Uncapping plane

[rcannon]

I bought an uncapping plane on the advise of some of the good people on this forum ( thanks Riverbee ) and wish I'd done it sooner. That thing works great. If there's a easier way, I sure don't know what it would be.
I pulled 300 lbs of honey off 4 hives yesterday and uncapped faster than I could extract. This thing even speeds up the extracting because it opens up the cells so much better than what I was using. I would recommend one of these with full confidence.

[riverbee]

congrats on the honey rc!!!!......woowheee!!!.......

that maxant plane is by far the best.  i have used hot knives, but that maxant plane out does a hot knife......it's fast, and no strain on the wrist and you don't get tired. you can adjust the depth of the plane, but  best of all, you can replace the element for about 40$ ? when it dies, you don't have to buy a new one.  takes a great deal of use before it dies, i think i have replaced the element once in the last 10 years.  like you said you can quickly cut the caps off and get ahead of  extracting frames. 

thanks for posting the info!  happy you liked it!

[Jen]

I don't know what an uncapping plane is... guess I need a pic. Sounds like a planer that you would use to trim down wood. I'll look it up 

Okay I'm back... Yeeah! I would love one of these next year when I'll have a ton of honey to uncap 

[riverbee]

yep that's it jen,  they are showing it using it on a shallow super and uncapping with the frame sideways, and it looks to me like they took a little bit more off than need be?  you can dig into a frame with these very easily...... and also you need to move that plane a little quicker than shown.  i use 8 frames in in langstroth 10 frame medium supers. these frames get very thick. i don't uncap using the plane sidewise, i stand the frame and uncap lengthwise and tilted a bit, the cappings just roll off.  i also adjust the plane so very little is taken off, so the bees don't have to work so hard to redraw.  on a medium super frame, you will have to take two passes to each side, but it still goes quick. 

Maxant Uncapping Plane

[Woody Roberts]

I'm like Jen. I had to look it up and watch the video. Very interesting to say the least. I've always used a combination of a very sharp fillet knife and a capping scratcher. It's not as fast as I would like but I've never had much to do.

I look forward to the time that I actually need one of these.

[pistolpete]

That's what I use to uncapp.  The only thing I don't like is how smoking hot it gets.  I end up plugging it in for about 5 minutes and then unplugging while I continue to work until it's too cold, then plug in again.  One of these days I'll have to figure out some sort of temperature control gizmo.

[LazyBkpr]

   Would a rheostat work to regulate the temp or just burn out the element?

   I have seen them in adds, but never looked close.. I imagined a spinning blade. I figured I burned myself with my hot knife enough I didnt want to see what a blade might do to my knuckles..  Now that I have seen that vid (Thank you Jen!)  I am going to have to get one.  Looks like it will be MUCH easier on my wrist.

[riverbee]

pete, unplugging?  all you have to do is turn the switch off if not used.........?

once the switch is turned off, she cools down and only takes about another 3 minutes or less to heat up?  maxant says unplug but the on/off switch works for me.....

instructions and pretty right on, you don't need a thermostat:

Electric Uncapping Plane Instructions

[pistolpete]

I'm not sure what my model is, I inherited it from a retiring beek, but it does not have an on/off switch.

[Perry]

That looked kinda slow to me, I would have thought it was quicker.
I just bought one of these (used) only electric, not steam heated. I am hoping to use it this year. I would like to mount it vertically like in the video, but it is meant to be used horizontally.



http://www.pacificcrestapiaries.com/id33.html

[apisbees]

Perry
When we discussed this on the forum a while back in March the question was on my mind so I fired off an email to Maxent services and this is the reply.

From: Kelley Beekeeping [mailto:noreply@spiiider.com]
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2014 12:36 PM
To: Kelley Beekeeping
Subject: Kelley Beekeeping Form Submission

 

First Name

Keith

Last Name

Rae

Email

ApisBees@gmail.com

How can we help you?

Sales

Comments

I have a question about mounting your electric jiggle knife. All the old steam knives use to be mounted vertically over the capping spinner is it recommended to mount your electric jiggle knife that way?
RE: Kelley Beekeeping Form Submission
Inbox
   x
Jennifer Priddy <jennifer@kelleybees.com>
   
Mar 28
      
to me

With the electric vibrating knife you can mount it either way.  Horizontal or vertical.

 

Hope this information helps and if you need more help please give us a call.

 

Jennifer Priddy

Account Manager

The Walter T. Kelley Co.

I couldn't see that it would make any different to the operation of the knife
 

[riverbee]

"I'm not sure what my model is, I inherited it from a retiring beek, but it does not have an on/off switch. "

thanks pete, you must have an older model plane, that would be a pain unplugging and plugging it in.

"I end up plugging it in for about 5 minutes and then unplugging while I continue to work until it's too cold, then plug in again."

you mentioned that it get's 'smokin hot', maybe the element needs replacing?  i noticed just before mine gave up, the element got really hot, and i did what you did above, except i would flip the switch off and back on, and then it died. maybe contact maxant and ask them, they are very willing to answer questions.

[rcannon]

It wouldn't be hard to add a switch, any hardware store should have them. Mine has a switch, I'd cut it off when I was loading the extractor and on a few minutes before starting to uncap.
If you wanted an adjustable thermostat, a fairly inexpensive router speed controller will work. It's nothing but a rheostat. I don't know how the heating element will last but I really don't see it doing much harm.

[pistolpete]

thanks for the advice riverbee.  I hope you're wrong and the element lasts another few years    You can see the plane in the video above is smoking too.  Since I uncapp in the kitchen I can't have that.

[riverbee]

your welcome pete.........
not sure what the element life is, but only replaced mine once in the last 10-12 years i think? and some heavy use. sure got hot before it died.
the video, my HO....the plane is smoking because of the burned build up (honey) (using too slowly) or that build up has not been cleaned off of the plane from prior use.  i clean the plane after every extraction, or scrape any burned honey off if need be with a brass brush during extraction after it cools.  i don't get smoking from my plane like this video unless i  accidentally leave it on when i am not uncapping.   i have used my plane with the shut off switch for well over 10 yrs, and not had any smoking problems unless i pull the plane across the frame too slowly, or as i said left it on,  and have used it to uncap 30 supers at a time.  you have an older model, so it may be that the heat is higher in this unit.....?  not sure pete.  i would call maxant and talk to them and ask their opinion.  i do know, it sure was smoking hot when the element decided to blow out on me at the beginning of extracting 25 supers....