Apiculture
How to choose and buy a honey extractor correctly?
No apiary can do without a honey extractor. It can be called the most essential equipment, because without it, it would be very difficult, if not practically impossible, to extract honey from frames with honeycombs. But it is necessary to know how to buy a honey extractor correctly, so that it perfectly suits all parameters. After all, today manufacturers produce several types of it.
No apiary can do without a honey extractor. It can be called the most essential equipment, because without it, it would be very difficult, if not practically impossible, to extract honey from frames with honeycombs. But it is necessary to know how to buy a honey extractor correctly, so that it perfectly suits all parameters. After all, today manufacturers produce several types of it.
Types of honey extractors
In fact, buying
a honey extractor is not very easy, especially if you are a beginner beekeeper. When choosing this equipment, you must consider several important criteria:
- material of the tank;
- capacity of the tank;
- type of mechanism;
- type of drive;
- number of frames.
You need to consider that in some types, frames must be manually turned over, while in others, an automatic system is used.
You should know that a honey extractor is a structure that consists of several components:
- fixed tank;
- rotating drum;
- rotation mechanism.
If you are talking about an electric honey extractor, there is also a motor with a gearbox. Naturally, the price of such a device will be higher. But it will be much easier to work with it.
Types of honey extractors by mechanism
When planning to buy a honey extractor for 2 frames or for a larger number, you must immediately pay attention to the type of drum and positioning of cassettes. Based on this indicator, they are divided into two types:
- radial, where the drum is constructed so that frames can be positioned radially;
- chordal, and here frames are installed only along the circumference of the tank.
Both chordal and radial honey extractors have their own features, where all advantages and disadvantages are immediately apparent. Therefore, you must immediately clarify all nuances.
The review should start with the chordal model. It is clear that for such a variant, as a honey extractor for 2 frames, the price will be the most reasonable. This is, perhaps, the main advantage of this type. The second plus is accessibility. It will be very easy to buy this device for your household.
But it is necessary to highlight the main disadvantages of the chordal honey extractor:
- there is a risk of damaging the honeycomb during drum movement;
- extracting honey takes longer;
- usually, you can only buy such a honey extractor with 4 cassettes;
- you need to extract honey in parts.
Honeycomb damage usually occurs due to centrifugal force, so you have to work very carefully with such a honey extractor. Especially if you encounter frames with fresh honeycombs. But you need to look at the cassette design to ensure they are covered.
However, the radial honey extractor is considered more practical. Here there will be significantly more advantages.
- The structure of the honeycomb remains intact.
- There are models for large frame loading.
- You can extract significantly more honey immediately.
- You can even quickly rotate the drum.
It is clear that buying a radial honey extractor is much more advantageous. But there is still a risk of damaging the honeycomb if it is new.
How to buy a honey extractor correctly?
When purchasing a honey extractor, you must consider the number of hives on the apiary. If there are many, you need to buy a radial honey extractor, because it can accommodate a large number of frames. But you must also consider the type of drive. If it turns out to be manual, it will be more difficult to work with it, and you will feel fatigue more quickly. Moreover, the type of drive can be:
- belt drive;
- chain drive;
- planetary drive;
- gearbox drive.
The first two types are not very advantageous. And it doesn't matter whether you need to buy a honey extractor for 3 frames or 4, it will be very difficult to quickly spin the drum.
It is much more advantageous to buy a honey extractor not just with a manual drive, but also with a gearbox. Here you will be able to speed up the drum more easily. And with a planetary mechanism, it is even better. However, such a honey extractor creates a lot of noise during operation. If there are many hives, you need to solve the issue of where to buy a honey extractor with an electric drive. And preferably, it should be of the radial type, not chordal. Especially if it has a timer. Then honey extraction will occur in automatic mode. But such devices are more difficult to maintain. In any case, it is best to buy a honey extractor in a store where there is a wide selection. And prices here are quite reasonable. You can choose tanks of different volumes, both with aluminum tanks and with stainless steel.