# Honey press



## Learning2Bee (Jan 20, 2016)

I made a 2 frame radial extractor for under $50.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

I strain then rinse my cappings and broken comb pieces several times. Then I let the bees clean up the rinsed capping's. I use the rinse water for tea, mead and bee food. There is nothing left and it takes very little work.

If you have capped foundationless frames, I think it might be more valuable as cut comb. That's what they did with the nice pieces of Heather comb. They sell it for a premium.


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## Stephenpbird (May 22, 2011)

bentonkb said:


> I just cut out the comb from foundationless frames straight into the basket and pressed it directly. It might work a little better if I mashed the comb with a potato masher first.


Use a mesh bag, helps keep the wax separate, is easier to press the honey out and aids with clean up too. Mashing sounds a good idea but did not help as far as I was concerned. Its better to cut the comb into strips along the middle of the cells and then press. To get all the honey out takes a lot of pressure and time.

Having said all that I only did this for one year and would have been better off putting the money straight into an extractor.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

We bought two Rubbermaid totes. On taller than the other that nest. One lid.
Drilled holes in the shorter one. We crushed the honey with our hands over the strainer thing. 
You have to be really patient. 

We use the same thing for cappings. The best tasting honey is cappings and/or crush and strain.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

aunt betty said:


> We bought two Rubbermaid totes. One taller than the other that nest. One lid.
> Drilled holes in the shorter one.


Good idea, going to try it this year. 



aunt betty said:


> The best tasting honey is cappings and/or crush and strain.


Interesting? Why? More pollen?


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## texanbelchers (Aug 4, 2014)

FlowerPlanter said:


> Interesting? Why? More pollen?


I can tell more difference between batches than between crush/capping or extract. Maybe it is sweat equity.


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## jredburn (Feb 25, 2012)

Spend $7 for a micro mesh stainer that fits in a 5 gallon bucket. Crush the comb into the strainer and let it set overnight.


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

I've not made one myself as I have an extractor, but here is a neat looking press made with an scissors jack for changing the car spare tire when you get a flat. Looks very interesting and simple to make...

http://www.biobees.com/warre/press_jack_horizontal.jpg


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## BernhardHeuvel (Mar 13, 2013)

You can use a stainless steel cider press to press honey. That's what I do. 










The classic honey press in the heathlands is the Stade press as shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnu0UGxnJWA

Sketchup 3D-model: https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=b9c1597d0099e8fd33bf0eea2b154a39


Some marketing:

*Nutritional and mineral contents of honey extracted by centrifugation and pressed processes*

September 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.09.071

Samir Moura Kadri, Rodrigo Zaluski, Ricardo de Oliveira Orsi

Abstract
In this study, wild honey samples extracted by two different methods (centrifugation and pressed processing) were characterized and compared based on their physicochemical, and nutritional properties, macro- and micro-mineral contents, and pollen counts. Twelve colonies of Africanized Apis mellifera were used; six honey samples were obtained by centrifugation and six by honeycomb press. All physicochemical parameters of honey samples (moisture, pH, total acidity, ash, dry matter, and qualitative absence of hydroxymethylfurfural) were within the limits established by EU legislation, and all parameters in pressed honey were superior (p<0.05). Nutritional contents (total carbohydrates, total lipids, total proteins, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid) and minerals (K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Li, Zn) were also higher in pressed honey. The quantity of pollen in pressed honey samples was 5.6-fold higher than in centrifuged samples. Pressed honey, can be marked as a differentiated product with a higher mineral content and several nutritional properties.

https://www.researchgate.net/public...acted_by_centrifugation_and_pressed_processes


A guy in Germany builds and sells them to beekeeping enthusiasts. Made from oak wood as the original presses: 










Nothing better than handcrafted tools. :thumbsup:


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## SG12 (Feb 27, 2011)

Do you have a link or contact information for the guy in Germany?


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

BernhardHeuvel said:


>


Seriously 

The only way that honey press could get any cooler was if the screw was wood with vintage hand carved threads.

Since I have more patience than money, I'll have to settle for putting my comb a strainer bucket, putting a lid on it, and moving the dining room table over by the window in the sun and setting the bucket on it. 24 hours later I stir it up, wait another 24 and its pretty much all drained by then.


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## bentonkb (May 24, 2016)

Bernhard,

I'm I correct in thinking that pressed honey is common in Europe? Do consumers ask for it?


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## bentonkb (May 24, 2016)

http://agwired.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/IMG_3677.jpg?x21968

My press is similar to the link above.


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## BernhardHeuvel (Mar 13, 2013)

SG12 said:


> Do you have a link or contact information for the guy in Germany?


Will see what I can do. He makes them in small numbers. I'll send him an e-mail.



bentonkb said:


> I'm I correct in thinking that pressed honey is common in Europe? Do consumers ask for it?


Not really common nowadays. But has been in the past. Only few consumers ask for it. It's a speciality. I make it for myself. There are a lot of Turkish consumers living here that ask for cut comb honey, though. A lot. Could sell some tons of it. Problem is, they always try to haggle a bargain, which is time and nerve consuming. So nothing for me.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

The reason that pressed honey, comb honey, and cappings taste the best is that in the process of extracting the honey gets whirled thru the air and it loses some flavor. You get to smell it instead.

I run some top bars and Langstroths as well. We produce some comb honey and if it's wonky or not fully capped it gets crushed and strained for home use. Same with honey from the top bar hives.


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## DerTiefster (Oct 27, 2016)

Aunt Betty, that's a _very_ intriguing explanation. What follows is truly from in inquiring mind, not to challenge your opinions. The explanation would encourage one to believe that whipped honey is inferior in flavor to either pressed or rotary extracted honey. It might encourage one to believe that gravity-extracted honey is also better. Do you find either of these to be the case? Have you tried the (some would say, "Primitive," and I'd say, "Yes, but convenient and expedient.") method of placing a honey frame in a form-fitting basket with ropes attached and flinging it around and around for centrifugal extraction with little if any more exposure to air than the press?

I'm really curious. That quantitative bit about pollen content in Bernhard Heuvel's post #10 is also very intriguing. I can see how it might be relevant, but I don't understand how it would be related to air exposure.

Michael


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

I'm going to bump this thread up because it's relevant to another current top thread.


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