# Sideliner Uncapper



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I look forward to a review by someone who has used it. It looks interesting.


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## Ron Young (Aug 16, 2006)

Here is what they say in the description, and a link to the web page where you can see a photo. I appears to be, by the way the description reads, cutting blades. 

"We're proud to announce our NEW uncapper, The Sideliner from Italian equipment manufacturer Guiseppe Lega. Lega is known for it's quality and innovation. This is a metal structure that has a pair of cutting cylingers that uncaps as you slide the frame through them. Lay your frames on the table and crank them EASILY through the blades to reduce your uncapping time in half. Uncap like the big boys at a price you can afford." 


www.beeequipment.com/products.asp?pcode=795


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## Brandy (Dec 3, 2005)

*Sideliner uncapper*

Surely, someone has used one of these uncappers. Inquiring minds want to know!!


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## John Gesner (Dec 17, 2005)

I had the opportunity to see this uncapper at Brushy Mountain when I was there in May. The rollers are stacks of closely spaced round blades that roll along the surface of the comb and slice thru the cappings. I was told that not much wax is thrown in the extractor, but I'm skeptical.

I DID NOT see the uncapper used on actual frames of honey, but was able to operate it with the hand crank and liked the way it worked. Price is prohibitive for me at this time.


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## Bizzybee (Jan 29, 2006)

Shazzam.......

I guess if a fly reel with a 4 inch spool mounted on a 3/16" spindle, solid bearing and a 5 inch housing, all aluminum (except spindle), 1 1/2" wide. Couple of ounces or so I guess, oh oh oh, at least a 64th ounce spiffy paint. Can cost $1500 bucks...... This here is a steal!!!

Sorry, guess I'm from the way,way,way,way old school of thinking. Nifty though..........


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

From the description it sounds like the cappings are sliced like you took a razor blade and slashed across the frame multiple times. Similar to a cappings scratcher without the tearing action. Makes me think you could produce a manual equivalent of some type.


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## Dan Williamson (Apr 6, 2004)

Find a used power uncapper and get a better setup in my opinion.

I found the cowen uncapper (you can see in my pics) for $500. You have to look long and hard to find a good deal and sometimes you get lucky. Mine works fantastic.

For the money you would invest in the Brushy uncapper I think you could find a used cowen power uncapper for not much more.


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## MapMan (May 24, 2007)

Ross said:


> From the description it sounds like the cappings are sliced like you took a razor blade and slashed across the frame multiple times. Similar to a cappings scratcher without the tearing action. Makes me think you could produce a manual equivalent of some type.


Perhaps take several dozen circular blades like you find on copper tubing cutters, place them on a rod... Use drawer guides to guide a platform for the frame to ride on... etc., etc. Sounds doable! 

MM


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## Bizzybee (Jan 29, 2006)

Hey.......Nice Dan!! You've cleaned er up nice! That's worth being proud of


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Maybe something like this:

http://www.plastools.com/honey_punch.htm


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## Madison68 (Jul 13, 2006)

Thanks for that link Mike, I ordered one of the shallow #2 size to give it a try. Madison...


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I have the 5 1/8" one and find it's tiring pushing it hard enough to work. If I were doing it again, I think I'd buy the 2" one and make several easy passes instead of several diffcult ones. Also the 2" one will help with uneven comb getting into the low spots better.

It is tempting to take two of the wide ones (6" probably but more if you want to handle deeps) and make something that resembles the "sideliner uncapper" except with the comb the other way around.

For a thousand dollars it might be worth the effort to rig something.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

If the rollers had knives instead of plastic knobs, it would be a sideliner uncapper....


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## John Gesner (Dec 17, 2005)

Michael Bush said:


> Maybe something like this:
> 
> http://www.plastools.com/honey_punch.htm


Michael,

Do these cause more wax to be thrown in the extractor? If so, how much of a problem is it?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Do these cause more wax to be thrown in the extractor? If so, how much of a problem is it?

I would say a lot less. My problem with the Hackler is that the Hacker gets clogged with wax.


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## John Gesner (Dec 17, 2005)

Michael Bush said:


> My problem with the Hackler is that the Hacker gets clogged with wax.


Hm, yeah I could see that happening. So you wouldn't recommend this as an alternative to an uncapper for someone who does batches of ten to twenty mediums at a time? That's about where my extracting business is heading. I'm waiting for calls from customers who have about that many supers...


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Hm, yeah I could see that happening. So you wouldn't recommend this as an alternative to an uncapper for someone who does batches of ten to twenty mediums at a time? 

