Honey Extractor?

Dobber30052 · Jun 20, 2002

Anyone got a plan for honey extractor? I can visualize one, but, although I'm pretty good with building stuff, I don't do it a lot, an would hate to make a ham-handed mistake, plus, it's just plain easier to have something to work from!

A "small" one is sufficient - we currently rent ($1 a day!) one from our assoc, it's 8 frame, for the time being and the forseeable future, this is plenty big enough.

Dob

bmac · Jun 20, 2002

Don't want to ask the obvious, but can't you use the rental unit for your design inspiration? Have never seen a honey extractor so I don't know how complex this thing is. Just a thought.

Kodiak · Jun 20, 2002

A very touchy subject. I've often thought about some device to extract or entice my honey from the tractor seat without incurring her wrath. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird · Jun 20, 2002

Thanks, Russ. I was wondering what a honey extractor was; now I understand./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

gator · Jun 20, 2002

Ditto Bird./w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

rmorgan · Jun 20, 2002

Dob--I don't know if this'll help with Russ's marital situation, but here's a plan for a , and <A target="_blank" HREF=http://dansgardenshop.com/gardenshop/builyourownh.html>other plans for making one from a 20-gallon trash can. But at a buck a day, doesn't your friend's bill to you add up to about five dollars a year?

Dobber30052 · Jun 20, 2002

Now I remember why I stop by this place, what a hoot!
bmac - pointing out he obvious is seldom a bad thing, unless you happen to be speaking to my dad. Actually, I have studied it, just looking for a better moustrap.
kodiak - interesting perspective, I perhaps have a different take, maybe a "honey attractant", there are times that I'd sure like to have her up there!
Morgan - thanks for the tip, as soon as I stop lol, I'll go check it out. Yep, the $1 a day is CHEAP, but it's a 1.5 hour drive, and the last time we went to get it, it rained for 3 days, then other timing got bad, so essentially we paid $15, and now it's time to do it again!

Thanks for everything,
Dob

Bird · Jun 21, 2002

That's very interesting. I've never seen (or even heard of) such a thing. Maybe that's because 50 years ago when I was having to help my dad harvest the honey, I made up my mind to not eat anymore honey if I had to take it away from the bees./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

DaveNH · Jun 23, 2002

Here's a link to one that I designed and built.
http://www.beesource.com/plans/extractor_20.htm

Dobber30052 · Jun 23, 2002

Thanks, Dave. Funny, I found the plans in my printer tray earlier today... I think my wife found it too!

Dob

DaveNH · Jun 23, 2002

Look them over and if you have any questions, email me.
By the way, the kit was a bust and is no longer available. They were just wheel barrow bearings anyways. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
I recall building the thing for less than fifty bucks and then a few years later selling it for seventy-five.
I ran the unit using a 1/12 HP motor and an adjustable speed drive from Zero-Max. (12 inch pounds Torque)
http://www.zero-max.com/products/drives/drivesmain.asp

Taz · Jun 24, 2002

But Dave, where do you hook onto the PTO? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

heehaw · Jun 25, 2002

with so many people getting out of the beekeeping hobby, i fgured they were pretty plentiful on the used market??
heehaw

Dobber30052 · Jul 3, 2002

Just so you know... I cheated. Bought a unit from dadant.com - their cheapy, $109. But it should work well for us, we only have 2 1/2 hives right now... Don't ask about the 1/2...

Thanks for the tips though!

Dob

heehaw · Jul 3, 2002

$109, wow, sounds cheap..i sold a 2 frame reversible to a friend a couple months ago for $160, and thought i had given him a real bargain!!
heehaw

Dobber30052 · Jul 3, 2002

It is cheap, in most every respect, let's just say that all of the instructions are in Chinese. Don't get me wrong, with relative care it should last just fine. I think it is perfect for us, and probably a whole lot of other folks too. If you are curious, the address is: http://www.dadant.com/catalog/
And, I stand corrected, it was $102.50!

fractal · Jul 11, 2002

At the risk of going totally off topic, how's the bee biz in your neck of the woods? I looked (very briefly) into the subject when I was considering expanding my avocado operation. I found out that the honey market was so bad that bee keepers were relying on renting their hives to growers (like me) during polinization season just to break even. Are you doing it as a hobby or do you make any money at it?

Anonymous Poster · Jul 11, 2002

In Western NY, it is totally either a hobby, or big business renting bees out for polinization, and hopeing to make a buck off the honey. One of the largest bee operations in NY is Doan in Hamlin, and I think he hauls his bees across 4 states. Nobody is going to make a profit selling honey here, too much competition from foreign honey.

Dobber30052 · Jul 12, 2002

Purely as hobby. We only have 3 hives. Just like to have the honey, and the pollination for our small garden. I am a real estate broker and bottles of honey make great client gifts, plus we are generous with friends and family.

If we were going to sell it, we would do it at local markets, feed stores etc. "Local" honey is good for allergy control. Yes like everything else, the mass producers are tough to compete with, but the niche's will always be there...

Dob

DaveNH · Jul 12, 2002

The good extractors hold their value.
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://search-completed.ebay.com/search/search.dll?ht=1&query=Honey+Extractor&SortProperty=MetaEndSort/>Honey Extractor sold on ebay</A>