Small time beekeeper: just finished extracting 200 lbs. I have two standard strainers that fit buckets from the bee supplier. Using a 4 frame extractor I swap out strainers as they get clogged and they get clogged quickly...that takes up most of time.....anyone got a better idea? I do use a manual knife and a scratcher to remove caps and try to keep as many caps in the capping tub as possible.
Bottleneck straining honey
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Re: Bottleneck straing honey
That's good to uncap in a Rubbermaid container with a 1/4" mesh screen about 3" from bottom held up by just bending the screen. Out of the extractor use a hand colander sitting on a 5 gallon bucket with paint strainer inserted held up about 3/4 of way in bucket with twine or small rope. Also, best to extract with warm comb or frames. The hand strainer can be dumped repeatably in the cappings tub. I keep the cappings tub or several in a warm bee proof garage or attic that gets warm to further drip.
I have always used a long serrated bread knife and a comb scratcher for low on the frame comb. Always use a sawing motion and once again do it with warm frames and honey.
That's good to uncap in a Rubbermaid container with a 1/4" mesh screen about 3" from bottom held up by just bending the screen. Out of the extractor use a hand colander sitting on a 5 gallon bucket with paint strainer inserted held up about 3/4 of way in bucket with twine or small rope. Also, best to extract with warm comb or frames. The hand strainer can be dumped repeatably in the cappings tub. I keep the cappings tub or several in a warm bee proof garage or attic that gets warm to further drip.
I have always used a long serrated bread knife and a comb scratcher for low on the frame comb. Always use a sawing motion and once again do it with warm frames and honey.
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Re: Bottleneck straing honey
I extracted about 400 lbs yesterday with 3 of the filters you refer to. They did all I needed with no bottleneck. I use a heated knife with a capping scratcher as needed. IIRC I washed out each filter once each. This was using a 24 frame extractor.
Are your strainers 2 stage? Course and fine? Mine are of this design from Walter Kelley.
I extracted about 400 lbs yesterday with 3 of the filters you refer to. They did all I needed with no bottleneck. I use a heated knife with a capping scratcher as needed. IIRC I washed out each filter once each. This was using a 24 frame extractor.
Are your strainers 2 stage? Course and fine? Mine are of this design from Walter Kelley.
Re: Bottleneck straing honey
You can avoid straining completely with little investment. Place all your honey into a container and allow it to sit for a day. All bubbles, wax etc will rise to the top and you can bottle from the bottom of the container. A restaurant supply house will have plastic food grade storage containers (about 40 gal) for minimal cost. Install a honey gate near the bottom and after allowing it to sit for 12 hrs -you can bottle clear honey almost to the last gallon.
You can avoid straining completely with little investment. Place all your honey into a container and allow it to sit for a day. All bubbles, wax etc will rise to the top and you can bottle from the bottom of the container. A restaurant supply house will have plastic food grade storage containers (about 40 gal) for minimal cost. Install a honey gate near the bottom and after allowing it to sit for 12 hrs -you can bottle clear honey almost to the last gallon.
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Re: Bottleneck straing honey
That or run a courser filter with your finer one under it.
David
That or run a courser filter with your finer one under it.
David
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Re: Bottleneck straing honey
I've extracted 20+ years on & off, so I've got a bit of practice. With a 24 frame extractor the hot knife needs to be cutting non stop as you can load, extract, and unload the extractor in the time it takes to uncap 24 frames. That's 16 shallow supers,9 frames each, some of course fuller than others.
2 hours & 40 min from start to finish, extraction only. I had my 12 year old son, a 14 year old nephew, and a new as of this year beek. All 3 quite inexperienced but able to be quite helpful with the jobs they were given.
I've extracted 20+ years on & off, so I've got a bit of practice. With a 24 frame extractor the hot knife needs to be cutting non stop as you can load, extract, and unload the extractor in the time it takes to uncap 24 frames. That's 16 shallow supers,9 frames each, some of course fuller than others.
Re: Bottleneck straing honey
I threw away my strainers like that. Just use those 5 gallon paint strainer bags. You can get them at any paint store or home Depot. Once the bucket is full just pull the bag up out of the bucket the honey will run out of the bag pretty quick, move it over to another bucket and repeat the process. You can use the same bag 2-3times before you need to clean it out.
I threw away my strainers like that. Just use those 5 gallon paint strainer bags. You can get them at any paint store or home Depot. Once the bucket is full just pull the bag up out of the bucket the honey will run out of the bag pretty quick, move it over to another bucket and repeat the process. You can use the same bag 2-3times before you need to clean it out.
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Re: Bottleneck straing honey
Do you know how many microns (how fine) those paint strainer bags are? Are they nylon?
Do you know how many microns (how fine) those paint strainer bags are? Are they nylon?
Re: Bottleneck straing honey
Yes, I'm pretty sure the bags are nylon. They last quite a while and can be used over and over. I'm really not sure what micron they are, just eyeballing them next to the regular strainer baskets they are somewhere around 400microns.
Yes, I'm pretty sure the bags are nylon. They last quite a while and can be used over and over. I'm really not sure what micron they are, just eyeballing them next to the regular strainer baskets they are somewhere around 400microns.
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