My Home Among The Hills

Equipment

Last modified: August 28, 2009

When I first started beekeepeing, I decided to build my own honey extractor. This is hand built from a NEW trashcan and was coated with Cam-kote food grade paint. It is a lot of work to use but it definitely works. A person could gear the drive or (as I did) chuck the spindle in the middle with a drill and let it do the work. It’s hard on a drill with a load of honey but will work pretty well. Some have asked what the metal rod sits on in the bottom of the can…I added a nylon cap to the end of the rod. It rides in a nylon bushing attached to the can. You can mess around at your local hardware store and find nylon bushings and washers and the like. They are pretty tough and will keep metal shavings from getting into your honey.

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10 Responses to “Equipment”

Comment from Jason
Posted at: January 19, 2009 at 3:28 pm

That’s pretty slick! Good work.
Comment from Bayou Woman
Posted at: January 28, 2009 at 7:03 pm

Am enjoying your blog thoroughly. All your buzz-honey posts make me miss my beekeeping days. My hives were destroyed by a hurricane storm surge in 2005. Sort of glad I did not start them up again, as we had another surge this past September. I’ll have to enjoy beekeeping vicariously through your posts. Great blog!
BW
Comment from warren
Posted at: January 28, 2009 at 9:12 pm

Thanks BW. Sorry to hear you lost hives due to hurricane activity. I’ve often wondered what folks along the coastal regions do. Anyhow, I will certainly be posting a lot on bees this spring and summer…it’s not far off now!
Comment from danabee
Posted at: March 30, 2009 at 2:52 pm

please send me the plans and parts list for this extractor. its perfect and is a beautiful wood. danabee
Comment from warren
Posted at: March 30, 2009 at 5:40 pm

danabee – unfortunately, I do not have plans. Most of this was just built by the seat of my pants. As for the wood, it is pine that is covered with polyurethane. Holler if you’d like more info
Comment from Tim
Posted at: April 24, 2009 at 11:54 am

Love your blog. I’m trying to get into beekeeping on the cheap, and am planning to build a copy of your honey extractor. I have one question though – how do you keep the frames from falling toward the middle before you start spinning them?
Comment from warren
Posted at: April 24, 2009 at 1:11 pm

Great question Tim…it’s the same problem that most tangential extractors have…even the “real” ones. In general, it is a bit like magic…we tilt them just a little and sort of hold them for a second while we start spinning. As soon as there is any motion, of course, they stay in place. Most times, though, a slight tilt will hold them just fine!
Comment from Tom
Posted at: May 25, 2009 at 6:03 am

Great idea building it out of wood! I did not see a spigot on the can, so I assume you just pour the honey out the can, right? Also, in response to Tim’s comment, it would be very easy to add a 1-1.5 inch pivoting wood latch on the top to hold the frames in place before cranking.
Comment from warren
Posted at: May 25, 2009 at 7:53 am

Tom – right on both accounts though it would be simple to add a spigot too. Most of the beekeeping supply places sell honey gates for that very purpose!
Comment from katydid
Posted at: June 10, 2009 at 6:53 pm

I too love the trash can extractor. I would like more information about the internal parts and pictures. Thank you and happy beekeeping.