A honey extractor is a necessary device that every beekeeper should have. It quickly pumps out honey and does not damage the surface of the honeycomb. Let's consider the design and principle of operation of a radial honey extractor, the advantages of using the device in a home apiary. How to make an effective honey extractor with your own hands, what tools and materials you will need.
Design features
Honey extractors extract honey from honeycombs by applying centrifugal force to them. They allow you to timely and most importantly quickly pump out the product, maintaining the integrity of the frames.The honey turns out pure, without impurities, and the beekeeper makes his work much easier. The devices differ from each other in the location of the cassettes into which frames of hives are installed.
All honey extractors consist of an external tank, an internal drum - a rotor, frames with honeycombs are inserted into it, an engine or a manual drive. A device with a minimum volume can pump out honey from just 2-3 frames. Large honey extractors are designed for 50 or more frames.
Types of honey extractors
There are chordial and radial devices. For the first, the frames are installed under the inner walls of the tank, on the chords of the circle. They are intended for apiaries with a small number of hives, because no more than 6-8 frames fit in them.
In radial frames, they are installed along the radii of the tank circumference. These are improved designs with greater performance. Of these models, you need to choose wide ones, because the larger the diameter of the device, the more frames you can install, and the pumping is better, because the further the frames are from the center, the faster and better the honey is removed from them.
Devices are divided into:
- Non-revolving, in which honey is pumped out from only one side of the frames, after which they need to be turned and the process repeated.
- Reversible ones are manual, they can rotate in both directions, but you need to change the direction of movement and rotate the drum manually.
- Reversible, which rotate according to the same principle, but rotation is carried out using an electric motor.
The advantage of an automatic honey extractor is the ability to select and control the rotation speed, no need to expend physical effort.
Manual honey extractors are cheaper and can be used even where there is no electricity.But they also have significant disadvantages: low rotation speed and, accordingly, pumping, it is difficult to control a constant speed.
Advantages of using a radial honey extractor
How is it superior to chordial devices:
- Productivity exceeding chordial ones at least 2 times.
- Autonomous, no need to monitor its operation.
- By completely pumping out the honey, not a drop of product remains in them.
- Does not damage honeycombs, they can be reused.
- It is easy to maintain, the honeycombs are easily removed after pumping, and the structure is easy to clean.
- The cassettes are securely fixed, do not change location during the pumping process, and are not damaged.
In general, radial honey extractors are more convenient and more productive than chordial ones, and are more advanced.
Preparation of tools and materials
You can not only buy radial honey extractors, but also make them yourself. You will need a large stainless steel container that will not oxidize when it comes into contact with honey. You can take a tank from an old washing machine. You will need a welding machine, which is used to weld all the holes in the tank, welding patches. You will also need a drill to drill a 2.5 cm hole for the finished honey to come out at the bottom of the tank. It is attached to a rubber ring and a tap that can be opened when filling the container.
DIY making
Manufacturing sequence:
- Take a container with a diameter of 88 cm and a height of 70 cm.
- Remove the bottom and put in its place a piece to size cut from sheet steel. It should be slightly concave to allow honey to drain. Weld it to the container.You need to make a hole in the center.
- Install a steel tube in the center of the tank.
- Weld 2 crosspieces to it at the top and bottom. The distance between them should be equal to the height of the frames.
- Weld metal rims with a diameter of 77 cm onto the crosspieces. An additional internal rim of smaller diameter is installed below. Grooves with an internal size of 6.1 cm must be welded on them, which will be used to mount the frames.
- The entire structure is attached to a metal strip that runs from above along the diameter of the tank.
- Attach the electric motor pulley to the center of the tube.
For a small honey extractor, you can take an 80-90 W motor.
Before use, the internal parts of the home honey extractor must be washed and dried. Place the honey extractor on a flat surface; you can check the correct installation using a level. It is important that the device is stable during operation. Both the safety of the honey extractor and the integrity of its parts and frames depend on this.
Before starting, insert frames into the cross. The timber from them must first be cut off. They must be held securely in the grooves. Place a container under the drain hole.
After pumping, also rinse the inner walls of the tank and all metal parts, preventing liquid from getting into electrical devices. After drying, lubricate all moving parts with machine oil to prevent rust from appearing on them.
Those who keep an apiary cannot do without a honey extractor. And the more hives, the greater the need for it. The device can be purchased at the store, but most models, especially those with high performance, are expensive. That’s why you need to think about how to make a honey extractor with your own hands from scrap materials, spending a minimum amount of money on the product.
