# Does anyone have a Dadant Junior Bench extractor?



## Peter Proboscis (Nov 27, 2014)

Happy Thanksgiving! There is a Dadant Junior Bench extractor for sale locally for $200 dollars. Of course this is a two frame extractor, but seems to be very good quality (I think). I have 8 hives and last year had 180 medium frames to extract. I am able to borrow a 4 frame extractor from our local extension office, and the process of extracting is still slow. Now the office charges rent for the extractor so I want to explore other options. When I look at the picture of the Junior's basket, which is 9 1/4 square, why don't four frames fit in there?? Does a second set not fit under the cross support? Is there a way to modify the basket so four mediums would fit in there? Any insight or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for considering this question.


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## laketrout (Mar 5, 2013)

Peter not only is the junior bench a two frame extractor its also a tangential, meaning the frames have to be turned and each side is extracted separately . If your looking for more speed you want a radial extractor where the frames are placed like spokes on a wheel and the frames don't have to be turned .


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

Go bigger with a motor. you will be happer


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## Hogback Honey (Oct 29, 2013)

I agree with Peter, go bigger with that many frames, AND with a motor. I only had 7 frames to extract, I have a Dadant Jr, what a pain. spinning that thing is a lot of work, I could not see doing it for 100 or more frames


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## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

Your time is also worth something. 

I agree with the others.........

Radial (Less labor due to not having to flip. Get one larger than a 4 frame.)
Motor (savings in time and effort)

While frames are spinning, you can be uncapping the next batch thus saving some time and your arm due to using a motorized one.

You said you had 180 medium frames so you have more than 650 lbs. of honey. Some of that profit could go towards a nice extractor.


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

Yup, ten frame minimum. You are right to look for a used one. Every extractor wears out several beekeepers. Free wanted adds in craigs list and you will have a long winter and summer to look for one. I could extract your frames in six loads and I paid less than the cost of some motorized ten frames. Worthlooking.


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## kingd (Oct 31, 2013)

I picked one up for cheap,used it this year for the first time. It worked well but am already wanting a motorized one.

I am not sure about putting four frames in,never tried. If I did the amount you did though, I would be looking for something bigger.


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## Peter Proboscis (Nov 27, 2014)

I agree with you all on the need for a larger, radial, motorized extractor. Last year was a bumper crop and I ended up gifting more honey than selling for needed bee expenses. We did wade though all those frames over the course of 4 days with the borrowed extractor. This year my yield was far less mostly because I opted to leave a full medium super on each hive to (hopefully) have better winter survival rates. My thing is this; I don't have the finances at this point to invest in a 9/18 motorized extractor...I should next year. Here's where my idea goes out on a limb. I am appealing to the mechanically inclined here...for $200 dollars for that Jr. Bench extractor, could I pull the basket, cut it down and fabricate ss clips to hold maybe 4 or 6 medium frames radially??? I have a close up image of the interior on my deck top, am I allowed to upload to show you all? The limiting factor might be the opening on the top of the machine...what else? Is this crazy? Has anyone tried this?


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Peter,
Why don't you call Dadant and ask them about what you are proposing?

Larry


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

I would save your money and spring for the Dadant 6 frame extractor. Or if you plan on growing your apiary any more go ahead and get the 12frame Dadant. Either way get one with a motor. If you had 180 frames last year you could have quite a bit more this upcoming year and that would be painfully slow with a two frame extractor.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

> could I pull the basket, cut it down and fabricate ss clips to hold maybe 4 or 6 medium frames radially??


The _Junior Bench_ extractor has a tank that is 14" _exterior _diameter. Since medium frames are 6 1/4" at least (in the free Beesource Dadant style plans medium frames are 6 5/16"), you will have a difficult time fitting the frames, plus axle for the reel and a mechanism for holding the spinning frames in place inside the tank in a _radial _format given that the tank is obviously somewhat smaller than 14" on the inside.

I'd suggest that you 'dry fit' the frames inside something that is similar before you make any serious changes to the extractor. Even if you come up with a design that eliminated the axle and allows _two _opposing frames to touch their bottom bars, that won't help if you want to fit 4 or 6 frames in the design.


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