# Radial vs. Tangential Extractor



## Pooh

I've used a tangential extractor for a while but have always read that a radial would result in less foundation damage and no need to flip frames. A local beek said that he finds he can't get as much honey out using a radial and uses a tang. with his 200 hives. He found a radial to tear up his equip even more.

What do others like? Do you find radials to be less efficient at removing honey?

Thanks


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## Grant

I used to use a two-frame hand-crank tangential and a four-frame hand-crank tangential. Both were cheap when I was starting out, but slow. So I'd use one until the bottom got full of honey, and while it drained, I switched to the other one. Back and forth, side by side, spin/flip, etc. 

They worked just fine.

Then I graduated to a radial, 20-frame motorized unit. I think it takes just as long to spin out 20 frames in one radial load as it does to spin out 20 frames in 10 loads on the tangential. The radial needs to start slow and I gradually turn the speed up. The tangential, even with the flipping, seems to unload the comb faster because of the angle of the frame to the force. But then you need to flip them over. Two or three good spins and the honey is out.

But as for spinning out "more" honey? I don't think so. I usually let my motorized unit spin until I've got another 20 frames uncapped and hanging in my uncapping rack. When I unload, those frames are nice and slick with no appreciable honey left in the comb.

I've also found my best spinning/extracting is when I bring in a dozen supers in the afternoon and stack and cover them in my honey house. Then, after dinner while the warmth of the hive is still in those supers, I uncap and extract.

If you want to wait a couple of days until they're cold, you'll leave more honey in the comb. 

My advantage comes when I can leave the motorized radial to spin while I uncap some more frames.

And I'm still trying to trick my teenagers into thinking this is the best family activity ever intented.

Yeah, sure, dad.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## dcross

I upgraded my tang to a radial, it took me a fraction of the time to spin out the same amount of honey. It balances much better now too.


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## jjgbee

Cowan parallel is the best. He built a few 18 frame macines. For a small operation, they were great. Faster and more compact than anything out there.


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## Jim Fischer

Your "local beek" is provably wrong on each claim he makes, and
and vendor who sells both types will be happy to explain why 
radials are worth the small "extra" cost.

But worth it to who? Likely the trade-off starts to hit at about 100 
or so hives. Below that, any extractor is a good one - price is the 
only valid concern.


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## jjgbee

*Desert honey is only 13.5% moisture*

Until you have experienced honey that will not fall out of a 1# queen line when inverted, don't recomend equip. to extract desert honey. To say any machine will work up to 100 hives?? The year I bought my Cowan, I knew it was going to be a big honey year. I produced 18,000# of honey in 12 weeks. The 18 frame machine can extract 90 boxes per day. (2600#). One man operation! BUT a hot room is essential.


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## Pooh

Is the Cowan a tangential or radial? Where can one find one of these? I was wondering if the fact that we are so dry here is why he liked tangentials.


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## jjgbee

Go to Cowan on the net. Cowan is a parallel radial. The frames spin in an axis over the length of the top bar. The main advantage is parallel loading. With the 18 fr machine, the entire load sequence takes 60 seconds. The old beeks out here used tangential extractors. Lots of 8 fr machines used.


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## Oldtimer

Thanks jjbee, I checked out the Cowan extractors. I've never seen them before, don't think they exist in my country. A great extractor.


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## jim lyon

Wow, OT brought an old thread back to life, did a double take when I saw Jim Fischer's name. But what the heck, extracting is extracting whenever you do it. I agree that the parallel extracting design employed by Cowen, C&B and no doubt a few others are really the best concept by far. It allows the frames to draw support from being side by side which allows for rapid speed advancement and shorter run times.


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