So I extracted a good 2 1/2 gallons yesterday, and here's my report so far...
Indy, you are definitely right about the depth of the extractor. Honey from two frames filled the bottom enough to hamper the spinning. So, drain often!
So, this is my first real experience with an extractor of any kind, commercial or otherwise, but I really like this one so far. We blew out two frames at first, and then finally figured out the correct technique for spinning out the honey. Anyway, the machine is perfect for what we need, although the racks in it are sized for deeps. It's kind of a little tricky for extracting shallows (what we did last night) - but the trick is to lay each frame down diagonally and opposite from each other (like any good centrifuge) to maintain balance. One of the blowouts occurred when the centrifugal force was imbalanced because one of the frames slipped (oops).BTW, I tried putting 2 shallows per rack since these were deep-sized, but they didn't fit. FYI. Anyway, I'm moving to all mediums after this, which should fit more snugly than the shallows.
The device comes with some very handy 600-, 400- & 200-micron strainers, and the buckets and spouts are great, and the handle works very well... definitely worth the 100 bucks. Perfect for home kitchen extraction!
Not thinking, however, we started at about 7:30pm, and it took us a while to get everything down pat and then cleaned up. I recommend doing this in the morning of your day off - NOT the night before you have to go back into school at the buttcrack of dawn, and have a few Battlestar Galactica episodes awaiting you following honey extraction. Am tired.
We've got another shallow still waiting to be uncapped and extracted (possibly sometime today), and we are getting plennnnnnnnnty of reaaaaaally good-tasting honey from our girls, with one more flow left from what I understand...
So, all is well over here with the extractor. I recommend it.
P.S. - By coincidence, a Chinese-speaking friend was at the house last night and explained that the writing on the front of the extractor translates roughly into "[Company name] Heaven Honey Machine"
:P