Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: DayValleyDahlias on January 30, 2008, 10:17:30 pm
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I have been reading all the many posts pertaining to extractors...I don't want to spend tons of $$...but I would like more bang for my buck...
Any suggestions on an extractor that can do the job with having to wait days for frames to clear...etc...can't crush and strain as I am pretty certain I will be using PF 120's...
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personally I like the kits that have everything I would need if I had only a few hives like this one from mannlakes Extracting Bundle (http://www.mannlakeltd.com/catalog/page65.html)
or this kit Easy extracting combo unit (http://www.mannlakeltd.com/catalog/page66.html) and if you just want the extractor look through the pages on the site
if that is to much then look for something here on this ebay (http://listings.ebay.com/Livestock-Supplies_Beekeeping_W0QQcatrefZC3QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfcclZ1QQfclZ3QQfrisZ2QQfromZR2QQfrppZ50QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ3QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsacatZ66890QQsocmdZListingItemList) search
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I got the extractor that comes with that kit from mannlake. The extractor by it's self is like $250. All stainless. Really nice and operates smooth. Haven't had a chance to run it with frames yet. It works as a radial extractor with 6 shallow frames. Mediums and Deeps you'll have to flip them inbetween spins (tangical?) three at a time.
Theres also that plastic chinese extractor that Dadant sells for like $100. I've heard some really good things about this one too but haven't had a chance to try it out myself. I guess it only does two frames at a time.
Sean Kelly
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The one from Betterbee (that comes from Sveinty) that is a flat radial looks kind of nice to me. it will store most anywhere:
http://www.betterbee.com/products.asp?dept=916
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http://www.swienty.com/?pid=1&id=108600
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I got the extractor that comes with that kit from mannlake.
I also got this kit and for the money it was well worth it. Unfortunately my bee yard is going to be expanded considerably this year and I suspect that this 3 frame extractor is going to be too small very soon. With that in mind, for you guys and gals with 20-40 hives, what size extractor are you using? I believe with my lofty goal of 800+ hives I will outgrow a few extractors in time, so eventually I want to get a 40 frame or larger. For now I don't think that is necessary though.
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I borrow the clubs Mann Lake. I will probably wait until I can afford a radial for mediums.
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Sean, I bought a plastic two frame extractor and it was simply crap, sorry for the blatentness, but it was totally terrible. The handle bent, it was so hard to turn the handle and I could go on. It is now used for my crush and strain, it works great for that. It is my container I use to hold this honey and then I gate it into another big pail with a honey gate. It works well for this, hee, hee ;) :). Have a wonderful and great day, Cindi
I am going to be buying an extractor for this season, so I am listening to advice from my friends here too. C.
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Oh brother, The Sweinty one and Italian ones look good...Mann Lake stuff looks good too...hhhmmm...so many choices...tough for a Libra Lady...
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I got the extractor that comes with that kit from mannlake.
I also got this kit and for the money it was well worth it. Unfortunately my bee yard is going to be expanded considerably this year and I suspect that this 3 frame extractor is going to be too small very soon. With that in mind, for you guys and gals with 20-40 hives, what size extractor are you using? I believe with my lofty goal of 800+ hives I will outgrow a few extractors in time, so eventually I want to get a 40 frame or larger. For now I don't think that is necessary though.
I run 30 last year. I used a 9 frame radial hand crank. It worked pretty well. I finished extracting everything in 3 full work days. I was pretty sick and tired of hand cranking that sucker. They make an electric motor for this and if I have to use it this year I will buy the motor for it. That motor costs about $400.00. It will be well worth it to me as I should be 100+ hives for honey this coming season.
I would rather opt to rent the honey extracting room from a local commercial guy and just extract my honey 1 week before he starts his extraction. that would allow me to extract all of it in a day or two.
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Don't skimp on equiptment,buy cheap and you will relent it a long time.
Having the right equiptment will save you time and time equals money.
An extractor that will hold 1 super takes about 15-20 minutes to dry the frame,so how many supers will you expect to harvest?
Personally I would rather spend my time working in the bee yards than extracting.
bob evans
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Don't skimp on equiptment,buy cheap and you will relent it a long time.
Having the right equiptment will save you time and time equals money.
An extractor that will hold 1 super takes about 15-20 minutes to dry the frame,so how many supers will you expect to harvest?
Personally I would rather spend my time working in the bee yards than extracting.
bob evans
Exactly.
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Great info. Thanks a lot.
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http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bfs/555642068.html offer the guy four hundred -its a six -twelve from dadant https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_72&products_id=364 should fill the bill 8-) RDY-B
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I got the extractor that comes with that kit from mannlake.
