# Custom Extracting



## Honeyboy (Feb 23, 2004)

I have been asked to extract other beekeepers honey and was wondering what the going rate was, I have a bigger set up using a 60 frame Cowen set up. 
Any ideas on prices that others are charging?


----------



## sharpdog (Jun 6, 2012)

I would be interested to hear what you guys settle on for a rate. A fellow beek and I are at the stage that one of needs to purchase an extractor, and we will need a custom extracting deal. Please share details if this does go through.

Luke Willms


----------



## rainesridgefarm (Sep 4, 2001)

I do some extracting for other beekeepers. I take all the wax and 10% of the honey. They need to bring the supers to me and it needs to be at least 20 to make it worth the time.


----------



## BMAC (Jun 23, 2009)

The few times I did custom extractnig I charged 25 cents per lbs. However that was 4-5 years ago. I have not done any since.


----------



## dback (Jan 8, 2012)

I would charge by the super.....$2.50 or $3.00 each (or what ever)......that way you are sure the boxes are full, otherwise you may extract 45 supers to get a drum. + wax of course.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Honeyboy said:


> I have been asked to extract other beekeepers honey and was wondering what the going rate was, I have a bigger set up using a 60 frame Cowen set up.
> Any ideas on prices that others are charging?


Twentyfive cents per lb and you keep the wax.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

dback said:


> I would charge by the super.....$2.50 or $3.00 each (or what ever)......that way you are sure the boxes are full, otherwise you may extract 45 supers to get a drum. + wax of course.


There's very little use for someone paying for extracting/handle empty supers. Anybody who doesn't sort frames before bringing then in for extracting won't be welcome back in the future. Set up expectations.


----------



## pom51 (Jul 28, 2008)

I am as small time beekeeper with a Dadant 12 frame I charge $1.00 per frame and keep wax and honey that drips in the tank and they furnish buckets. I don't know if that to cheep or to much after all it take time and and upkeep of equipment


Pom


----------



## Mtn. Bee (Nov 10, 2009)

I know a Beek that does custom extracting. You bring supers to him and he will uncap, extract and lightly filter and you can also help with the uncapping (ie. scratch the cappings that didn't get removed by the Cowen). I believe he charges $7.50 - $10.00 per 6-5/8" super and he keeps the cappings and the honey that is with them. He was so busy last year he almost didn't have time to extract his own honey!

Pom you are about right on with that price!


----------



## The Honey Householder (Nov 14, 2008)

It all depends if your doing a dozen super or if your doing 100's. I extract for a lot of the guy I sell package to for at least the first few years, to make sure there still wanting to beekeeper and spend the money on the extractor. I charge $.30 a lb and I get the wax with a min. $20 charge per extracting. They supply the buckets or I supply the buckets at a charge. 

Now for the 300-400 super guys I charge $.10-.15 a lb depending on how full the supers are and I keep the wax. They supply the barrels or buckets or I supply with a charge.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

"depending on how full the supers are"? Who determines that and how? Why don't you simply charge everyone the same no matter what? Wouldn't that be easier and easier to justify w/out having to explain to anyone why you decided to charge them more?


----------



## Mtn. Bee (Nov 10, 2009)

The Beek I know sells buckets if they don't bring there own and he sells bottling buckets, honey gates and jars for the honey. I believe he has a min. charge as well but he does charge the same rate to everyone. It looked like the beeks that brought there supers to him to process had already gone thru and removed the partial frames of honey so they would get full bang for there buck.


----------



## The Honey Householder (Nov 14, 2008)

sqkcrk said:


> "depending on how full the supers are"? Who determines that and how? Why don't you simply charge everyone the same no matter what? Wouldn't that be easier and easier to justify w/out having to explain to anyone why you decided to charge them more?


Mark, Big difference doing extracting for 1-12 super customer compared to 300-400 super customer. It takes the small guys 2-3 weekends to extract 12 super. Most are grateful to just drop it off and pay the bill upon pick up. The 300-400 super guys, helps keep my extracting crew busy while I'm pulling. It doesn't pay to send the guys home.:lookout:


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I'm sure this all makes sense to you and you are making money, but it seems too complicated to me. But, I'm not doing it, so my perspective isn't the same as yours. Whatever works for ya. Just seems like you are losing money at $.10 to $.15/lb.


----------



## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I couldn't turn a dime at any of these rates.


----------



## The Honey Householder (Nov 14, 2008)

Mark, its like big farming. You have the equipment, why not use it. It doesn't make you any money just sitting there. If not anything it keeps my guys a job.:scratch:


----------



## CES (Feb 4, 2009)

I charge 25 cents a lb and I keep the wax. They furnish the buckets. I can extract about 400 to 500 lbs a day with my 20 frame extractor if I push it.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

The Honey Householder said:


> Mark, its like big farming. You have the equipment, why not use it. It doesn't make you any money just sitting there. If not anything it keeps my guys a job.:scratch:


I understand that quite well. All I am saying is that I am impressed that you can afford to charge such a low rate. Knowing how much can be extracted per man per day that 10 to 15 cents per pound would even pay their wages. Not that I know what you pay them or what the cost of your equipment is. Certainly you have to factor in wear and tear on the equipment, right?

