# Help! Honey is too thick to extract from honeycomb!



## nysharps (Mar 16, 2012)

I have two supers of honeycomb from a hive that failed early last winter (leaving all of their winter supplies). I use the two buckets method for extracting honey (top bucket has holes in the bottom, crushed honeycomb goes into top bucket, honey flows into the lower bucket, wax stays in the top bucket. Well, I've processed one of the supers so far, and the honey is not flowing from the top bucket to the bottom bucket! It seems that they hone is too thick / too viscuous. Maybe it has started the crystallization process, since it's been about 8 months since the honey was first capped by the bees.

Anyway, what can I do in this situation?


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

set them in a car with the windows closed up quick dirty... park it in the sun.


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## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

Sounds like it may be crystallizing, put the buckets out in the sun on the pavement and slip a black plastic garbage bag over them completely, it'll get pretty hot inside there and help with the draining. If it turns out the honey is crystallizing you may have to heat it again to dissolve the crystals after you get it all drained into the bottom bucket. John


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## nysharps (Mar 16, 2012)

I had it up in the attic, but didn't think of putting it in the car. Going to give that a try since I don't have to drive anywhere today. It's 92* out here right now where we are


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## rtoney (Apr 20, 2011)

I sit 5 gallon buckets in the car or on the outside A/C unit. When the air is running it warms them up nicely.


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## Connie1 (Jun 19, 2013)

what size and how many holes do you put in your top bucket? Good luck!


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## nysharps (Mar 16, 2012)

IIRC, the holes are 1/4" spread pretty densely over a circle about 6" across. I would guess 50-60 holes at least? I normally use a piece of window screen over the holes, but after a few days and very little honey coming out of the top bucket, i took the window screen out. That caused a little more honey to flow, but there is still a lot in the top bucket, I would guess at least 50%.


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## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

The window screen is way too small for crush and strain, even if the honey is warm it will only flow for a little bit before the screen plugs up with minute particles of wax. Just go with the holes in the bucket for now as you are doing, then you can strain it through something smaller later. John


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