Honey uncapper

max2 · June 15, 2018, 12:58:16 AM

Has anybody in Australia purchased one of these Harmony Farm un-cappers?

Looks rather interesting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltnAUA6GhBk

BeeMaster2 · June 15, 2018, 01:14:49 AM

It does not look like it is uncapping the top of the frame. If it is is would be a great un capper. It looks like it could bee easily modified to be used on high production equipment where you just push it down and the frame would go all the way through to a loading rack. It does look fast and rather easy.
Jim

Acebird · June 15, 2018, 08:39:06 AM

I haven't used it or know anyone that has but it looks cleaver at first sight. Cleaning it might be a chore without steam or high pressure water. Copying it would be easy. You could just about tear apart a paper shredder if the knives were stainless.

BeeMaster2 · June 15, 2018, 10:21:35 AM

Quote from: Acebird on June 15, 2018, 08:39:06 AM
I haven't used it or know anyone that has but it looks cleaver at first sight. Cleaning it might be a chore without steam or high pressure water. Copying it would be easy. You could just about tear apart a paper shredder if the knives were stainless.

Ace,
I suspect that is where the blades came from. Just last year I gave a neighbor a shredder that had those blades in it. Wish I had it now. I will keep an eye out for one like it.
Jim

Acebird · June 15, 2018, 04:42:33 PM

Jim, I don't think they are stainless in a shredder though. Maybe you can coat them with hot wax to keep them from rusting when not in use.

BeeMaster2 · June 15, 2018, 04:59:30 PM

If I find one I will test it and see what type of metal they are made of.
Jim

Acebird · June 15, 2018, 05:29:52 PM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on June 15, 2018, 04:59:30 PM
If I find one I will test it and see what type of metal they are made of.
Jim

Some have a serrated edge but I can't see how that would hurt. My guess would be hi carbon or tool steel. It wouldn't stand up to shearing paper if it wasn't something tough.

Russ · June 15, 2018, 05:32:50 PM

From the "Click here for more info" pop up box in the video clip.
"The uncapper body is made from high density polyethylene and the rollers are cut on a CNC lathe from a solid piece of 2" aluminum bar stock. It is incredibly durable.The body protects the rollers from damage, even if dropped. I three years I have not had to replace my O-rings on my personal uncapper. If needed, replacing the O-rings is simple and they are easily purchased."

Acebird · June 15, 2018, 06:07:17 PM

Aluminum! Wouldn't have guessed that.

BeeMaster2 · June 15, 2018, 10:48:32 PM

I wouldn?t want one made out of aluminum. The acid in the honey attacks the aluminum and changes the flavor of honey and adds aluminum in small amounts to the honey.
That is why extractors are not made from aluminum.
Jim

Anybrew2 · June 16, 2018, 02:51:11 AM

Hey Max2 In like the look of it too, I wonder how plastic frames would go...... Id say same same but different.

Acebird · June 16, 2018, 08:23:40 AM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on June 15, 2018, 10:48:32 PM
I wouldn?t want one made out of aluminum.

Me either. If you can get away with soft aluminum you could use plastic. Over mold over a stainless tube.

Russ · June 16, 2018, 06:40:27 PM

I have to give the inventor of the Simple Harmon Farms decapper the due credit here, as they must have put a lot of effort into this, and surely addressed many issues during development. If you don't like bare aluminium, you can have it anodized with either of a variety of coating options, very cheaply. Or machine the parts in stainless steel, but that will cost you more than what this is being sold for. Im not aware of what the Honey Paw Slit Decapper is made of, but they found the need to steam heat their apparatus for it to work correctly on all cappings, but the honey paw does not rotate though. I am keen to get more feedback from those that have actually used it and, if good, purchase one before the price doubles.

Acebird · June 16, 2018, 06:53:28 PM

Less than 60 bucks for the aluminum. That is a long way from 395 bucks.

max2 · June 16, 2018, 07:19:26 PM

"I wouldn't want one made out of aluminum. The acid in the honey attacks the aluminum and changes the flavor of honey and adds aluminum in small amounts to the honey.
That is why extractors are not made from aluminum.
Jim"

The honey is in contact with the Aluminium for seconds only and I doubt that this would change the falvour of the honey. Honey also attacks concrete but we clean the equipment and the floor after each use and it has never been an issue.
Of course SS would be ideal but the CNC machine would have to be something else. The cost would be considerably greater too.
A suitable plastic? I have no idea of the possibilities and cost.

The cost of the uncapper plus postage to Australia is quite high.

At this stage I would like to see one at work before I make the investment.

Russ · June 17, 2018, 04:24:56 AM

This version produced earlier than the Harmony model, looks like it might have stainless steel rollers. Has anyone tried this version?
https://video.ultra-zone.net/watch?v=UiLQeSs-9Zg

Acebird · June 17, 2018, 09:37:41 AM

Quote from: max2 on June 16, 2018, 07:19:26 PM
The honey is in contact with the Aluminium for seconds only and I doubt that this would change the falvour of the honey.

Seconds! I don't know anyone that can complete their extraction run in seconds. Sometimes it takes days.

Bamboo · June 18, 2018, 02:29:04 AM

Quote from: Acebird on June 17, 2018, 09:37:41 AM
Quote from: max2 on June 16, 2018, 07:19:26 PM
The honey is in contact with the Aluminium for seconds only and I doubt that this would change the falvour of the honey.
Seconds! I don't know anyone that can complete their extraction run in seconds. Sometimes it takes days.

Max2 was saying that each frame is only in contact for seconds.

Acebird · June 18, 2018, 09:20:19 AM

I know what he was thinking but the honey is in contact with the aluminum for hours or days if it is a big extraction.

Bamboo · June 18, 2018, 10:11:30 AM

Quote from: Acebird on June 18, 2018, 09:20:19 AM
I know what he was thinking but the honey is in contact with the aluminum for hours or days if it is a big extraction.

Why do you think that the honey is in contact with the aluminium for hours or days? Each frame is only in contact for a very short time then is is extracted. I would think that very little of the honey ever comes in to contact with it as it is the cappings that are contact with the aluminium.