The FCBA owns a manual extractor and an electrically powered extractor. Extractors can be rented only by FCBA members. The manual extractor works fine for a small number of honey supers. For a large frame count, the electrically powered extractor will save on shoulder wear-and-tear!

Both extractors can extract deep as well as medium and shallow frames.

Cost. For the powered extractor, the cost for rental is $15 per 4-day session (pickup on day 1, use on day 2 and if need be on day 3, return on day 4 or earlier.) For the manual extractor, the rental fee is $5 (for three days). Payment should be made by check payable to FCBA. Alternatively, you can pay via PayPal. See below for payment details.

Pickup: Extractors are stored at Dave Maloney’s home at 1612 Shookstown Rd., Frederick, MD. Contact Dave (dave@maloney.com) to arrange for their use. Provide a couple optional dates for 9 AM pickup. Also, let Dave know which extractor you need: manual or powered. Return them to Dave when done.

What you get:

Extractor
Uncapping tub with wooden cross piece with frame pivot nail. Tub #1 or Tub #2.
Serrated manual uncapping knife
Uncapping fork. Watch this YouTube video to learn how to properly use the uncapping fork.

The following accessories are available if needed. These items are intended for use by the new beekeeper. Experienced beekeepers should be obtaining their own accessories.

Two-part honey strainer and a 400 micron filter
5-gal bucket with gate and lid
Refractometer to check honey moisture level

What you need to get:

In addition to the accessories noted above that experienced beekeepers should already own, be sure to get your own additional 4- or 5-gallon food-safe plastic buckets with lids. Either will fit beneath the extractor honey gates. One bucket should have a honey gate to facilitate filling jars: see example. McCutcheon’s Apple Products often have empties for sale but BE SURE to compare the embossed name on the lid with the name on the bottom of the bucket. They must match or the lid probably will not fit. BTW, buckets might have either an 11″ or 12″ opening. If you intend on using the club’s 400 micron filter, note that it is designed to be used only with the larger, i.e., 12″, bucket opening.
Be sure to have your own floor covering as well. A cloth painters drop cloth works well.
Wet dish cloths for frequent wiping up.

Use:

Have your buckets ready beforehand. Be sure the extractor is as evenly balanced as possible with frames of honey, i.e., put heavy (“fat”) frames opposite one another and light (“skinny”) frames likewise.

It is suggested that you cover the floor with a cloth painter’s drop cloth.
Have wet kitchen towels handy to keep hands and tools clean and to clean any honey or wax particles that fall to the floor.
The extractors are on casters which will help minimize shaking.
Place the extractor on a rubberized entryway-type mat to help minimize wobbling and “walking.”
For the electrically powered unit, start on low speed and run for a few minutes before increasing speed. By carefully lifting the lid slightly and peering inside with a flashlight you can see when the honey has pretty much stopped being flung from the frames to the wall of the extractor.
DO NOT. DO NOT manually rotate the basket of the powered extractor. Doing so will strip the plastic gears. Instead, use the variable speed control to gently nudge the basket to the desired position. Also, to further prevent damage to the gears, do not turn the speed control know from full speed to full stop quickly. Slow the speed down gradually until at a stop.

The extractor will sometimes shake or wobble if not perfectly balanced. That is OK. The modest shaking will die down as the frames equalize their weight when spinning. Besides, the casters absorb the shaking, and the rubber floor mat will minimize “walking.” But excessive shaking is not OK. If shaking excessively, stop the machine and check to see if something might be causing the imbalance. It might be that you neglected to uncap BOTH sides of one of the frames, or that a frame has jumped out of its slot.

Be sure to drain honey regularly. Failure to do so will result in the honey level reaching the bottom of the spinning frames and slowing the motor down.

Search YouTube for many how-to honey extracting videos. As an example, for a comprehensive review of the honey harvesting process watch this YouTube video.

Note: If this is your first time extracting, when picking up please allow 10 minutes or so for Dave to review some important issues with you.

Cleanup:

Tilt extractor and push remaining honey through gate and into bucket using a spatula. If you want, lay the extractor on its side on an elevated surface and let residual honey run out into a bucket (this might take a long time to accomplish.) Take extractor outside and hose the extractor interior down with cold water to dislodge bits of wax from interior surfaces. Do not use hot water first as it might cause the wax particles to smear, which makes it more difficult to clean off.

Do NOT dismantle the extractor. Nearly all residual honey and bits of wax can be removed without dismantling the extractors. Hose down the inside first with cold water. Blast the bits of wax and propolis away. Be sure to scrape wax buildup from interior frame holders. Then pour a bucket or two of hot water into the extractor to dissolve any remaining small puddles of honey. Rub down the inside with a clean brush or sponge to dissolve and remove left-over honey. Then another good blast of water will leave it clean.

On the powered extractor, be sure to keep the motor covered with a plastic bag during clean-up to avoid getting it wet.

When cleaning the extractors, be careful of the fragile plastic drain gate on the outside at the bottom edge of the extractor. Be careful to protect the gate’s O-ring as well as the wing nut so that they are not lost.

As noted, dismantling the extractors is not necessary. Reassembly has proven problematic in the past (parts are lost), so please clean without dismantling.

Payment

Payment can be made by check or online.

Make checks payable to FCBA and mail to c/o Treasurer Cindy Heivilin, 2409 Doubs St., Adamstown, MD 21710 or pay via PayPal/Card below.