Author Topic: Cheap uncapper.  (Read 3958 times)

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Offline Perry

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Cheap uncapper.
« on: January 17, 2018, 12:39:36 pm »
I am more than happy with the uncapper I now use (vibrating jiggle knife) but am always open-minded to something new if it looks promising.
I saw this online and if it works half as well as the video illustrates it would be a decent way to go for any sideliner or entry level hobbyist with say a dozen hives or more. The simplicity is what stands out most, not much to break or go wrong.
Not that expensive either. :)

http://www.simpleharmonyfarms.com/simple-harmony-farms-uncapper.html
 
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Offline neillsayers

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Re: Cheap uncapper.
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2018, 03:51:10 pm »
clever! :)
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Offline Wandering Man

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Re: Cheap uncapper.
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2018, 08:37:39 am »
Nice!
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omnimirage

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Re: Cheap uncapper.
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2018, 04:44:25 am »
Very interesting!

Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Cheap uncapper.
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2018, 03:58:45 pm »
Can someone tell me how that capper actually works?  Is it perforating holes in the comb?  Is it removing the cappings?  I can't figure it out.  It looks like an old wringer washing machine and I don't think squeezing the comb is going to do the trick.  It sure looks easy in the video.

Offline Some Day

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Re: Cheap uncapper.
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2018, 05:24:01 pm »
Baker

It is slicing a slit through the wax cappings.  It is similar to a meat tenderizer used in butcher shops.  It may take a little longer to spin out the honey as the top of the comb cell is not completely removed.  At least that is my take on how it works.
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Cheap uncapper.
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2018, 07:47:48 pm »
It is cutting slits through the cappings so every cell has a cut and the weight of the honey pulls the cappings off because they are breached. it your cells are not drawn out all the way some hand work will still need to be done. Bushy mountain sells one that has a crank handle Ant there is a video of it being used.
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/The-Sideliner-Uncapper
They came out of Europe 5 to 10 years ago and the design has been copied over here. But for the price of the one Perry found that is hand fed you can not beat the price. that said I don't think you would want to feed a 120 frame extractor using one of them. Also with out a spring tension to allow the slicer rolls to open wider you can not push the frames all the way through as the top bar is wider than the space between the slicer rollers.
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Cheap uncapper.
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2018, 05:31:07 am »
I understand now.  Thanks for the explanation.  Perry's discovery is looking very appealing at that price.  That is affordable for many sideliners and hobbyists.

Offline efmesch

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Re: Cheap uncapper.
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2018, 11:59:08 am »
Apis, you mention the possible need for some hand asssistance with frames that are not fully built out.  What is the situation with frames that are built out extra wide---like when unccapping widely spaced nine frames instead of ten in a super?  Will the uncapper accommodate these wider frames without damaging the comb?
All told though, it looks very impressive.  Another advantage not mentioned is its small size.  For the hobby beekeeper, not having to put away a big machine after completing extraction can be a very big advantage.

Offline apisbees

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Re: Cheap uncapper.
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2018, 01:09:10 pm »
With fatter combs or Longer cells would be a better description the wheels would just cut deeper into the cells and possibly more of the wax would break off with the honey. Whether  a radial or tangent extractor is used and the temp and thickness of the honey could also effect the degree of cell breakage, as well as extractor speed. lets face it, if you have cold frames of thick honey and start the extractor at top speed you can strip a frame of all its wax and honey, even the comb if you are using wax of natural foundation.
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Offline Jacobs

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Re: Cheap uncapper.
« Reply #10 on: January 29, 2018, 12:42:00 pm »
I have the sideliner uncapper from Brushy Mountain.  I bought it used from a sideliner and past president of the Guilford County beekeepers.  I asked Kurt why he was getting rid of it/what he didn't like about it.  It was much easier to use with 2 people working it, and he usually extracted alone.  My neighbor and I generally extract together, and when we are doing a larger round of near or over 100 frames, the sideliner saves time and is easier on my back than bending over to do manual uncapping.

The roller/cutter technology has a few issues.  You will notice in the video that the frames of honey used were very fat.  Those work fine.  Ones that are capped, but of variable thickness do not get cut as well.  It takes a few passes to get as much cutting as the wheels will do, and then some scratching to finally get the low areas.  Having the frames warm so the cappings are soft also helps.  I am speaking of experience only with the Brushy Mountain sideliner.  Still,  I like it for our larger rounds of extracting.  It is much faster than a cold knife or the Maxant cappings planer.  You do not get nearly the amount of cappings wax and the bees seem to make use of the cut open cappings left on the cells.  I do not see shards of wax around the bottom boards when I put the extracted frames back on a hive for clean up or re-use.
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Offline efmesch

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Re: Cheap uncapper.
« Reply #11 on: January 29, 2018, 02:12:15 pm »
Jacobs, in a short response you compacted a number of very important considerations:
1. Thin frames  (low areas, or short cells in Apis' terminology) need additional help
2. warm frames uncap better
3. minimal loss of cappings wax
4. bees seem to re-use the cappings

There's nothing like learning from the voice of experience. 
Thanks.