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

[salvo]

Hi Folks,

I sold this last year, $200. Not bragging, just saying. I had it for twelve years, bought it second hand. I made the stand and tie-downs.

The buyer is happy.

I'm foundationless. This was gentle and controllable, but tiresome inside a hot, hot garage, for hours. I now have a Maxant electric second hand. I'm still getting used to it. The variable speed controller sometimes surges. This Maxant extractor also needed a sturdy base. The center of balance is too high for the legs.

Sal

[yes2matt]

So here's what I did. I spent the afternoon with Iddee.   Which I would recommend.  And he reminded me that there are a bazillion small hive beetle eggs in that bucket too, and I don't have a day to use on some inventive solution. I need to get it done with what I've got.

I have in my arsenal a paint filter bag from a box store or it might be a Little Giant honey filter bag (is the same thing). So I lined my bottling bucket with that, tied it tight as KathyP reminded me.  Then I washed my hands up to the elbows and dove into the honeycombs, smushing and stirring. I tried to make the little balls of wax yall suggested but it didn't really happen right.

Then I poured the mash into the filter bit by bit, til the level of honey was up to the middle of the filter so I wasn't making progress. I got the rest of the mash into the bag in the bucket. I untied it from the bucket and wrapped it up tight into a ball that is bucket sized. I tied it tight at the top.

It is heavy, I don't have a good place to hang it, and my place is pretty humid anyway. So I got a grate out of my oven and put it on the bucket and the filter bag-ball on top of the grate. Of course the ball is going to deform and roll and miss the bucket with the drips. So I got another bucket (clean) and put it upside-down over the ball on the grate, aligned with the bottom bucket. And some weight on top to hold it.

I'm running errands now, but later I'll empty that bag into my crock-pot with some water on low and make a big puck of the cappings.

Then I'll spend a solid half hour scrubbing the honey and stomped wax bits out of the textured floor. Because who would put newspaper down first anyway?

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[yes2matt]

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.

L'eggs pantyhose, the knee-high stocking kind. You fasten it at about half-length to whatever gate valve or spigot. Then it's like a water balloon it stretches long and expands as it gets full of stuff. When finished you hang/drain it like you would any other filter. The nylon compresses inwards and you get a single loose clod of cappings etc.

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[FloridaGardener]

All I've done is comb honey.  Yes, those trimmings...

Re: SHB eggs - - I freeze the whole frames before cutting to container-size.  Or freeze the cut honey for a few days.

If you extract/scrape the midrib of the frames to salvage the wax, you will get some wax "foundation" for your supers. But the honey comb MY bees make is often only good for end frames - not even drone frames - because they bring it in so fast the comb is usually loopy, overlarge, and certainly not worker-cell sized.  So that frame with a midrib? It has to wait to be used again for honey only...or it may just be a target for moths, if the bees can't patrol it.

Although it's worth it to do a "first press crush & drain" to capture the honey in cut-comb trimmings, bear in mind that wax flakes in it will cause that honey to crystallize faster.  Also it'll have a light foam of wax floating to the top.

I gave up trying to get a "second press crush & strain." Instead I make a lot of customers happy by making "honey for tea" by heating to 130F and killing ALL the beneficial enzymes - which many of my customers specifically WANT to do by using honey in hot tea.  So we have a meeting of the minds.  I can skim wax after cooling, I get a little Maillard Effect in the honey, and they LOVE the stronger taste and they don't need to promise me they won't spoil raw honey by using it in tea. 

[yes2matt]

I gave up trying to get a "second press crush & strain." Instead I make a lot of customers happy by making "honey for tea" by heating to 130F and killing ALL the beneficial enzymes - which many of my customers specifically WANT to do by using honey in hot tea.  So we have a meeting of the minds.  I can skim wax after cooling, I get a little Maillard Effect in the honey, and they LOVE the stronger taste and they don't need to promise me they won't spoil raw honey by using it in tea.

Iddee suggested your second press technique as a first press technique, actually. Ha! I did what I did but I'm having my mind pried open by all this. If I had done this, I wouldn't have had to worry about the (cooked) SHB eggs. And, since it's really not raw anymore, I could just package it in ... whatever jar I found and sell as cooking/tea honey, or ... it's perfect for mead, isn't it!  dun dun dun..

[Bill Murray]

MATT after freezing put them in a jar, Add honey and sell. Youll be amazed

[Occam]

Hypothetically...you've already started the crush and strain from your recent harvest, and have roughly a gallon or so of honey after straining the cappings. How big of a concern are shb eggs in the honey? Should it be frozen to kill the eggs? Or should it be fine? Maybe I missed the answers to these questions, or misunderstood,  but if someone can set me aright I'd be much obliged. Asking for a friend 

[The15thMember]

Hypothetically...you've already started the crush and strain from your recent harvest, and have roughly a gallon or so of honey after straining the cappings. How big of a concern are shb eggs in the honey? Should it be frozen to kill the eggs? Or should it be fine? Maybe I missed the answers to these questions, or misunderstood,  but if someone can set me aright I'd be much obliged. Asking for a friend 

Tell your friend that I usually don't freeze my honey before crushing and straining, and I've never had a problem with suddenly finding SHB larvae in my honey, and some of it is has been on the shelf several years.  If I was doing any sort of comb honey I would freeze it, but for runny honey, I don't think it's an issue. 

[Ben Framed]

MATT after freezing put them in a jar, Add honey and sell. Youll be amazed

Good suggestion Bill, I for one can see the reasoning.. Thanks..

[Ben Framed]

I usually don't freeze my honey before crushing and straining, and I've never had a problem with suddenly finding SHB larvae in my honey

I 'extract' before freezing as well Reagan. No problems for me either.... I let the bees clean the empty comb then freeze those for storage..