I bought it and use it for PermaComb when it's capped either at or under the outside. If it's got a thick layer of honey on it, I have an unheated uncapping knife or a bread knife I use on the PermaComb. I tried it for low spots on wax comb and it worked, but I wished I'd bought the smaller one. You have to push kind of hard sometimes on the wider one. As to the issue of it getting clogged, it seems people recommend putting it in warm water to keep it unclogged, but I don't want to add water to my honey, so I just clean it now and then. If I was doing all my uncapping with it (which I'm not) it would be more of a problem to keep it clean. Perhaps someone else uses it more than me and can offer better advice.


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## JBG (Jul 11, 2009)

I agree about the Cowen uncappers for the price if you are handy enough.
Your flckr photo site is great. Packed full of informative and clever solutions.



Dan Williamson said:


> Find a used power uncapper and get a better setup in my opinion.
> 
> I found the cowen uncapper (you can see in my pics) for $500. You have to look long and hard to find a good deal and sometimes you get lucky. Mine works fantastic.
> 
> For the money you would invest in the Brushy uncapper I think you could find a used cowen power uncapper for not much more.


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## JBG (Jul 11, 2009)

Judging from the video on the B-mtn site it gets jammed often. Also the guy doing the demo sometimes flips and redoes the frames and sometimes he does not. Looking at the demo video I am not really impressed by a machine that has a $1200 price tag getting stuck so often.



Brandy said:


> Just saw this Sideliner Uncapper in the Brushy Mtn. sales flyer. Anyone using one of these?? Are the cell cappings pierced vs. removed?? Handy, not, any thoughts??


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## Brandy (Dec 3, 2005)

An update. I started this thread in '07, and got it last year. It really is slick since it doesn't take up a lot of room, doesn't need electrical power etc... It does take a little time to get it adjusted to the right thickness of the frames. There is a learning curve and I've added a honey gate to the pan it sits on. Some of the positives include none of the honey is heated as with the uncapping knife. Now price wise I got it when it was on sale last year, so that helped. Shipping was high though. Bottom line is I really like it!!!!


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## JBG (Jul 11, 2009)

Nothing like a satisfied customer. How many frames can you uncap in an hour with it? Is there a source other than B-mtn closer to WI that you know about?


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## Brandy (Dec 3, 2005)

Never timed myself so I have no clue. I do spend a little time with a cappings scratcher for the low spots but setting the rollers closer helps with that. The bee's repair the comb overnight, pretty amazing!! Brushy Mtn. commented on the comparisons between all the uncappers they had tried. Don't remember exactly but this was about in the middle if I remember right.


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## JBG (Jul 11, 2009)

So you see that you get some productivity boost for the bees by using this 
device as opposed to a basic scratcher or knife? That would be a big + in my eval.


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## max2 (Dec 24, 2009)

Madison68 said:


> Thanks for that link Mike, I ordered one of the shallow #2 size to give it a try. Madison...


......did it work?? ( the post is a few years old!)


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

Anyone care to update this thread? I'd appreciate it. Time for me to invest in an uncapper and I'm looking around. Limited budget


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

A friend down the road has one and he loves it...slicker than snot...That;s why I am looking for one. Today it is big dollars about $1500. looking for a deal...won't find one....but hate dealing with wax cappings.


camero7 said:


> Anyone care to update this thread? I'd appreciate it. Time for me to invest in an uncapper and I'm looking around. Limited budget


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## SL Tx (Sep 17, 2006)

I've been using the Sideliner Uncapper for a couple of years now. I'd give it about a 5 on a scale of 1 - 10. Not having to deal with all the cappings is a huge plus. The price is over the top though...and Mann Lake wants you to drop another $600 on a stainless steel uncapping tank to catch....zero cappings...go figure. Ikea sells a plastic tub for six or eight bucks that is a perfect fit and you really don't even need add a honey gate to it like I did. I bought a couple of them (with lids) for less than $20. I've uncapped twenty supers in an afternoon and ended up with less than 1/2" of honey in the tub. I usually jack the frame back and forth a couple times before it goes to the extractor (Maxant 3100P...I love it). 

Here is the reason I posted this: The Sideliner uses two sets of stainless steel wheels (not exactly knives) to open the cells. It doesn't do as good a job uncapping as the pin rollers you can buy for less than $20 and it is hardly any faster. Whoever makes these things could cut the cost a bunch by using the same plastic pin wheels. In fact, they could sell me an upgrade kit...


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

I just oredered it Monday or Tuesday I think, and the pig truck pulled up today and dropped off this acrefully crated box on a pallet. I haven't even open the box yet. This spring has sucked with about 20days of rain and this is the 3rd day of sunshine....it has taken a toll on my honey stores....that were looking so so bountiful 4-5 weeks ago.


