# Advice for Honey Extractor that works with Deep Frames



## Sentinel (Feb 2, 2015)

Alright so I see a lot of honey extractors and I am starting out with a one hive that has two deep supers with 10 frames each.

So what is an ideal extractor that is ideally cheap for beginners, supports deep frames?

(Lastly, does anyone know any good wax filter and bottler, I plan on putting honey in mason jars)


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Welcome to Beesource!


This isn't quite what you asked, but I'm going to offer it anyway. 

Consider using those two deep boxes as "brood boxes" - and assume that any honey stored in those boxes is for the bees' own consumption. Given that you are in Iowa, winters can be cold, and bees' winter honey consumption may be more than in a warmer climate. Yes, it is possible to winter Iowa bees in a single box, but that is not the most common arrangement.

Once you allocate those deeps for the bees, then you are free to choose "mediums" for honey supers (for extraction/harvest), and your options for affordable extractors greatly increase.

Keep in mind that honey is almost 50% heavier than an equivalent volume of water. A 'deep' full of honey is quite heavy, perhaps 90 lbs or so.


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## Sentinel (Feb 2, 2015)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> Welcome to Beesource!
> 
> 
> This isn't quite what you asked, but I'm going to offer it anyway.
> ...


Thanks for the answer! But I currently already have two deep brood boxes (10 frames), I am 18 I can handle the weight and if it really was bothering me I could do what someone suggested by switching out the frames with an empty one into the super.

Yes winter is quite cold so I was planning on giving it some type of insulation and a cover so snow doesn't pile on top of it. 

But anyways, the reason I was looking forward to the honey extractor for the deep is basicly more honey and because they are all deep that makes them interchangeable.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

My point is that you will need those deeps for brood boxes, and you will need to buy or make supers, regardless of whether those supers are deeps or mediums.

Since I have now read your other thread, I have a better understanding of your situation. But I wouldn't be in such a rush to buy an extractor. You may not get any harvestable honey the first year anyway.

Take the money that you were planning to use for an extractor and get a second hive instead. A second hive gives you a better opportunity to learn what is happening with your bees by comparing the two, and resources (eggs/larvae/bees/comb) can be borrowed from one hive to resolve issues with the other hive. If you only have one hive, borrowing is pretty difficult.

Try to find a bee club in your area to join. You may even find that a local club has an extractor that you can use for free or low cost rental. 

If you have access to free or reasonably priced wood, and access to some tools, you may be able to build hive bodies to to save some money. Full dimensions can be found in the _Build It Yourself_ area. You don't _have _to make fancy finger/box joints on home-built boxes - rabbet joints work well, and even simple butt joints will certainly get you started.


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

You will indeed need more deep brood chambers for future expansion.

And of course you need supers.

You can use deeps for supers, and they will be very heavy...about 100# each if full of honey.

All one size of frame can simplify management a great deal.
Draper's a commercial outfit in Pennsylvania used all deeps for years for this reason... And b/c they were primarily in business to produce bees and not honey.

Here's one thing to think about...you won't be 18 forever, and the day may come when you want lighter supers, and replacing a lot of deeps.may be expensive if you have many hives by then.

But other than weight, there's not really a downside to all deeps


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## KPeacock (Jan 29, 2013)

I also run 10-frame deeps for everything. I had some mediums supers early on, but i never put them on a hive. Instead I gave them to a female beek that was looking for a lighter set-up. Anyways, for extractors. I have a 2-frame tangential that is quite old and has had thousands of gallons of honey run through it over the decades. I thought it would be ideal for my small scale operation, and it works with any size frame...well perhaps not jumbo deeps. I rapidly went from 2 hives to 10 hives and should be at 20 or so by the end of this season if my not-so-friendly black bears leave me alone. I opted to build a radial extractor that will handle 8 frames at a time to speed up honey gathering. With that said, I have 2 full seasons of beekeeping behind me and I have yet to use either extractor. So, my advice is to wait on purchasing an extractor until you find that you need one. Your initial plan may change significantly and the equipment purchased early on might not be the best for you any longer. I certainly wish i would have been more patient before buying and building every dang thing imaginable.


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## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

the 2 frame plastic extractor works well. I got mine from blue-sky but mann-lake, betterbee and others offer the same thing. for a bottleing tank I got a 5 gallon food grade pail from lowes. I got a turn type plastic shut-off from mann-lake, you have to figure out how to adapt the shut-off to the bucket but it does work real nice. I built a stand for the extractor out of angle iron. for an uncapping tank I started with 2 restraunt "bus" tubs from sam's club, make a couple of wood supers to hold the tubs, cut holes in the top one and cover the holes with a plastic queen excluder, look at the mann-lakes uncapping tub to get the idea. this set up is good for about 5 hives or less, the uncapping tub is fine for more than 5. mann-lake and others offer filters to go over the top of the 5 gallon bucket... as suggested above is there someone nearby to co-operate with? so you could get another hive... I am well over 5 hives now and pricing 4/8 electrics. I am sure I can find a home for my plastic machine.


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

I would advise you to keep searching Craigslist or any other buy sell location you can get to. Every extractor wears out several beekeepers and find a good quality used extractor of at least 20 deep frame capacity. I got a 32 Dadant with an automatic speed advance for less than I would have paid for a new smaller exrtractor that would have been adequate for the number of hives I had then. But I got quality and efficiency and I won't need to step up. I like taking less time and work to extract my crop.


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## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

vance's suggestion is good, but in some areas, like mine there is little to nothing used for bees on craigslist let alone anything at a price less than new. I only called about one bee equip. lot in the last 3 years, the seller wanted more than 1 1/2 times new. I did not travel the 4 miles to look.


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## georgiabees (Feb 2, 2010)

Vance G said:


> I would advise you to keep searching Craigslist or any other buy sell location you can get to. Every extractor wears out several beekeepers and find a good quality used extractor of at least 20 deep frame capacity. I got a 32 Dadant with an automatic speed advance for less than I would have paid for a new smaller exrtractor that would have been adequate for the number of hives I had then. But I got quality and efficiency and I won't need to step up. I like taking less time and work to extract my crop.


As Vance says hold out and wait for a 20 or at least a 9 frame "radial" when thinking deep frames.
ANOTHER important consideration is foundation ALWAYS plastic for deep extracting never wired wax.
Never attempt extracting first year wired comb in tangential extractor even radials will blow them out.
With plastic foundation at least you have a chance with slower speeds on newly built comb, after a few years they toughen up.

John Pluta http://GeorgiaBees.blogspot.com


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I have a 9/18 radial, which means it takes 9 deeps or 18 mediums. You want something on those lines...


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## mitch30 (Feb 8, 2014)

Vance G said:


> I would advise you to keep searching Craigslist or any other buy sell location you can get to. Every extractor wears out several beekeepers and find a good quality used extractor of at least 20 deep frame capacity. I got a 32 Dadant with an automatic speed advance for less than I would have paid for a new smaller exrtractor that would have been adequate for the number of hives I had then. But I got quality and efficiency and I won't need to step up. I like taking less time and work to extract my crop.


I very much have to agree with Vance on this one. I have been keeping bees for now going on 6 years. I started with 3 hives and now on my way to 50 there are clubs that have extractor that you can use or in my case one of the senior beekeepers that has helped me learn has allowed me to extract at his place. I am very glade I was able to due to the fact when I start it was only going to be a few hive and would of bought one of the smaller ones and then had to buy a bigger one later. I just recently bought my first extractor a older Maxant 20/36 which I got for a bargain. My thought from talking to beekeeper with 20 or so hive the smallest I would go is a 6/12 and more likely 9/20.
Mitch


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