Radial vs. Tang. Extractor

[Pooh]

I put this in the wrong area so I'll repost it here:

I've used a tangential extractor for a while but have always read that a radial would result in less foundation damage and no need to flip frames. A local beek said that he finds he can't get as much honey out using a radial and uses a tang. with his 200 hives. He found a radial to tear up his equip even more.

What do others like? Do you find radials to be less efficient at removing honey/ harder on equipement?

Thanks

[NorthALABeeKeep]

I have had both kinds... I started with a tang. 4 frame hand cranked. It work great but arm felt like falling off after several boxes of frames. After several years and more hives I bought a 9 frame radial also hand crank. Both arms felt like falling off, as it requires more "turns" than a tang. I bought a "power head" conversion kit from Kelley's and added a motor to it. Arms VERY happy. I have blown comb out using both extractors, probably a little more with the radial. RPM speed is the biggest factor of comb failure in my opinion. Start slow and then speed up after some of the honey was been slung out. I can't see going back to the tang. now. Good Luck

[Jim Fischer]

The type of extractor really does not make much difference until you
are using it more than a few days a year. For anything under a dozen
hives, price alone should dictate your purchase, as it simply makes no
since to invest even an extra $100 in capital equipment that would
only save a few hours per year.

I like radial machines for high-throughput operations, but this is a simple
matter of "less labor".

How much honey one gets out of a comb is more a function of RPMs than
extractor type. There is a certain RPM where one will get a "blow out"
from even the best-wired comb drawn from wax foundation if one has
not spun "both sides" at lower speeds. Radials don't create that problem,
the only "blowouts" I've ever seen with radials were from very old and/or
damaged frames that pulled apart under the stress.

The best approach is to band together with nearby beekeepers and
buy one jointly. Most local associations have "loaner" or "shared" extractors. Some have arrangements with church-basement kitchens,
which makes the whole deal much easier, what with "industrial" kitchen
counters made from stainless steel, and larger working spaces than
most homes can offer.

[dcross]

I started with a 4 frame tang., I could never balance the thing. I upgraded it to a Ranger 6 frame radial, it cut my time/cranking drastically, and I don't have to hug the thing while I spin it to keep it on the stand.

But I put nine frames in it once, my arm almost fell off