# Honey time at Garden View Apiaries, OH RATS.



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

There are a lot of things we use and will use in the honey house that were used by dairy farmers at one time. This tank/tub was used at a dairy farm to wash milking equipment in. We use it to catch the caps we cut off the honey, which drain into a pail sitting under the drain. Not real fancy but is does work very well for us. Nornally I have a big milk strainer sitting on the pail but it is still draining some crushed honey from our last removal job.
We also have the big 275 gallon bulk milk tank that will store and even blend our spring and fall honey in the future. 










A frame of capped honey. The uncapping of a frame of honey with the heated knife.





































The big radial loaded with frames to be spun out. 
:flame: The motor was running just fine, :shrug: then it stopped. The motor being very old just gave out. We ended up spinning all the honey out with our two frame hand crank job. Took most of the day but we did finish before dark.










The two frame hand crank extractor isn't a radial. Two frames sit in a basket and one side of each frame is spun out then the frame is turned so the oppsite side is faceing the tank wall.
It works very well and isn't as hard to do as one would think. 










540 pounds of honey were extracted, plus another 40 pounds ruffly have and are still draining from the caps.
We still have 11 supers to pull once the rain stops.

 Al


----------



## makeitdolou (Dec 6, 2005)

Terrific pictures, Al! Thanks for sharing them. I ended up with a total of 125 pounds - this from package bees started in new hives in May!

The uncapping knife makes it look so easy!


----------



## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

what size motor drives that unit?


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Yes the uncapping knife makes the uncapping go so much easier. I highly recommend the investment in one and buy the one with the therostate so the heat can be set just right. I have one with out and you have to really bee quick with it or you end up with scorched honey. I am going to make a power control out of a dimmer light switch for it this winter.

:grump: The motor is a 1/4 horse power one. Doing some shopping for a new one tomorrow I guess. If it isn't always something that gums up the works when you least need it. So glad we had the two frame unit. and I hope to have the four frame one fixed for a back up next year.

 Al

 Al


----------