I also got this kit and for the money it was well worth it. Unfortunately my bee yard is going to be expanded considerably this year and I suspect that this 3 frame extractor is going to be too small very soon. With that in mind, for you guys and gals with 20-40 hives, what size extractor are you using? I believe with my lofty goal of 800+ hives I will outgrow a few extractors in time, so eventually I want to get a 40 frame or larger. For now I don't think that is necessary though.
I have a 12/20 frame extractor from Kelly, can do 20 medium frames at a time (that is two 9 frame supers plus 2 frames) , when I extract its usually in the 90's temp wise so it only runs about total 5 minutes a extraction, it takes longer to let the honey flow out of the extractor than extracting because I filter it coming out of the extractor, that's why I am looking for a uncapper because the extractor is done before I get the next set of frames uncapped.......here's a picture of one like mine, I need to take a picture of mine and the stand its on.
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p9448f755fa3b661de3d190afbf6ef640/e85ddda7.jpg)
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Hey guys!
I've been waiting to tell someone about MY extractor I got last summer,.
I got it even before my bees came. This was one of the best deals I ever came across..Maybe, Dahlia, one of these deals will come up before the spring.
Anyways, I clicked on a bee forum.(Dont even remember which one)
I went to the trading post and a guy was selling an extractor so I called him up...He was down in San Antonio about 7 hours away. He wanted only 50$ so i said ok, and for him to figure out shipping and stuff. Anyways, with shipping It was gonna be about 160$(seemed kinda high to me for shipping).
Now, with some quick thinking, I remembered Debra(who has an office where I work) was doing a 3 week TDY and was fixing to come back in a couple of days. Debra volunteered to go get it from the guy for me(oh yeh,...we watch her dog when she goes TDY) Which was GREAT! So I asked the guys his address and had someone to pick it up for me saving me freight costs. He then said he would take it to her at the base as that was where he works! At any rate, Debra and this guy met and had lunch and she got the extractor for me!
I dont know who made it but it hold 4 frames and I hand crank it. I've used it two times so far. I just need to make a device to hold down the spinner to the drum. One thing I'm not sure of is how much it will hold before the spinner is in the honey. I'll find out this summer though.
I got it even before I knew what a "frame" was..I just knew I couldnt pass it up for some reason!
your friend,
john
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I got a 9/3 for $450 and free shipping from Brushy Mtn this winter. haven't used it, but I figure that if i can do 9 meds at a time, it should be a while before my expansion outgrows the extractor. It's a hand crank, but could be disassembled and a hand drill used for power. Free shipping beat the 18/9 from mann lake, for $550 + $250 shipping...
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If you want to turn your hand crank into an electric buy a variable speed regulator for a routor. I bought one from Harbor Freight Toos for $9.99. With an inline timer and adjusting the voltage you can pretty well let it run itself. Get an extra arbor and mount a pulley on it and replace the handle on the extractor with a pulley. You can also regulate the speed buy using different sized pulleys.
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I have been reading all the many posts pertaining to extractors...I don't want to spend tons of $$...but I would like more bang for my buck...
Any suggestions on an extractor that can do the job with having to wait days for frames to clear...etc...can't crush and strain as I am pretty certain I will be using PF 120's...
I suggest building one. (Then again I just enjoy that sort of thing). Not certain I can post a link but let's see -
Building your own Honey Extractor. (http://www.voiceofthehive.com/VotH/15_1_Voice_of_the_Hive-Roll_Your_own_Extractor.htm) (Hey it worked!) There are plans on beesource as well. The thing is that time is also a currency, and you might want to invest it differently than me.
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First off.
To the mods. I must apologize. I don't know why I missed this but I did. Next to fatbeeman we have a real celebrity in our midst. So I will commence with a blantant thread jack.
xC0000005 is a person who posted his stories on beekeeping on a website known as Kuro5hin(pronounced corrosion). I am not even sure if you can find those original Tales from the Hive stories unless you are registered with Kuro5hin. The story and comments afterward bordered on priceless.
If there is anyone who early on I found inspring and intrigued me about beekeeping. It was xC0000005. He has since switched to writing at Voice of the Hive (http://www.voiceofthehive.com/). How I missed this I am not sure blame it on brain fart if you must.
This is someone who tells the best bee stories I have read in a long time. I for one am grateful to see you posting in this forum.
We now return you to your regular thread topic.
Sincerely,
Brendhan
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Hey John, I have another "good deal " story. Just started into keeping and I called a supply store that was selling out their keeping stuff and going only strictly candle workshops ( BC Wicks and Wax, Cindi ) I asked if they had any extractors left and the guy said sorry, all gone. Then he says hold on, they have a two frame Maxant that they rent out and he was tired of having to chase it down all the time. He says come on down and he'll give me a deal. This extractor was in excellant shape, a little dirty but not too bad. I asked how much and he says take it away for 25 bucks!!! Best deal I ever got in this field for sure! :-D Perry
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PerryBee, wrote down BC Wicks and Wax. Thanks.
