# Honey extraction without help



## buggle_juice (Apr 28, 2020)

I was curious, is it possible to extract honey while leaving the comb intact in a langstroth hive structure without a centrifugal extractor or in a top bar/warre setup without harvesting comb? I tried the search function but couldnt find a thread on the subject though I admit its possible i missed one but im innately curious about it. I understand it wont be as efficient and likely will be impractical but I am just looking to satisfy my curiosity. Also, I dont mean in a flowhive setting either because I dont want this to spiral into a flowhive debate. Any input would be greatly appreciated.


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

buggle_juice said:


> I was curious, is it possible to extract honey while leaving the comb intact in a langstroth hive structure without a centrifugal extractor or in a top bar/warre setup without harvesting comb? I tried the search function but couldnt find a thread on the subject though I admit its possible i missed one but im innately curious about it. I understand it wont be as efficient and likely will be impractical but I am just looking to satisfy my curiosity. Also, I dont mean in a flowhive setting either because I dont want this to spiral into a flowhive debate. Any input would be greatly appreciated.


I think there was a post here where someone cut the cappings off honey frames and set them upside down in a plastic tote. Takes a couple of days to drain and I think it was mentioned you needed to have a very warm spot.

There is video on youtube where wax foundation (or plastic) frames can have most of the cells and honey raked out without destroying the foundation; kind of a modified crush and strain.

I am skeptical but I saw it on the internet so it must be true!


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## retsofmit (Sep 3, 2020)

I would be curious if anyone has a way to this also. This is my first year beekeeping and do not plan on having many hives, so do not know if I will need even a hand crank extractor. Trying to figure out how to get honey out while not destroying my precious drawn comb! 

If anyone has thoughts, please post.


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## Robert Holcombe (Oct 10, 2019)

retsofmit "not destroying my precious drawn comb" - Lucky me, I now have a bee keeping room and resources like an old freezer. I purchased a dehumidifier primarily because of my high RH environment near the sea. Both the freezer and dehumidifier can heat the room to to a cozy 95F and higher. 

I noticed that one morning after decapping 20 frames with a bread knife the night before and palcing hte frames in an extractor that a large amount of honey had collected in the bottom of the extractor. If you use a scraper to beak open cells without removing much bees wax and set them down as Frank said in a warm camber you will get honey. Yo could use a hot air gun to open cells with no lost wax and drain.

BTW, I collect the beeswax from de-capping. It is re-useable has many useful applications.


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## Jack Grimshaw (Feb 10, 2001)

Check out local clubs.Many have extractor loans or rentals.


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## KellyW (May 16, 2020)

buggle_juice said:


> I was curious, is it possible to extract honey while leaving the comb intact in a langstroth hive structure without a centrifugal extractor or in a top bar/warre setup without harvesting comb? I tried the search function but couldnt find a thread on the subject though I admit its possible i missed one but im innately curious about it. I understand it wont be as efficient and likely will be impractical but I am just looking to satisfy my curiosity. Also, I dont mean in a flowhive setting either because I dont want this to spiral into a flowhive debate. Any input would be greatly appreciated.


I have one hive and harvested 4 frames of honey this year. On the first frame I removed the caps with a bread knife and was going to let it just drain. Didn't work. I live in an area of very low humidity and I think the honey had a lower than normal moisture content. After a day of draining I had perhaps 1/2 cup. Same as you, I didn't want to destroy my valuable comb since I had started the colony with foundation only. I finally decided that if I was going to harvest honey I would have to scrape and strain. So I scraped lightly with a rubber spatula trying not to go all the way to the foundation. I recovered a lot of honey but left a bunch on the frame too. I put the wet combs back in the hive for the bees to clean up and a few days later the honey was removed and most of the wax redrawn. It wasn't nearly as destructive as I had anticipated. That was in late July.

I'm still struggling with the cost/benefit of an extractor for 2 hives for next season. May stick to the scrape/strain.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

KellyW said:


> ....... May stick to the scrape/strain.


Scrape/set into the warm car/strain.
Heck, you are in CA, let the sun help you out.


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