# Where to purchase a Honey Extractor?



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

When I bought mine the difference between a 9 frame radial and a 9/18 frame radial (9 deeps or 18 medium-shallow)was $100. The 9/18 will let me extract deeps and the 9 won't. The 9/18 will let me extract twice as many at a shot (two 9 frame medium supers).

I got mine from Mann Lake, which was the cheapest at the time. All prices are minus the shipping which is by truck.

9 frame radial motorized.
Bee-commerce $395.00 (says 9 shallow frames. Will it do mediums?)
Walter T. Kelly $570.00
Brushy Mt. Bee $677.00

9/18 frame radial motorized.
Brushy Mt. Bee $777.00
Mann Lake $799.00


----------



## mark williams (Jan 19, 2003)

Michael, you said you have a 9/18 ext. that is what I've been thinking about getting.I was wondering how do you like it?is it rough on combs? get's all the honey out&ect , mark


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

How do I like the 9/18 extractor? I love it. You just uncap, put the frames in the extractor so they are resonably balanced (in case you're mixing wax and plastic and mixing deeps and shallows and mediums) start slow for a little while and gradually increase the speed. If you don't get greedy and go too fast too soon, you won't have any problems with broken comb. If you're extracting frames from the brood chamber, you have to not go too fast if it's not wired real well, or has a lot of pollen, but you can still extract those, just don't go quite so fast, but spin it a little longer. No reversing the frames or any of that hoopla. Just don't get impatient and go too fast too soon, and always keep the honey gate open. If you can't keep the gate open, just take a break until the honey runs down. Otherwise the honey will build up until the end bars start hitting it. This last time I got a double strainer bucket so I can just dump it out of the extractor into a 5 gal bucket without straining it and then dump the 5 gal bucket into the double bucket strainer so I don't have to wait for the honey to strain coming out of the extractor. This works very well for me.


----------



## mark williams (Jan 19, 2003)

thanks michael,


----------



## mark williams (Jan 19, 2003)

Michael: on the 18 frame extractor using shallow frames. do you have to cross wire the frames,I use wired foundation, any help anyone, thanks Mark.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I have often extracted shallow thin surplus with no wire without treating it any more gently than wired mediums with no problems at all. I would guess that if I was gentle I could do the same with unwired foundation in mediums.


----------



## grumpy (Oct 14, 2002)

Thanks for the input.

What are the things to look for in purchasing an extractor? Is the type of Bearings, Gears, important? Is 24 guage Stainless Steel Ok? Anything else?

Thank you.


----------



## hoosierhiver (Feb 27, 2003)

last year i put an add in the local paper (used beekeeping equipment wanted),i got loads of stuff really cheap,some free,including several extractors for under $100,one was stainless steel still in the box! good luck!


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>What are the things to look for in purchasing an extractor? Is the type of Bearings, Gears, important? Is 24 guage Stainless Steel Ok? Anything else?

If you are buying them new, I think they are all stainless steel now and have good gears and bearings. If it's used and quite old it may be galvinized. Stainless is better, but the galvanized can be coated with an approved ureathane coating. Also if it's old and used you would want to check to make sure the bearings are worn out etc.

Some of the bigger issues are raidal vs tangetal. Reversible vs nonreversible.

Radial is best, you just put them all in and spin them. Reversible is next best. You put the frames in once and you can reverse them without removing them from the extractor. Nonreversible is the most work. With them you have to put the frames in and extract about half of the honey on that side, take them out and reverse them. Extract all of the honey on the other side. Take them out and reverse them and extract the remaining honey on the first side. 

Personally, minimum, I'd get the 9 frame radial if I was buying new, but as long as you're at it, you may as well buy the 9/18 for not that much more and extract twice as many at a time.

Used, it might be worth buying something smaller if it's cheap enough.


----------