Brendhan, I have bookmarked Voice of the Hive and will check it out.
xC0000005. That is cool that Brendhan figured out who you are, not sure how he did that, but I am of a sleuthy type nature sometimes, so I am getting in that mode. Maybe I missed something here.
So, yes, checked out your profile, saw your website in their, guess I will have to do some reading when I have a few extra moments (hee, hee), I love stories of the bees too, especially is they are well written, sounds like you have a good handle on this, smiling. Have a wonderful and greatest of days, lovin' this life we live. Cindi
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Oh great information, really...I am not able personally to build my own, if my Dad were alive he surely would build one, perhaps I can encourage my hubby to give it a go....
Shar
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Next to fatbeeman we have a real celebrity in our midst.
Thanks. I think. I never know how to respond to these sort of things - "Yes, I am great" is pretentious and flat out wrong, "I am a worm" is too far the other way. Let's try this - I'm a beekeeper just like the rest of you (Heck, I still get the creeps when they crawl on my fingers). I just happen to enjoy writing about bees. You want celebrities go for the real guys. Mr. Bush, fatbeeman (Don). You don't find articles about me in Bee Culture. For that matter nothing I've written has ever graced its pages. Keep in mind that most of these were originally stories I told to my children to explain what was going on in the hive. There are factual errors, I'm sure. Sometimes I get things flat out wrong. The "how to" sections at the end aren't really. They are like the reader's digest "how to" books - just enough information for a reader to feel informed, but not enough to really get the job done. Just read for enjoyment and everything will be fine.
Cindi - No problem with being "outed". My whois information has never been obscured (and I"ve been called at home by strangers, including a man from the east coast who called at 4:00 a.m.)
In regards to the extractor, it's a fine line between link whoring ("Hey, everyone! Look what I did! Look! Look! Look!") and providing valuable information. The goal is to just make sure people know they have options. You can build this one. I've built a variant of the plywood one from beesource. You can buy. No one solution is perfect for everyone. As with most things in beekeeping, there are a dozen ways that work, and half as many that are "right". Whatever works for you.
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xC0000005
Bee Movie wasn't very accurate either but if people found it inspiring. I am all for it.
Michael Bush was on this site long before I was. I have in a tongue in check manner labeled him "patron saint." I am sure he would prefer something else. :)
BC and ABJ don't publish a lot on MB or Don. A small article here and there maybe. But they tend not to do the justice that the two of them have contributed to beekeeping. So don't worry. I think the editors at the mags would have a heart attack if someone wrote an in depth article on Dee L. or MB or Don and their methods. I think it would crush their paradigm.
In regards to your extractor what kind of handle did you make to spin the extractor?
Sincerely,
Brendhan
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xC0000005
In regards to your extractor what kind of handle did you make to spin the extractor?
Handle? Handles are for hand cranking. :)
Since I can post links at this point, let's try this:
Video of Extractor running (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eojdiBZo1k)
Note this was before i added flashing to hold the top bearing, so it looks slightly different now. For next year I'll run a variable speed motor, shaft drive up the side from underneath the extractor (so it won't be top heavy). Since I need to add legs anyway, space for the motor won't be an issue.
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A drill is an excellent handle. :)
Sincerely,
Brendhan
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Has anyone tried the 9 frame extractor from brushy mountain that has the strainer and tank on the bottom? Was thinking of getting one but thought I would ask before buying. thanks, Wayne
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http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bfs/555642068.html offer the guy four hundred -its a six -twelve from dadant https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_72&products_id=364 should fill the bill 8-) RDY-B
DID YOU CALL THE GUY :? this spring they will be hard to get at the good price
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Yea I called middle of the week and said they should be in by end of Feb. They didn't say anything about a new price but looked at the website today and noticed the extractor went up $30 and an extra tank to go with it went up about $65.
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:-D
Yea I called middle of the week and said they should be in by end of Feb. They didn't say anything about a new price but looked at the website today and noticed the extractor went up $30 and an extra tank to go with it went up about $65.
:? I was refering to my quote for a used one reread the highlighted portion of my post 8-) origanaly posted for the person that started the topic 8-) :lol: DAY VALLEY :) RDY-B
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Heya RDY
$400.00 hhhhmmm well...he won't hit me if I offer $400. ???
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I spoke with him about a sixtey frame unit and one moth ago he would sell it for 400 -work up from that tell him the truth that you only have limited money to spend -for all we know it is already gone -RDY-B
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I Drove way down and bought, RDY-Bs Dadant 20 frame extractor. Better Bang than some because it will hold 20 frames of big or med frames, or 36 frames of shallow. I don't extract deep frames now, but I may in the future.. 8-)
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Howdy BG 50 frame maxant is all ordered and they are building it- I did not get shuch a easy on the wallet price as pepole buying twenty framers but i am exited -hope you have lots of honey to spin this year :lol: 8-) RDY-B