Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Parksguyy on July 03, 2013, 10:28:42 am
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Hello everyone,
Second year beek here, its looking like I will have honey to extract. Just curious as to how others are doing it.
I'm just about to order an extractor and a metal double sieve and a 5 gal bucket w/gate. My thought was to simply extract the honey and filter it through this double sieve into the 5 gal bucket. Is that enough filtering? Would it be proper to place a woven cloth filter between these sieves? I had thought I would filter it again, using the set of three plastic filters that fit onto another 5 gal bucket (my buddy already has these plastic filters), then I would let it sit for a day or two and then bottle the honey. Altimately, I want very clear honey ... I've seen too much that is cloudy and would not feel comfortable selling it looking like that. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
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dadant sells filters that will fit on your 5 gal. bucket. they have 3 options. the finest is too fine. either of the other 2 will work fine. you can also use a paint filter that fits 5 gal. buckets. most paint supply shops sell them. i know some use panty hose.i use 2 filters. i decap over a utility sink & let the honey drain from the sink into a filtered bucket. the 2nd filter is on the bucket that the extractor drains into.
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>I'm just about to order an extractor
If you have money you just want to spend on your hobby, go ahead. If you feel you need one, think it over.
http://bushfarms.com/beesharvest.htm (http://bushfarms.com/beesharvest.htm)
> and a metal double sieve and a 5 gal bucket w/gate. My thought was to simply extract the honey and filter it through this double sieve into the 5 gal bucket. Is that enough filtering?
Yes.
> Would it be proper to place a woven cloth filter between these sieves?
Cloth will lose small fibers and those will cause rapid crystallization. If you want crystallized honey this works fine. If not, I would not do it.
> I had thought I would filter it again, using the set of three plastic filters that fit onto another 5 gal bucket (my buddy already has these plastic filters), then I would let it sit for a day or two and then bottle the honey. Altimately, I want very clear honey ... I've seen too much that is cloudy and would not feel comfortable selling it looking like that.
I don't feel comfortable buying honey that isn't cloudy. Clear honey usually means it's been overheated and overfiltered. I think it's a matter of educating your customers. A free taste of raw unfiltered honey will usually win them over.
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I extract straight into a 5 gal bucket. Let it set for a few day, does have the lid on the bucket, for wax particles to rise. Then I run it through a SS basket to catch the capping that got in. Then I run it through a 5 gal paint filter and bottle it. Good luck to you.
Joe
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Thanks everyone,
I tend to put way too much thought into things that generally need less.
Very excited about getting our first batch of honey ... its the little kid in me staring into the candy counter!
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Soon, you will be a kid with sticky fingers. And everything else sticky also. :-D
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I just have a few hives and give my excess honey away. I crush and strain. Two food grade buckets with lids, one has the center cut out of the lid so that the other bucket doesn't fall into it. The top bucket has 3/8" holes drilled in the bottom as close as they can go, approx 1/8-1/4" apart. I lay a piece o screen wire across the bottom bucket and set the strainer bucket on top. I cut my comb out on the foundationless frames and mash it up with a potato masher. Dump it in the top bucket on a warm day and let it drain. On my plastic frames I just scrape it off with a spatula.
Someday I might get big enough to get an extractor but right now c&s works for me.
I never need more than one super per hive because as soon as they have 4 or 5 frames capped I carry my bucket to the hives, sweep the bees off a frame, cut it out, drop it in the bucket, threw a towel over it and replace the dripping frame then pick me another frame.
If you have 100 hives this is not a good option.
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http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/2007/06/honey-harvest-crush-and-strain.html (http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/2007/06/honey-harvest-crush-and-strain.html)
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if you filter it to much, you take all the good stuff out. people pay extra to have that stuff in there.
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Mine will have little chunks of wax floating on top. Looks like the foam on fresh sorghum.
Just the way I like it!
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"Bee Go and Honey Robber are Butyric which is not a food safe chemical and smells like vomit. Honey robber smells like cherry flavored vomit."
lol, it's true but still funny to me.
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The new product Brushy has is good and is similar to Bee Quick - I belive it's called Natural BEE.
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Try to borrow/rent a couple of different extractors first. Get a feel for what you'd like. I used a 4 frame tangential borrowed from a friend recently. Next, I want to try a small radial (if i can find it!). Helps make an informed decision. Most are very durable, easy to sanitize and used only a few days per year. Once I do decide and buy one, I'll definitely return the favor for new beeks.
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Thanks Brushwoodnursery,
I do have the option of doing just that ... our local bee club does have an extractor for members to use ... but its not always readily available ... it gets lots of use. The other option is to borrow (rent) a larger one from the lady I got my bees from. I've done a lot of research and asked alot of beeks what to look for, but it does come down to price more than anything. I know one for sure ... when the time comes to upgrade one will never have a problem selling his used extractor ... they go so fast!
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I crushed and strained for years, always longing to have an extractor. Then our club bought a 2 frame manual extractor for members to use and I found out that crush and strain was really easier! I guess if I had a 4 frame electric extractor I might feel differently.
But I also learned that by extracting I then had to worry about storing the extracted frames over the winter, while with the crushed frames, I just let the bees clean them up a bit and waited until spring to add new foundation, or turned them into foundationless frames next time around. With crush and strain you also end up with a lot of nice wax to see or turn into candles. Of course the bees have to draw out new frames every year, but it keeps the wax a little fresher that way, and I give away a lot of cut comb honey.
Linda D in OKC