Honey Extractors For Your Beehive

Honey extractors are mechanical devices used for honey extraction during honey harvest. The main advantage of a honey extractor is the extraction of honey without destroying the honey comb. Honey extractors work by the principle of centrifugal force. A frame with honey spins in the extractor drum so that the honey flings out. After honey extraction the honey comb remains intact in the extraction chamber and hence this can be further used in the beehive.

Before using the honey frames inside the extraction chamber for extraction, these frames have to be uncapped for its storage of honey. There are a number of tools supplied by the beekeeping supplies for this purpose. Uncapping knifes, uncapping forks or electrically driven uncapping equipments are a few among them. While extraction expels out of the uncapped cells due to centrifugal force, flows down through the wall and finally pools at the bottom of the extraction chamber, which can be tapped out for further processing. Honey pumps are also used for the removal of honey from the extraction chamber.



Types of extractors include tangential and radial ones depending on how the frame is put in the extractor basket. The top of the frame face outwards in radial honey extractor whereas in tangential ones one side of the frame face outwards. Radial types are used in commercial honey extractors. The amount of work applied to radial ones are less when compared with tangential ones as they do not need to turn over of the honey comb to extract honey from the other side. Extractors are of different sizes. For commercial uses extractors can hold over hundred frames at a time where as small honey extractor normally holds two frames.



You can also make your own honey extractors with some great ideas available across the internet. Of all the methods the conversion of an antique washing machine to a honey extractor is a pretty interesting one. If a extractor is not affordable, you can choose any of these simple extractor construction ideas. Many of these are economical and also you can make use of the several antique pieces available at home.



Some alternatives used other than extraction in some counties is just cutting the honey comb and using it as cut comb honey. Whereas in some countries they take out honey comb from the frame and squeeze it out for honey extraction.

A variety of extractors with different sizes and dimensions are available with bee supplies. The commercially used medium ones normally use 30 or 60 frames at a time in a small farm. Normally honey extractors are of reasonable cost. It becomes more expensive when the shipping charge is added to it. For small scale producers most of them consider it as not worth to invest such a huge amount for extractors. Hence if you have some technical and carpentry skills make use of it for constructing your own extractors.



Conclusively, just like bees keep their hives protected from ants and other foreigners. It is preferable to clean or keep your honey extractor in a safe place for you can increase its life for several years ahead.



If you found this article interesting and informative, and you would like to learn more about the joys of Beekeeping, please visit my Blog at http://www.goodbeekeeping.com



Regards, Mick.



http://www.goodbeekeeping.com



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