Uneven Cappings

[timdalyiii]

When I did my first honey extraction a couple of weekends ago, I extracted to boxes.  One box was drawn out nice and it was easy to slice the uncapping knife down the frames.  The second box was very uneven and not drawn out enough to use the knife.  I used a fork to scratch the caps off (what a mess).

Why was it so uneven?  Is it due environmental issues (weather, nectar flow, etc) or did I do something wrong?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Bee-Bop]

While not actually seeing your frames, I would have to guess.

Did you have the frames all shoved together, if a gap between they will build out/fat, were these new foundations, they will sometimes build out/fat on one and leave the one next to it shallower.

Sometimes they will bulge out in places and be shallow in other's on the same frame.

They will "usually" build more even comb on the second time around using the old comb.

Many things can happen, remember bee's don't follow human rules, they will do as bee's do !

Remember to take all information on inter-net boards with a grain or two of salt.

PCM

[mherndon]

I also had uneven comb.  I extracted about 2 months ago and put the drawn comb back on the hives to hopefully target Sourwood honey.  The drawn comb from the first extraction was no deeper than the first uncapping.  I would have thought they would bring it back out.  Some of my new foundation had honey capped and the cells were only 1/4 inch deep.  Had to scratch them open.  Some of the frames I put back 2 months ago had some brood in them.  I added a queen excluder and these cells were deeper than the surrounding cells of capped honey.  I was hoping for a nice even cut on this extraction, but was all over the board on cell depth.  There is still a lot to learn and somethings may never get answered. 

Mark