# Looking for frugal ways of honey extraction



## Timber (Jun 15, 2003)

Well, didn't think I get at least this far. With my luck, by this time all the hives would have swarm and beee queenless. The goal for this year to have five halfway decent looking hives going into winter. Now I'm sitting on full honey supers.

Since no money allotted for extraction equipment this year I'm looking for frugal ways of extracting the honey. 
Maybe looking at all those supply houses catalogs I've lost the touch of reality of yesteryear. 

Timber


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## justgojumpit (May 5, 2003)

one thing you could do would be to build a honey press. to do this, cut two boards to come to a point at the bottom, and hinge them together at the top. near the bottom, drill a hole through both boards, through which you insert a bolt, with washers between the outer sides of the board and the head of the bolt and the nut. you then insert the honeycomb, which you cut out of the frames, and then tighten the bolt to press the honey out of the comb. have this honey press hanging from a swingset or something, and the honey should run neatly down the point at the bottom of the boards into a bucket on the ground below. now salvage the wax for candles, filter and jar the honey, and sell your candles to provide you with the money to buy more foundation, and hopefully have something left over. Beats buying and extractor for a few hives, though if you ask me!

justgojumpit


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## Oregonsparkie (Sep 3, 2003)

Another method although less desirable would be to scape the comb into a pan and heat it on your lowest setting until the wax melts. This will darken the honey a small amount but is a easy way to extract. Just be warned....DO NOT USE YOU WIFE/GIRLFRIEND good pot/pans.....


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I scraped the comb off into a kitchen strainer. The wax pretty much stayed up, and there were only a few bits of wax to be skimmed off of the honey. I then took the bowl underneath the strainer, skimmed off the 2-3 bits of wax, and poured it directly into a honey bear.

However, you have more honey than I did. You might prefer to save those combs.


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## brosil (Dec 15, 2003)

Are you in a bee club? Some clubs will have a hand cranked extractor for club use. Any other beekeepers? Maybe you could rent the use of their equipment.
The honey press is great with comb honey but the wax in frames is too valuable.


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## Timber (Jun 15, 2003)

Thanks for the inputs..still weighing the options. 
I was sticker shocked on the prices of, even the economy extractor models. Would it be possible, or more likely feasible to use a capping scratcher and uncapping tank. Scrape the caps off set it into the tank. Let the honey ooze off. For the tank one of those plastic storage bins like what Rubbermaid makes.

I've read not to scrape off all the wax off the foundations. It will take less time for the bees to make honey if there's raised foundations intact. 
Has anyone tried this? It must take quite awhile for all the honey to drip off the supers. 

Broial I do belong to a county bee club. Next meeting will explore more opportunities. 
Oreg thanks for all your posting on the field tryout of kitchen extraction. With all the sticky mess, I know the wife will be mad as a hornet. 

Timber


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