Crush n strain at scale

[yes2matt]

I concentrated on making cut comb this year, and at seventy squares I'm pretty pleased.  But I have a five gallon bucket entirely full of scraps.  I've done crush n strain before of maybe two frames at a time. This is a lot more.

Tips n tricks? I think 'member you've got some expertise in this.

Also, if you can see in the bucket I've thrown away some nice partials.  I was sad because I'd like to market salt-water-taffy sized prices but I don't know how to package them. So I would take some advice on that as well for next year.

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[Lesgold]

I?ve used 2 buckets to strain comb or capping. One sits inside the other. The top bucket has 1/2? holes drilled in it and a piece of stainless mesh cut to fit. Comb is mashed and stirred as per normal and honey drains into the bottom bucket. A lid on the top bucket keeps out creepy crawly bugs. Just leave it in a warm place to drain for a week and the job is done.

[The15thMember]

Tips n tricks? I think 'member you've got some expertise in this.

If it was me, personally I'd just not do it all at once.  I'd just crush up enough to fill my strainers, let that strain, and then do another round.  But Les's way sounds more efficient, honestly.  It just kind of depends on if you'd rather do all the work up front and let it drain for really long, or break the job into more bite-sized pieces. 

Once you've strained out all you can, then set the wax out and the bees will clean up the rest.  My girls have been going to town on my crushed wax lately.  I even set my strainer outside the other day when I was done with it, and they licked it totally clean in like 2 hours.  It was impressive!   

[Michael Bush]

You could cut up some 1" x 1" squares and sell them cheap for samples.  As far as crush and strain, I make a double strainer bucket (cut the middle out of a five gallon bucket lid and put holes in the bottom of one bucket and put that all together with a bucket underneath:
https://bushfarms.com/beesharvest.htm#doublebucket
https://bushfarms.com/images/DoubleBucket1.jpg
https://bushfarms.com/images/DoubleBucket2.jpg

I usually wash my hands (obviously) and then squeeze the wax into balls to squeeze out as much honey as I can and put those back into the bucket.

[Acebird]

I had a thought to try an old fashion meat grinder but never got around to doing it.

[yes2matt]

I had a thought to try an old fashion meat grinder but never got around to doing it.

Hmm. I've got a nice cabelas "carnivore" grinder right there.   I have a bucket filter bag (from Mann Lake! Ha!) I could just "grind" into a bucket lined w the filter then hoist it ...


Edit: or just put my favorite) LEGGs filter over the output of the grinder ...

[yes2matt]

I?ve used 2 buckets to strain comb or capping. One sits inside the other. The top bucket has 1/2? holes drilled in it and a piece of stainless mesh cut to fit. Comb is mashed and stirred as per normal and honey drains into the bottom bucket. A lid on the top bucket keeps out creepy crawly bugs. Just leave it in a warm place to drain for a week and the job is done.

Les look at MB's double bucket. Is that the same thing?

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[Lesgold]

What I used was similar to Michael?s. His has the advantage of more honey storage as the buckets are kept apart by a lid. My design has the buckets sitting inside each other and restricts honey capacity to about a quarter of a container.

[Ben Framed]

I had a thought to try an old fashion meat grinder but never got around to doing it.

Hmm. I've got a nice cabelas "carnivore" grinder right there.   I have a bucket filter bag (from Mann Lake! Ha!) I could just "grind" into a bucket lined w the filter then hoist it ...


Edit: or just put my favorite) LEGGs filter over the output of the grinder ...

Give it a try and let us know.

Phillip

[Kathyp]

I used to do all mine that way.  I used a baking sheet, smashed the comb, put it in a strainer bag, hung it over a bucket. 

How fast it dripped out depended on how warm the room was.  Just don't over stuff the bag. Don't do it outside.  I should put that in the mistakes we have made section     But hey, I only did that once.

Looks like you have some nice wax there.  I'd be thinking about selling that!

[yes2matt]

I used to do all mine that way.  I used a baking sheet, smashed the comb, put it in a strainer bag, hung it over a bucket. 

How fast it dripped out depended on how warm the room was.  Just don't over stuff the bag. Don't do it outside.  I should put that in the mistakes we have made section     But hey, I only did that once.

Looks like you have some nice wax there.  I'd be thinking about selling that!

You are right about the wax. One of the downsides of comb honey is that the bees start all over on blanks. But for the market I've got virgin wax.  I have a Christmas tree and a "fairy ball" mold and a couple of places to sell those,  a 3d printer and a silicone mold kit to make my own designs "someday"

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[NigelP]

for $60 dollars you could treat yourself to a wine press and do the lot in less than an hour.

[The15thMember]

for $60 dollars you could treat yourself to a wine press and do the lot in less than an hour.

I know a guy that uses one of those.  He really likes it.  I was thinking of getting one myself, but I wondered if a little extractor would be a better purchase.  My sister has one for cheese, but I can't use it for wax or it would be waxy forever. 

[Kathyp]

but I wondered if a little extractor would be a better purchase.  My sister has one for cheese, but I can't use it for wax or it would be waxy forever.

I have a hand crank extractor and it works well.  Saves the comb.  Depends on what you want to do with the wax I guess.  We did have to build a sturdy stand for it so that it was high enough to sit over the bucket and not wobble when being cranked.

[Ben Framed]

but I wondered if a little extractor would be a better purchase.  My sister has one for cheese, but I can't use it for wax or it would be waxy forever.

I have a hand crank extractor and it works well.  Saves the comb.  Depends on what you want to do with the wax I guess.  We did have to build a sturdy stand for it so that it was high enough to sit over the bucket and not wobble when being cranked.

I bought a 4 deep Vevor Electric Extractor a few years ago and I really like it.. Wasn't very expensive then, and still works well. No regrets...

Phillip

[yes2matt]

for $60 dollars you could treat yourself to a wine press and do the lot in less than an hour.

So with that you would put it on a table, so the spout drops to a bucket, put a pantyhose filter on the spout. Dump (half?) The contents of the bucket into the top of the press and just mash it out?  Then wind the press back out and reload with the other half (or whatever portion)?  What am I missing?

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[The15thMember]

So with that you would put it on a table, so the spout drops to a bucket, put a pantyhose filter on the spout. Dump (half?) The contents of the bucket into the top of the press and just mash it out?  Then wind the press back out and reload with the other half (or whatever portion)?  What am I missing?

Nothing to my knowledge.  I might be worried about clogging up spout if you put a filter right on it, but what do I know. 

[Kathyp]

I'd put the strainer on the bucket.  I used a colander over the strainer material- cheesecloth, paint strainer, or whatever.  That way I could take the chunkier bits out without having to remove the material.  You do have to put something really strong around the material to hold it because the honey is heavy. 

[NigelP]

  What am I missing?

Not a lot, but as Kathy says better to put filter(s) over bucket, not spout. I use a pair of stainless steel filters with coarse and fine mesh.


The other thing to watch is as you are downwards compressing you will trap some honey between the compressed wax, When I used this type of press for extracting heather honey I would take my round pancake of compressed wax and break it all up and repress, which would get me a bit of extra honey extracted.
Nowadays I use a water powered hydropress, but these are expensive and probably not warranted for a small amout of pressings.

[Acebird]

I have a sausage press you can try if you want to wait until the next beefest.  It is heavy duty.
just let me know