crush and strain or extract?

[harvey]

How many frames of capped honey would it take to make it worth while to extract?   My friend has an old extracter and electric de capper? that he would love for me to buy off of him I think for a couple jars of honey.  I am planning of starting two more hives come spring I currently only have one.  Since the Goldenrod bloomed they have been real busy and right now have seven frames capped in a medium super.  I added another medium super and will leave it on till October sixth, then pull both supers for the winter.  Hope I am doing this right!  Anyway i have heard the using extractors waists honey?   Not sure I want to do that but would love to be able to give them supers already drawn out come spring to catch the first major flow.   What do yall think?

[beecanbee]

I have a cheap China made two frame extractor, and it suits me just fine at this stage.

i have heard the using extractors waists honey? 

My extractor waists no honey, since I wash it with warm drinkable water, strain, and add concentrated lemon juice.  Same for the cappings and any crush method comb - and over a bit of ice in the summer, or warmed in the winter - it tastes mighty fine.

[RayMarler]

I get a full 5 gallon bucket out of 12 deep frames. I use an electric tangent 4 frame extractor and I'm happy with it for the few hives I've got. I drain it into a 5 gallon bucket that has a 5 gallon paint strainer bag in it and a giant tea cup strainer on top. I take all my cappings and dump them and the honey in the giant tea cup strainer, so I have no waste. The thin film of honey left in the combs gets taken back by the bees as it's not really wasted, and I bet it's no more honey waste than doing a crush and strain would have.

[Kathyp]

ray, i was thinking more of the 1 shallow i got this year.  by the time i haul it out, make sure it's clean, load it up, spin it out, clean it up........i'm already done with crush and strain.  i just throw a towel over the bucket and strainer and let it finish dripping for a day or two (temp dependent).

wish i had enough this year to justify hauling out the extractor!

[danno]

harvey

Off subject but I think you are asking for trouble if you rob from them that late.  They will need close 70 #s to get through our michigan winter.   They wont be much available after goldenrod and they will starve on you.

[gaucho10]

harvey,

Where did you hear that using an extractor wates honey?  In which way?  If you crush and strain you are puting the bees to work much harder...if those are your thoughts.  If you have access to an extractor go with it.  Cruh and strain is if you don't want to invest in a extractor.

[harvey]

Danno,
    I have two deeps for brood boxes that are pretty much full of honey and pollen along with the medium super.  Do you think It would be to much to pull that super and it's honey.  I thought the two deeps would be enough for them.  I am not sure of the weight of the bottom deep but the top one is very heavy.  Almost all I want to do to lift it off during and inspection!

[MustbeeNuts]

I don't see it wasting honey, I love using mine, and there is no waste. unless you consider a couple tblspoons a waste.?

[danno]

Harvey
2 deeps is enough but when you start adding empty boxes above they will start moving things around and you could end up way short below.  Here in my area we put supers on early and pull them when the goldenrod blooms just after the thistle 

[luvin honey]

I LOVE the flavor of honeycomb that comes through when doing crush and strain. It tastes like summer sunshine in a jar :)