# Plans for a wax spinner



## Lew Best (Jan 8, 2005)

I've wondered about using a commercial front load stainless steel washing machine? I was in the laundromat business & have some old ones around.

Lew


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I've contemplated a washing machine before, but having repaired many of them, I can't figure out how you'd get it clean enough to start with and agin when you're done. Do you have a plan? I've found so many little nooks and crannies of old lint stuck here and there in them...


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## Lew Best (Jan 8, 2005)

hey Michael

That was my concern also; might try one next spring & see how it works out steam cleaning it. Picked up a steam cleaner at an auction coupla years ago; just got around to ordering parts to make it work last week.

Lew


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## MountainCamp (Apr 12, 2002)

I have two baskets that are placed into my Woodsman extractor. The baskets are made from #4 wire cloth and a metal frame. The screen cover is held in place by screws. Very simple and worked well.


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## stangardener (Mar 8, 2005)

what is a wax spinner used for?


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## Honeyboy (Feb 23, 2004)

Is # 4 wire a 1/4 inch hole? I'm from canada and we use a metric (mm) sizing for that measurment!


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## MountainCamp (Apr 12, 2002)

Removing honey from wax cappings

Yes, #4 is 1/4". The actual wire size can vary as long as it is large enough that the honey will flow and small enough to keep the capping trapped.


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## [email protected] (Aug 1, 2004)

IMHO, one has to get way beyond 500 medium supers (my size) to justify adding a spinner. Until then, just put your cappings into a Kelley Wax Melter. This will sort out the honey without heating it much beyond 125 degrees (I've tried to measure the temperature numerous times and have never got a temp. higher than 120) and give you a nice clean cake of wax.

Of course, if you have the money and room, there is nothing like the Maxant spinner. Will leave you almost dry cappings and operate as fast as two 40-frame extractors can run! About $5,000.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

I saw the Maxant in operation this fall at a 6000 colony operation. What a fantastic machine. The cappings were unbelievably dry!


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## Walt McBride (Apr 4, 2004)

MountainCamp, how important is it to distribute the load of wet cappings in each basket? How long do you usually spin the cappings? Is that Woodman a tangential? I would like to fabricate baskets for my 20fr. radial but don't know if it would be practicable. I bought a new kelley SS.
wax melter from a friend going out of business several years ago.
I have used it twice, its OK but would like to recover the honey from the cappings for table grade use.
Walt


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## MountainCamp (Apr 12, 2002)

As long as the two baskets are equally wieghted it spins fine. Yes, it is a 4 frame tandential.
I would think that you could built a few pairs of baskets to fit your 20 frame.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

http://www.beeequipment.com/products.asp?pcode=587


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## Honeyboy (Feb 23, 2004)

Does anybody know the proper RPM that the capping spinner should be turning at?


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## Honeyboy (Feb 23, 2004)

Well i'm running about 400 standard size supers and going to be expanding to another 150 to 200 next year.On a regular year( Not so much rain) we can be extrating these for 2 to 3 flows! 150 to 250 pounds of honey/hive is not uncommon here. I find the capping spinnners very expensive and besides you need a winter project out here or you will go crasy!!


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

>>one has to get way beyond 500 medium supers (my size) to justify adding a spinner.

Not my opinion at all. A beekeeper of even the 20-50 hive size needs a spinnner. It is a quick and easy way to recapture otherwise lost honey, and a spinner will pay for itself in no time flat. Draining leaves too much honey and takes too much time. Melters devalue high quality honey. 
Well, depends on how elaberate of a system you buy, but they are not all expensive. I have an old Kelly spinner. Must be 40 years old. Galvanized 3-4 foot drum with a large spinning basket inside. Works like a charm, and cost me only $200 Canadian. Look and you shal find. Some of these beekeeping families have sheds full of old extractors and sutch.


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