# My bees don't seem to want to completely cap any frames of honey



## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

Ken
I read one time that somebody spun the frames before extracting and seperated the capped and uncapped stuff. I am sure you would have to spin slow enough that it did not destroy your full frames and I have never tried it. I crushed and strained a comb that was not fully capped and it was thinner then the stuff I extracted but not runny. My daughter ate it over the last month with no issues of fermenting and loved every minute of it and so as long as you don't store forever and have a use for a couple of quarts. It did work fine for me once. It was capped about like you are talking. Of course you know that I am as new as you and so take my experiance for what it is.
Good luck
gww


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## Kenww (Apr 14, 2013)

Thanks! That sounds like a good idea. I'd still like to be able to test it though.


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Kenww said:


> I've had three mostly capped frames in my honey super for about six weeks. One finally got to around 85 percent, the others around 70. Wouldn't they have to be dry by now? It seems like they would have already fermented by now if they weren't dry.
> 
> I put them in the freezer today.
> 
> ...


Look on Mann Lakes site you will see something that is quite adequate. I got one from them several years ago for 50 some dollars. Probably identical ones available on EBay for much less!

Make sure you get one that spans the brix range suitable for honey and maple syrup, so in the range of roughly 55 to 85% sugar. Very similar looking ones are for brewing and cover a different range of much more dilute sugar solutions, so not suitable for testing honey.

Yes you could test the honey on a single frame without extracting or even test a single cell. Honey that is not capped can be adequately low in water content if there has not been any appreciable recent flow.

for only a few boxes of partially capped frames I have used the method described by gww. it is a bit time consuming but a double extraction (before and again after uncapping) would keep you from spinning of too watery honey. You do not have to spin at really high speed to spin off whatever is high moisture.


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

I had several partially capped frames when I extracted last week. I did the "shake test" and did not have a single drop come out. I extracted it all. Very thick. Next year I will have a refractometer so I don't have to guess.


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