Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
the machine. The boxes are then loaded sideways into a huge extractor, which turns at
high speed to extract some 80 or more frames at a time in their boxes.
All this machinery sounds complicated, but it isn't really. My advice is to go to a bee-
supply company or a beekeeper who has an extractor and have a look. Then you will see
just how simple it all is.
Fig. 21
. Inside a motorized tangential extractor
Obtaining an extractor
You can obtain extractors new from bee-supply
shops, or second hand from association auctions or
from advertisements in beekeeping magazines. They
come with a handle on top for winding the spinner
or with small motors. Many tin-plate extractors are
offered for sale in the magazines, the reason being
that they are no longer regarded as food-grade equipment. You would not, therefore, be
able to sell any honey extracted by these machines.
For your first harvest it is a good idea to ask if you can use someone else's extractor, or
you could hire one or borrow one belonging to your local beekeeping association. If you
decide to buy one, my advice is to buy one with a motor. This is so much easier and it
revolutionized my life when I first obtained one.
Some commercial beekeeping companies will extract your honey for you for a fee, but
you may not end up with the same honey you put in! Or the same frames!
In some countries there are plants dedicated to extracting honey on a co-operative basis.
In such circumstances you will receive back your own honey and your own frames. It is
much more fun to do it yourself, however, and so that is what we'll assume you will do.