SL Tx said:


> I've been using the Sideliner Uncapper for a couple of years now. I'd give it about a 5 on a scale of 1 - 10. Not having to deal with all the cappings is a huge plus. The price is over the top though...and Mann Lake wants you to drop another $600 on a stainless steel uncapping tank to catch....zero cappings...go figure. Ikea sells a plastic tub for six or eight bucks that is a perfect fit and you really don't even need add a honey gate to it like I did. I bought a couple of them (with lids) for less than $20. I've uncapped twenty supers in an afternoon and ended up with less than 1/2" of honey in the tub. I usually jack the frame back and forth a couple times before it goes to the extractor (Maxant 3100P...I love it).
> 
> Here is the reason I posted this: The Sideliner uses two sets of stainless steel wheels (not exactly knives) to open the cells. It doesn't do as good a job uncapping as the pin rollers you can buy for less than $20 and it is hardly any faster. Whoever makes these things could cut the cost a bunch by using the same plastic pin wheels. In fact, they could sell me an upgrade kit...


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

ST Tx I think the rollers they are using are the same ones that are used for commercial Epoxy floor coatings. They are used to remove air bubbles out of the paint. Or they sure look the same. Try a commercial Sherman Williams paint store. Not the little branch stores.


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## saltyoldman (Feb 1, 2009)

I have owned one these units for 3 years or so. I paid $1,200 for it. I wish I had taken that money and spent it on a used commercial uncapper. At $1,500, I definitely would not buy it. The rollers sometimes clog and need to be cleaned or you risk doing serious damage to the comb. If the price was half of what it is, I would consider it. But at the present price, look for a used commercial unit. A new Maxant chain uncapper sells for $2,375. You maybe able to find a used one for the price of sideliner. I know I wish I had searched for one.


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## DirtyLittleSecret (Sep 10, 2014)

FYI: they're on sale now.


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

saltyoldman said:


> At $1,500, I definitely would not buy it.


That has always been my perspective as well. Even at $1200 it was grossly over priced. The reviews over the years have been very mixed. Perhaps at $400-$500 it might be worth it.


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

Did they all come with the white plastic tub? I haven't een unpacked this thing yet


DirtyLittleSecret said:


> FYI: they're on sale now.


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## saltyoldman (Feb 1, 2009)

There are two sellers of uncappers called sideliners and at a glance they look like they could be different. Brushy Mountain seems to have been the first one to have offered the sideliner. Mann Lake sells a unit that looks slightly different. It may be a knock off the orginal sideliner. Brushy Mountain's is not on sale. Mann Lake's is.

When I bought mine from Brushy Mountain, it came with a white tub. Mann Lake's does not come with a tub according to its on line sale catalogue.


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## agralogix (Jan 6, 2013)

The unit that Blue Sky Bee Supply now sells is better than the other chain unit. Both were designed by Mr. Lega in Italy. However, Lega only make the one Blue Sky sells now. The old version with the chain are now cheap knock-offs that don't work as well.


http://www.blueskybeesupply.com/lega-table-top-uncapper-lgtt-uc/


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## Planner (Apr 3, 2016)

I have this product from Brushy Mountain. I actually stopped using it for a few reasons. I find that that it does not work very evenly and the frames often twist as wind them thru the machine. I also find that the rollers do not cut deeply enough into the wax even with adjustment and that I have to spin the frames much longer than if I had done them by hand.If it worked as advertised on the video from BM it would be great but I have not had very good experience with it. Last year I started to use it and set it aside and did everything by hand which was a lot of work over several days but my spin time was greatly reduced, When using the un-capper with thick frames covered in wax and honey I have to adjust the machine and very often I have to run the frames thru twice on both sides. I may try again but as for now I am not pleased with the product.


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

Thanks for the information


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

agralogix said:


> The unit that Blue Sky Bee Supply now sells is better than the other chain unit. Both were designed by Mr. Lega in Italy. However, Lega only make the one Blue Sky sells now. The old version with the chain are now cheap knock-offs that don't work as well.
> 
> 
> http://www.blueskybeesupply.com/lega-table-top-uncapper-lgtt-uc/


Have they fixed the problem on it yet?


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

camero7 said:


> Have they fixed the problem on it yet?


 I return the one from Brushy Mountain and I'm getting ready to buy the one from blue sky because I hear better things about it but still trying to decide


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## CTO322 (Dec 13, 2014)

I used it for a short time. Went back to scratching. Junk.


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

I watched my friend use his to uncap some frames and i was impressed.


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## Planner (Apr 3, 2016)

I am not certain if we can offer brushy mountain uncapper for sale, but I have one that is hardly used..... 2 years old. I purchased a Maxant Chain uncapper due to need for output. I think they sell for about $1200 and I am offering it for $600.


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