Does anyone have any plans for a small/medium sized honey warming cabinet ? One that I could put jars of honey that are starting to crystallize...(or maybe even bears) in and gently warm them back up ?
:)
Try looking around your house for an old cabinet that is about the right size and add a couple of 40 watt light bulbs to it. Just make sure the bulbs are not too close to anything that will burn. If you do not have one check your local yard sales. Good luck.
Jim
You can try doing as Bud does. Take an old junk refrigerator and add a thermostatically controlled light bulb. It works really well for him. Maybe he'll chime in...Bud...got your ears on?
Scott
Quote from: hardwood on May 15, 2012, 12:50:37 PM
Take an old junk refrigerator and add a thermostatically controlled light bulb. It works really well for him.
Scott
I'm not bud but that's exactly what I did. I got a full size chest freezer via Craigslist for free. Installed 3 light bulbs in it, a thermostat, and a 2x4 platform that could hold over 100# of honey as it warmed. I've use it for over 3 years now with great success.
If you can track down an old fridge that is big enough to stack 5 gallon buckets in you can use it for settling out the honey after extraction and warming the honey for bottling as well as melting the crystalized honey. Drill a hole in the fridge and attach a small cooling fan over it and you can use the setup to dry any wet honey if needed.
If you run out of things to do with it then just pack it with beer and ice and relax. :-D
A furniture cardbox boxis all I use with a couple light bulbs regulated by a 1500 watt $50 thermostatically controlled power strip designed for reptile cages. When the cabinent is no longer needed you pitch it or fold it against the wall.
I just walk my jars or buckets of honey when they start to turn up the stairs and place them in the hot attic for a bit. Long as your attic does not get too hot, just keep an eye on it, it should work out fine.
Thank you for the good ideas. I dont have an attic though. If I made something, I would definately make it big enough to put 5 gallon buckets in but my main thought was when I have a couple cases of pints or even worse plastic bears than have just started to crystallize a bit.
:)
I place the bottles in the car and park it in the sun for a day. Works every time her in the south.
Steve
http://www.michiganbees.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Bucket-Heater_20100726.pdf (http://www.michiganbees.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Bucket-Heater_20100726.pdf)
Quote from: asprince on May 15, 2012, 08:54:50 PM
I place the bottles in the car and park it in the sun for a day. Works every time her in the south.
Steve
Ditto that here. I do all my crush and strain in My RV on the table. I can watch TV and listen to the stero will working. just put down plastic or towels before had so My Better half won't turn into the killer queen Bee. :-*
john
I made one out of two deep boxes. put a plywood bottom and top and a light fixture. It will hold a five gallon bucket or twenty frames. You can also put supers with honey on and heat alittle before you extract. I also lind it with insulation board.