Gravity Honey Extractor Kit

[BeeCurious]

I just ran across this:

http://www.Greenbeehives.com/gravityextractor.html



It seems that someone on the forum was talking about this ...

The instructions say to place the contraption in a small room that is kept at 80° to 90°F.
" If needed, a small space heater can help reach that temperature, and lower the humidity at the same time."

I can't tell from the picture if that's a thermometer or a clock. If a clock is included in the kit, I wonder if it could be exchanged for a calendar for a modest fee.

[AmericasBeekeeper]

Why not just put the tub with strainer under a working hive. The bees keep it at 95 degrees to raise brood. If it will flow at 90 it will flow better at 95, but wait it doesn't.

[StevenG]

I guess, since we keep bees, we simply must have enough patience for this gizmo to work? Naw, not me.

[sqkcrk]

Me too StevenG. I would never be that patient even if I only had one hive. I would also expect dripping honey to gather more moisture from the air. But, I guess it must meet someones needs.

[willyC]

I have placed upside down un-capped frames on a cookie sheet in the back of our SUV. on a sunny day it gets to 130 F. Works just ok for 2 or 3 frames.

[sqkcrk]

Heh,heh, And then you forget and take off for the store over those great WY roads only to find all that honey all over the back. lol

I guess if it works for ya, do it.

[willyC]

Heh,heh, And then you forget and take off for the store over those great WY roads only to find all that honey all over the back. lol

I guess if it works for ya, do it.

Just need to hide the keys.

[berkshire bee]

Heh,heh, And then you forget and take off for the store over those great WY roads only to find all that honey all over the back. lol

I guess if it works for ya, do it.

Or better yet, you roll down a window, and leave the vehicle for an hour!

[Vance G]

Beekeeping is local. Honey sitting here in heat dehydrates because of low ambient humidity. But, as my grandson says, "Ridikquius"

[Michael Bush]

I've done similar things and it was never effective. Very little of the honey ever came out. But I'm sure it varies by water content, nectar source etc.

[GreenBeehives]

The above system requires you to uncap the honey and then turn the frame upside down in the box that has been designed to hold the frames upside down with out falling over. Bees build their comb on a 15 degree angle upward from the back to the front so the honey will stay in the comb while it is being ripened. This same angle is used to help drain the honey when the frame is inverted. Still it is a slow process. Usually takes 3-4 days, but with the low humidity due to a nation wide drought this year the honey has a lower water content than usual and it is taking even longer this year to drain.

[pine_ridge_farms]

I would think I would crush the comb before I did all that, like said earlier, even with one hive. I think it would be just like extracting the 18% would be the first to come out but this fall we had some at 16% and it took some real speed in the extractor and warm honey to come out of those cells. You could always set it out in the middle of the bee yard. The bees would get the honey out for you!

[GreenBeehives]

I use the hygrometer and the guest bathroom for draining the honey. I find it easy to let the hot water in the sink raise the humidity if it is too low, and a small space heater to raise the heat which will have the effect of lowering the humidity if it is too high. (40% to 60%) is a good range for extracting without raising the water content of the honey. You want it under 18% water content so it will not make mead (spoil). Still, the best method is to buy a nice electric radial extractor for around $400 for the smallest one, a nice electric uncapping knife for $70, and the uncapping tub and strainer for another $100. If you have a number of supers to extract, that is the way to go. But, if you are a small hobiest with one or two supers, and you are on a budget and not in a hurry; you can harvest some of your honey for $69 and preserve the comb for next year. You can't get all of the honey out by this method, but if you put the frames back on the hive for a day or so the bees won't let any of it go to waste. Then you just store your clean and drawn frames like you would do if you had the $600 system!