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Author Topic: I think it is time for an extractor!  (Read 2102 times)

Offline Royall

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I think it is time for an extractor!
« on: February 19, 2014, 10:12:11 pm »
It's been awhile since the last time I posted. The girls have been quit busy and I took my first look in quite some time. The last time wasn't too awful long after I got them all settled into the new digs. I had opened them up to see how there doing 2-3 months back and at that time added a second 10 frame deep to the first box. They seemed to be growing quite fast. Today I took a look (my beek (Jim) has been telling me to do this but I've been busy) and found the newest boxes completely full of honey! Jim had told me that if there was honey in the outer frames to take the two outside frames out and install new frames and foundations. Well I took 4 frames out of each hive and added 4 new frames and foundations and a medium supper to each hive. Now, I look at the 8 frames full of honey... OMG I've got honey!! This is my first experience at this and now feel I in over my head!! I spent the next 5 hours scrapping the comb from the frames into a bowl and then straining into a 4 gallon pot. Now on my kitchen counter is a big red 4 gallon pot filled to with in about 2" of the top with honey! And all I have is 36, 8oz jars!! LOL I didn't have a clue as to how much honey can come from so few frames. I'm looking into an extractor for the next time I go to harvest the goodness from the ladies!! My girls must really love it at my house  :-D Oh, and I only got stung once and accidentally hurt 2 bees. Life is good.... be better with an extractor tho!! 

Offline Vance G

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Re: I think it is time for an extractor!
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2014, 10:17:13 pm »
A great story!  Nothing is better than a first honey crop.  My advice always is to try to find a used extractor in your area.  You will often find one much cheaper than a new one that way.   Put out a free wanted add on Craigs list and see what pops up. 

Offline Royall

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Re: I think it is time for an extractor!
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2014, 10:24:08 pm »
Good advice Vance.. Being on an island I won't hold my breath but will check. I do see one on Amazon for $300 bucks and claim only 25 for shipping. Being that I'm not going to do this for a living and mechanically inclined, I could get a cheap one and if necessary repair it if it need fixing.

Mahalo for the shout.

Royall

Offline Joe D

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Re: I think it is time for an extractor!
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2014, 12:41:08 am »
If you have a bee club there, a member or the club may have an extractor that you can use.  There is a fellow beek in our club that helped me with the extracting and let me use his new 12 frame extractor for a couple years.  Good luck




Joe

Offline Royall

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Re: I think it is time for an extractor!
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2014, 12:58:12 pm »
Thanks Joe, I did a search but didn't find any active clubs in my area. I did get the honey all bottled up. In the end I had 40 1/2 pts and 14 pts. I saved all the wax that I crushed in a zip lock and put it into the freezer until I get my solar wax melter put together. I've shared/gifted some of the honey to my special friends and even made my first sale!

One of my friends are so excited about what I'm doing, they asked if I would like to put a future hive in their side yard that is loaded with several citrus and papaya trees and only about 3 - 5 blocks away from a Macadamia nut orchard. Mac nut honey is really good! Right up there with strawberry/coffee honey! On a side note, my friends are aware of the "fun" I had getting the honey out of the frames and wax. They asked why I didn't have an extractor. I told them the cost and the fact that I don't have enough bees to warrant one yet. They are so pumped about wanting to help and watch bees, they want to buy one so I can use it. I said to hold off about that.... Just hard for me to let someone spend that kind of money like that. I see how it goes with just having a hive on their property first.

Just having fun in Hawai'i!!

Offline Steel Tiger

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Re: I think it is time for an extractor!
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2014, 07:55:16 pm »
 There's a little, 2 frame plastic extractor on Amazon for under $200. Might be worth looking into.

Offline Royall

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Re: I think it is time for an extractor!
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2014, 12:47:02 pm »
How long does it take to get honey out of the comb using a hand cranked extractor? With only two hives (so far) is it worth the clean up time to have one? I know the "lazy" side of me would like to have one. If nothing else, speed up the work.

@Steel Tiger:

That 2 frame looks rather flimsy.... have you by chance know of anyone using that model??


 

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