# equipment clean up



## Iluvboers (Feb 26, 2009)

Ok these are probably really dumb questions.

But after extracting the honey, what type of clean up or repair should I do to the frames?

Also I could use some advise on easy methods to clean out the extractor.

So far the best method I have found for cleaning my bowls has been poring boiling water over the wax goo. 

Honey is really fun until its time to clean.:yuck:


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

Don't make it a job! It is fun. You need to remember that honey is a bacterialcide as well as an anti-bacterial.As foor as safety it's all done for you just by the process.As for all that sticky honey,don't forget that bees not only make honey they also eat and store honey. Take it outside and get it in the sun close to your hive and the bees will do the rest!Then it's just a matter of some hot water and a brush,let it dry and cover and store the equipment.
Same thing with the frames. Let the bees do it for you. When they are done clean up the wax/glue from the wood that will be in the way with your hive tool and store them away until needed in a hive.It's all pretty simple after you've done it once.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

What kind of extractor (size) do you use? 

Our 72 frame gets a good mopping (have a mop bucket and mop just for the extractor & capping tank.)with hot soapy water I dump in the bottom. once done I pressure rince, pumping the water out with the honey pump so that gets cleaned too.

Capping tank has the cappings removed placed in 5 gallon pails then it is also mopped clean with hot soapy water then rinced. I wipe down the capping knife with hot soapy water while it is still hot. I use a stainless pad.

Frames get a good look at when I remove them from the extractor any with heavy proplis build up get scraped in the proplis box. any needing repair go in a empty super I put all in need in to repair latter.

I then load the empty supers into a trailer and haul them as far away from the honey house and the hives I won't have bees all around the honey house or start any robbing around the hives. I cover the supers at night with a tarp that way the bees will clean up any remaining comb and dry them.

When that is all finished I stack the supers in the pole barn and put moth chrstals on paper plates for each 9 supers add a cover and stack 9 more up till I have 18 in the stack when all finished I cover the whole lot with a tarp.

I use the winter to set down and repair the frames I found needing having stacked those supers seprate. 


 Al


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

3 frame hand crank. Just a couple hives.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

What extractor does the OP have?

 Al


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

9 frame radial; I extract in the kitchen using 5 gallon food grade buckets to catch honey and wax. I strain thru the draw-string honey strainers sold by the suppliers. When done I let the extractor drain, hang the cappings in the drawstring bags over a bucket and let sit overnight. 

When the last honey is drained, the semi-dry wax, the buckets and the extractor are then taken out into the pasture for the bees to strip. When the bees are done the strainers are turned inside out and washed,dried and put away. The buckets and the extractor are taken to a car wash and pressure washed, then home to be rinsed, dried and put away for the next year. Wax is sqeezed into balls and tossed in a slow cooker a quarter full of water, on low, to melt into cakes. Light wax is kept separate from dark. 

When the Walter Kelley company would take wax in exchange for foundation I sent it all to them. Since then I've just been accumulating wax. Still have enough foundation to last a while.

Supers are stored with moth crystals in my barn.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Last I knew Dadants still took wax in exchange for foundation. You can sell it on E Bay for some pretty good money also. I've been getting over $5.00 a pound plus shipping after the fees are paid.

 Al


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Thanks, Al. 
Had not considered selling, and never dealt with Dadant, though I go thru Paris, Texas where they have an outlet (or did have--is it still there?)


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