opinion on uncappers

[King bee apiary]

ok,I'm looking for an uncapper.My question is which is better,the maxant chain uncapper or the silver queen,or the keley's electric vibrating knife?
Cansidering all options and required stuff that goes with each,which would be the best for the money?The easiest to use?
I have looked at a lot of them and am just uncertain which will do the better job.
Thanks for the help.

[Joel]

You don't say how many hives you are running which makes a difference. I think chain uncappers are easier and extremely fast. They do tend to tear up more comb, especially on plasticell, will make your finished honey cloudy if that matters to you. You will need to wear an apron although you should be anyway. Of course more comb damage means more wax in the clarifier and ultimatley in whatever straining/filter system you use. Just my opinion.

[King bee apiary]

I will have 10 hives by the end of this summer,if everything goes right 100 by the end of next year.I would prefer the easiest way ,weather it is less filtering,easiest to operate/clean,best for the foundation.
I am on plastic frames.

[swarm_trapper]

i would go with the silver queen. We have the big cowan really runs nice but when you get it, order new knives from walter kelly then you get electric heated knives instead of the steam. also with the silver queen your frames are all nice and even, after uncapping. Nick

[lloyd@rossrounds.com]

I'd go with the Cowan Handyman, rather than the Silver Queen. Steam heated knives, two twists of a handle and both sides of a comb are uncapped. Can operate as fast as you can load combs. Silver Queen is a great machine, but I think the money involved makes it best for over 500 hives.

I'd stay away from chain uncappers until and unless you are willing to also invest in clarifying equipment, a honey pump, and possible a filtering system.

Good luck,

[Trevor Mansell]

I have used a Cowen with electric knives , I do not recomend it the honey cools the knives and electricity does not heat them fast enough. I use a gunness now , you dont need any clarifying equipment , just a tank for the honey to settle out in. The only problem with the chain flail is when the comb is cold it will destroy it. A firend of mine started with a maxant chain uncapper , he used it until he got to about 200 hives . They work great just get a couple of those uncapping tubs to drain the cappings.

[Lew Best]

Trevor said:

"The only problem with the chain flail is when the comb is cold it will destroy it."

How warm does the comb need to be for a flail chain type to avoid tearing the comb up?

Lew in hot central TX.

[Trevor Mansell]

I live in Hot central Florida, When we are extracting honey in Feb. it is around 60 to 70 degrees, durring the day. The problem is that the honey sits all night in the honey house and gets even colder .

[Lew Best]

Thanks Trevor

Our summer temps usually peak out in the upper 90's to lower 100's in July & August; figure that's when I'll be extracting (I'm a total newbee so don't know for sure). I've heard conflicting opinions of how our flow runs. I do know for sure there would be no reason to extract in the winter here. If I decided to pull supers the night before & extract the next morning overnight temps here would probably be in the upper 70's to lower 80's.

Reason for my curiosity is I picked up a small apparently home built flail chain machine; was curious what to expect.

Lew

[The Honey House]

Lew
Do you have pictures of this homemade uncapper?

[Lew Best]

Hey Dave

Thought I had your email addy but can't find it; please send it to me & I'll back channel you some pix & info. Not sure it's home made but feel like about a 90 percent probability.

Lew