using a refractometer

[Zoot]

Curious whether anyone here uses one of these.  Several of my neighbors use them but I don't see much chat here about them. I'm curious this year because I have a number of supers that re full of mostly uncapped honey and I'd like to harvest it if the moinsture content is low enough.

I did extract about 80 lbs today (all capped) of the most beautiful, aromatic water clear honey. Is it just more practical to wait until they cap all of it? I'd also like to find out what blossoms produced this honey as I've never seen it this clear at this time of year.

[pdmattox]

I harvest when it is 70-80% capped and all is well.

[Brian D. Bray]

When I used to manage an Orange Julius I used a refractometer daily to check the sweetness content of orange juice we squeezed every day, several times a day.  As a beekeeper I've never used one.  I just go by the percentage of cappings on a frame and have never had a probelm.  As long as 80% of the framed is capped it all turns out ok.

[Jacmar]

I have to agree with Brian B that as long as they have about 80% of the frame capped you should be OK. I have had my refractometer for three years and have only used it a couple of times when the frames were only capped about 30/40% and then I only used it to satisfy my curiousity and then gave the frame back to the hive.

Jack