-ecohouse.com on February 22, 2012, 08:15:28 am

each to their own i guess  :)

until i get to the stage were i buy a full automatic un-capper and extractor line ...its going to work well for me....

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: shan777 on March 03, 2012, 03:48:34 am

could anyone confirm how harsh the heat gun was on the cells??? Am considering using mine, but don't want to if its going to damage the cells too much.......

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: the-ecohouse.com on March 03, 2012, 06:27:50 am

hi shan777

make sure ya buy a gun that is adjustable and on use it on its lowest setting..its a bit like using a uncapping knife, you can make a real mess of it if your not careful...

my rules are keep it low and do it quick

I have done a number of them now and find that i do less damage to the combs that using my uncapping scratch ers like these guys...

Brushy MT uncapping (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCk4U9xjlvg#ws)

or even this guy and hes a champ

Michigan shooter uncapping  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XO1FEZhESk#ws)

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: shan777 on March 03, 2012, 05:57:34 pm

thanks mate, might give it a shot!

Obviously the trick would be the low heat you said, but also to be super quick at moving along once one part of the cappings are melted and not lingering.......

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: yockey5 on March 03, 2012, 09:35:22 pm

I am thinking this is a great idea for a hobbyist like myself.

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: BlevinsBees on March 03, 2012, 09:39:16 pm

I tried it with the heat gun on low and the cappings cooled and reformed before I could get all 6 frames in the extractor. What am I doing wrong?

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: the-ecohouse.com on March 04, 2012, 12:41:28 am

Hey BelvinsBees

Sound like you might now have had the heat on hot enough

Watch the second Vid at the top.

The key is to have it warm enough and move it quick enough to completely uncap (melt) the capping and open the cells but not melt the actual cells them.

I'm going to make a video on how i do it, when I'm not so busy.

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: Lone on March 04, 2012, 05:43:31 am

Blimey, it looks and sounds easy enough, but when I tried it today, the wax just melted and recapped the cells.  I tried it with the frame vertical and horizontal, on low and high settings, and went and got a bread knife instead.

Lone

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: the-ecohouse.com on March 04, 2012, 10:19:48 am

ok...i'll definitely to a vid... :)

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: adamant on March 04, 2012, 10:09:38 pm

whats a good wattage ? hate to over do it..

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: squidink on March 15, 2012, 06:10:39 pm

Looks like a great method! The video ready yet Eco?  8-)

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: the-ecohouse.com on March 16, 2012, 09:04:41 am

nah waiting for more capped frames

Title: Re: Uncapping with a heat gun?
Post by: HoneyBee123 on March 16, 2012, 03:32:23 pm

Not for me, I think I'd mess it all up  :)