But, as I said, if it works for you. Too bad you aren't in NY State. At those prices I could afford to have you do my extracting.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

CES said:


> I charge 25 cents a lb and I keep the wax. They furnish the buckets. I can extract about 400 to 500 lbs a day with my 20 frame extractor if I push it.


Get another extractor and you will be able to improve on that production average. What are you uncapping with?


----------



## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

The two guys i know that do it charge right around .12-.15 a lb and you keep your own wax. Both do nice jobs.


----------



## Honeyboy (Feb 23, 2004)

I'am thinking of charging per super this way they won't bring me half full supers. All the input is great thank you very much!!


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

You are welcome. Why would anyone bring in half full supers? Because they only have three?


----------



## cg3 (Jan 16, 2011)

CES said:


> 400 to 500 lbs


Man. That's a lot of work to make $100.


----------



## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

The irony is its easier (at least through an automated system) to run full frames than part frames. I believe I would price by the box rather than by weight to discourage someone from bringing in a lot of boxes with very little in them.


----------



## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

I agree with Jim that pricing by the box is the better way to do it, I would think that most beekeepers would know not to bring in boxes that have frames with little to no honey in them. Even if they did, how much work is it to throw the empty or near empty ones back into boxes and not bother with them anyway. Just tell the customer ahead of time that you are not going to extract those kind of combs because its not worth your time and equipment wear and tear. Let them do the sorting before they bring the honey. John


----------



## The Honey Householder (Nov 14, 2008)

Hey if I'm paying by the super, Im running all deeps. 
400-500 med. super is about 16,000-20,000 lbs @.10-.15 a lb and it takes my crew 2-3 days to get it extracted. Even if I pay out a 1/3 for labor, 2/3 in my packet still isn't bad. I think the equipment looks better when it's running.


----------



## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

I didnt get into what should be charged for each size, just making the point that a per box charge would be preferable to me.


----------



## Mtn. Bee (Nov 10, 2009)

I agree with Jim Lyon charge by the box would be a lot easier for tracking purposes.
The Beek I know has 2 different rates, one for meds. and one for deeps.
I asked him about shallows and he laughed and said nobody uses them anymore and then I told him that I do but eventually they will all be used for comb honey production only.


----------



## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

The HH, I think the equipment looks better when someone other than me (the hired help) is running it for .15 a lb. Let's see, 20,000 lbs. @ .15/lb. is $3000, a couple days wages for a couple guys, yea that's not bad when you consider you just have to be the boss-man. John


----------



## The Honey Householder (Nov 14, 2008)

Hey John, When your extracting season is only 10 weeks, every day counts to the guys. My boys understand I started at the bottom too. They make more in 10 weeks then most kids make at McD's in a year. They understand, you make honey when honey is ready, not when your ready.:roll eyes:

I like the charging by the super. So if a medium super is 40 lbs [email protected]$.15, that would come out to $6.00 a super. Well you guys have convince me I should be charging at less $8 a super to make it worth my while.opcorn: Might just have to give the boys a raise this year. :shhhh:


----------



## Nick Noyes (Apr 28, 2005)

The quality of the equipment and wether it is all standard is the biggest factor when extracting. Followed by how much honey is in each frame.
There is a guy near here that charges $.11 a pound and keeps the wax. We can extract our honey cheaper than that. However if I was custom extracting I wouldn't do it for any less than $.15 pound in semi loads of supers lots.


----------



## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Some really good stuff here guys, I have been asked to custom extract at one time, but had not a clue what to charge


----------



## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

I agree Ron, when you work the bees for a living or even to supplement your income, you need to make money whenever you see a chance. Fortunately, there are many ways to do it with bees. John


----------



## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I am showing .0162 man hours per pound or .43 man hours a box time rates on my dinky operation. This is with an antique Cowan and antique Dadant 20 frame extractor straining through stainless screens and then pumping through nylon drainage filter fabric, no heat. I'd lose money at any of the rates stated here. I'd have to charge about $1 lb or $30 box to get near breaking even, if my figures are right. And I don't think that includes a thorough cleanup.


----------



## CES (Feb 4, 2009)

sqkcrk said:


> Get another extractor and you will be able to improve on that production average. What are you uncapping with?


 I am not looking to up production. I am retired so I do it to supplement income. I have about 50 Hives and I extract for local hobbyist and small sideliners. I don't want to hire any help.

I use a maxant planer to uncap the honey. I can uncap a load while the extractor is spinning.


----------

