# 18/9 hand crank extractor worth it?



## twinbee (Jul 24, 2012)

Mann Lake has an 18/9 frame radial hand crank extractor for $699. Now, I know this is a big extractor to turn by hand, but it can be modified to add a motor if it is too cumbersome. My question is, has anyone out there tried a hand crank extractor either with 9 or 18 frames before and if so, is it feasible? Or, is it just too much extractor to turn?
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/beekeeping-supplies/page115.html


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

that's the extractor i use but i went ahead and got the motorized. i haven't tried to hand crank any extractor, but 18 medium frames of honey is a lot of weight to turn by hand. i typically let mine run at least an hour before the honey stops flowing out. i don't think you would regret getting the motor if the budget allows.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I would compare it to a car. Handcranking it will work fine until you get tired of handcranking. How far are you willing to walk and how far a trip gets you into your car?


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## Rex Piscator (Oct 12, 2010)

I hand cranked my first harvest in a 2 frame tangential extractor; after locating the beekeeper and paying for the service....and then promptly purchased a motorized 6/9 Maxant for the future!


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## cg3 (Jan 16, 2011)

I have a BM 9 frame hand crank radial. It works great. The weight of 9 frames might take a little extra oomph to get going but the extra momentum keeps it spinning on it's own for quite a while. A good power option is a teenager.


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## Jamesfarms (Oct 24, 2011)

I used the 18/9 twice so far with 18 frames. It worked perfectly. Once you get it going the momentum keeps it easy to turn. Do need to keep it from walking but that is the same with any extractor. I will upgrade to the motor when I get more supers to extract. I made the right decision, especially with free shipping.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

Go with the motor, if you can.... you won't regret it. 

An extractor can be viewed as an investment in your hobby. There is tremendous demand for used, motorized, extractors, if you find you don't stay in beekeeping, and you can easily sell it.

cchoganjr


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## Moccasin (May 18, 2010)

I have the hand crank 9/18 mann lake. I do 9 deeps at a time because I do not use anything else. It is easier to turn than an upside down ten speed bike pedal. I can not see why anyone would ever need heavier gage steel because I like to carry it outside to wash it out. I cannot see why anyone would EVER need a motor except so they can do something else for the three to five minutes it takes to spin out the honey. I had used a partners motorized Maxant in Texas. It was way to heavy to move and I broke too many frames going too fast. I use a lot of foundationless deeps and have to be careful. I love my extractor!!! EASY to turn.


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## Jon B (Apr 24, 2013)

A hand crank extractor may work fine for someone who only has a few hives. If you have a lot of supers to extract I would think a hand crank extractor will get old real fast. Then main advantage to a motorized extractor is it allows you to do a second task (uncap frames for the next load) while the batch of frames is spinning. For sideline and commercial beekeepers the honey harvest is the busiest time of the year and anything that can be done to speed up the process is a huge help.

I have spoken to several beekeepers that have mentioned they let their extractors run for about an hour per batch to get all the honey out. I have found that most of the honey (95%) has spun out of the comb with in the first 5 to 10 minutes of starting the extractor. I recommend a shorter spin time. Once I add on the time to load and unload the frames, I usually run 3 to 4 batches in the extractor each hour.


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## HEV261 (Jan 2, 2010)

By all means go with the motor . I made mistake of doing like you are thinking first time used filled with 18 frames and could not turn it so shut down and ordered motor kit finly got it by that time I had lost 6 suppers of honey moth hatched out full of worms discusting plus the added cost to ship mann didn't have free shipping then wind up costing more so my advice do all at once hey that's my 2 cents worth.


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## CastletonHoney (May 16, 2013)

Moccasin said:


> I have the hand crank 9/18 mann lake.... I can not see why anyone would ever need heavier gage steel because I like to carry it outside to wash it out.


How much does the 18/9 mann lake weight? Their website says it weighs in at 300lbs but your post says you carry it outside. I was considering this extractor but if it weighs in at 300lbs I think the wife will shoot me.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

> Their website says it weighs in at 300lbs but your post says you carry it outside. 

Mann Lake doesn't say the extractor weighs 300 lbs. They say the _shipping weight_ is 300 lbs, and that is for the motorized version. _Moccasin _said he has the hand crank version, which should weigh less than the motorized one.
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/beekeeping-supplies/product/HH-215.html

The extractor cannot be shipped "naked",  so shipping weight will include the box/crate/dunnage/pallet etc used to protect it during shipping. 

In some cases, "oversize" items have what is called "dimensional weight" to pay for shipping large boxes with items that have lots of air space and that aren't otherwise heavy. Dimensional rated items are charged at weights heavier than the actual physical weight. I don't know whether or not this concept is used in this instance.


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## LeonardS (Mar 13, 2012)

I have the 18/9 motorized Mann Lake and I can carry it outside without any problem for cleaning. I would guess that it weighs under 100 lbs.


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## HEV261 (Jan 2, 2010)

LeonardS said:


> I have the 18/9 motorized Mann Lake and I can carry it outside without any problem for cleaning. I would guess that it weighs under 100 lbs.


I break my down to carry outside for cleaning , real easy to do. Mann Lake will ship free my friend got his ship free:banana:


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Jon B said:


> I have spoken to several beekeepers that have mentioned they let their extractors run for about an hour per batch to get all the honey out.


An hour??????????


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Hand cranked about 200 lbs out of the 6/3 last year and it is do able but ties one person up. If you extract when real hot it is a different proposition altogether from cooler frames. It is no three minute task. This year I used the 18/9 Mann lake motorized. The basket is as heavy as the tank and legs and only takes a few minutes to lift out. Yes around 100 lbs I would guess. The shipping crate is huge. The weight of the basket and frames is not the load factor near so much as the wind resistance of the big fan created by the frames windage. I think that would get old quick hand cranking.


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