Suggestions on 20 frame extractor

[BGhoney]

I'm looking to buy a new 20 frame extractor this spring. I've been looking at a few online, dadant, maxant and fritz. Its very hard to compare without seeing them. None mention a sloped floor for draining. I just get the weight and height.

Any imput would be great on which works best.

P.S. whats thicker 304 stainless or 20 gadge ?

[riverrat]

P.S. whats thicker 304 stainless or 20 gadge ?

304 is the alloy of the stainless and has nothing to do with the thickness 20 gauge is the metal thickness

[Ross]

My Dadant is an older model with a pulley speed control. It works great. The Fritz looks good, but it has always been more expensive every time I have looked.

[TwT]

I have a 12-20 frame from Kelly, been very pleased with it, its bottom is sloped, pretty sure they all are.....

[BGhoney]

I haven't looked at the kelly yet, my friend has a 20 frame older dadant and we have to unchain it and lift it up when finished to drain off the last of the honey. They all claim to have the thickest stainless steel , I've been trying to guage it by the weight.

[Jeffzhear]

I have a Dadant 20 Stainless Steel radial and it's the only radial I've ever had. It's wonderful, in my opinion. I don't have to unchain it to drain it off...and it does have a sloped floor.

[berkshire bee]

For sheet metal, the higher the gauge number, the thinner the metal. I can't remember if stainless runs exactly the same as cold-rolled steel but the thickness for cold rolled steel sheet are 20 ga/.035" (35 thousandths of an inch) As a comparison 18 ga is .047" and 22 ga is .030" Most extractors and other large sheet metal products are rolled with bead edges and in the center for added strength. I'd be more concerned with whether it's gear or pulley driven and if it's gears, are they plastic,cast metal, or machined metal.

[adamf]

We use a Maxant 500 20-frame that's bolted to the concrete floor. Works flawlessly. I'd recomend bolting to floor if that fits into your floor-plan.

Adam Finkelstein
adamf7@gmail.com

Unrelated to this post: Jeffzhear I have sent you several private messages, Would you please contact me? My email is above. Thanks.

[BGhoney]

Is the Gear the way to go ? And If so metal must be better than plastic. I do have a poured floor so I can bolt it down. I'm waiting for more Info from BetterBee the fritz 12-20 extractor they offer.

[berkshire bee]

I think pulley is better. There are no teeth to worry about stripping out and belts are easy and inexpensive to replace

[kbee]

I got a Fritz 3-15 and had trouble getting the frame end bars to clear the underside of the lid kill switch. I had to prop the lid up with popsicle sticks. I'm still working with BetterBee to get it exchanged. They have been good about recognizing the problem. The extractor runs well, has a sloped bottom and cleans up very easy. Two bolts and the thing comes apart. But it is expensive.