How do you guys handle extracting bottle neck.

[Yankee11]

As I am working on honey house layout, I have a question.

Our biggest bottle neck on extracting day is the filter. As we get more and more honey we are gonna have to find a solution. Right now we pour from extractor through the filter into 5 gallon buckets but that holds the process. Do you just fill up 5 gallon buckets then filter it later. Those 5 gallon buckets
get heavy when trying to pour through the filters.

Just looking for ideas to help us be more efficient.

[Ray4852]

I use a 5 gallon pail filter along with two stainless filters To clean the honey from extractor.  I let honey sit in bucket for a week to let the air bubbles raise to the surface. Skim from top if it needs it. Open spout on bucket, fill containers with filtered honey.

[brooksbeefarm]

We just strain ours once, i set the five gallon under the drain valve of the extractor and strain it through the stainless steel funnel with a fine curtain material between the two funnels into the 5 gal. bucket. Works great. Jack

[riverbee]

yankee, i hear ya!

do you use a sieve before the honey hits the filter?  this would help.

i strain twice. what i do now is, when the honey runs out of the extractor, i use a double sieve, and under the sieve is a fine pail filter. let it settle, skim off the top and strain again through a fine filter again, according to what i am going to go through immediately. i only do the second straining as i need the bucket of honey. i don't bottle all the honey at once, too many buckets of honey to do this and i would really run into problems with crystallization.  my buckets are allowed to freeze or crystallize.  no problem. pop the lid, skim off the top. heat the bucket, skim as needed, and strain again through a fine filter only. that's how i do it.  nice and clear.  everyone is different and depends on how clear you want your honey yankee?  and if you are saying how heavy those 5 gallon buckets are when straining the second time....... ........ yes they are.....

[riverbee]

yankee,
this is the double sieve i use, it is more efficient than the others with the rounded bottoms.  this sieve is 2 pieces, but whats cool about it is, the concave bottom part that allows more honey to run out and not get clogged up like the other double sieves with a convex shape and rounded bottom......if you use a pail filter coupled with a sieve when you are extracting, this will save you time......hope i made sense?

B & B Honey Farm Double Sieve

[Perry]

At this time I let the honey come out of the extractor into one of those stainless double sieve like most use, right into a 5 gallon pail.
http://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_73&products_id=457
I then pour it into 30 lb pails to settle out and let the air rise. Once it has set for a few days I pour it into my bottling tank, and in the center of the bottling tank I have another filter that it goes through before it comes out the bottling valve.
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/beekeeping-supplies/product/HH-385.html
My next step (and I have all the gear, just no space) is to have it go into my sump/ clarifier after it leaves the extractor,
http://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_75&products_id=406
and then pump it instead of carrying buckets. I will use a courser filter so as not to remove any of the good stuff.
http://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=631

Right now everything works out almost perfectly timing wise, but as you improve one area it will bottleneck elsewhere. Once I get my uncapper properly set up, I can see the extractor running will be the next bottleneck.

[lazy shooter]

Perry:

I think I have seen a honey house set up in the Mann Lakes catalog.  I would assume you could find lots of models to peruse.  Take some time with your planning, as do-overs are expensive.  Follow the old carpenter adage, "measure twice and cut once."

[LazyBkpr]

   Its when your extracting a LOT of frames that the filtering bottleneck becomes a pain. If I have a lot of frames to clear I will use the window screen filter I built under the extractor spout to catch the larger stuff and fill the 5 gallon buckets to keep things moving. That also allows me the time (later) to warm the honey in the buckets so it will go through the finer filters faster.

[lazy shooter]

   Its when your extracting a LOT of frames that the filtering bottleneck becomes a pain. If I have a lot of frames to clear I will use the window screen filter I built under the extractor spout to catch the larger stuff and fill the 5 gallon buckets to keep things moving. That also allows me the time (later) to warm the honey in the buckets so it will go through the finer filters faster.

How fine is your finish filter?

Lazy

[Yankee11]

I have a set of the Stainless Steel ones. I think they are 200 and 400. I also have a set of 3 plastic 200, 400 and 600.

We did around 120 gallons this summer and or hive count has gone from 18 to 45. So next summer (if things go good) I know that filtering the Honey through a 400 and 200 (as it comes out of extractor) will not be very workable.

I also thing think that my 5 gallon plastic pour buckets will need to upgraded to a larger Stainless Steel bottling tank.

So, I am thinking first off.

Filtering out of extractor through a course filter/window screen into 5 gallon buckets. Then later into a large SS bottling tank.  I think the next purchase would be for the large bottling tank. But that means we are still lifting and poring heavy 5 gallon buckets. I am thinking that Maxant Honey Pump would be next.

[Perry]

I have a set of the Stainless Steel ones. I think they are 200 and 400. I also have a set of 3 plastic 200, 400 and 600.

We did around 120 gallons this summer and or hive count has gone from 18 to 45. So next summer (if things go good) I know that filtering the Honey through a 400 and 200 (as it comes out of extractor) will not be very workable.

I also thing think that my 5 gallon plastic pour buckets will need to upgraded to a larger Stainless Steel bottling tank.

So, I am thinking first off.

Filtering out of extractor through a course filter/window screen into 5 gallon buckets. Then later into a large SS bottling tank.  I think the next purchase would be for the large bottling tank. But that means we are still lifting and poring heavy 5 gallon buckets. I am thinking that Maxant Honey Pump would be next.

Those pails seem to get heavier every year. I got a great deal on a stainless steel 45 (55 US) gallon honey tank with a valve. I had it filled and then got worried as it started to stiffen up so I emptied it into 30 lb honey pails that I can at least heat up as I need them. Not sure how I'll use it in the future.

 

[LazyBkpr]

  Yes, 200, 400, and 600..   the 600 will allow the honey through straight from the extrator. the 400 needs the honey to be mildly warm.. to use the 200 I need the honey to be about 80 degrees, 120 is better...   My normal filtering for myself is the 400 micron screen. If I intend to sell I use the 200 Micron screen.

[kebee]

 I filtering for myself is the 400 micron screen and sell it, I found people rather want it no more than that, the 200 takes to much of the pollen out of the honey.

Ken

[LazyBkpr]

I was under the impression it took heating and pressurized filtration to remove the pollen?

[Perry]

I would think it has more to do with micron size, but I've been known to be wrong before.

[riverbee]

scotts correct, and even with heating and pressurized filtration, it only reduces a certain amount of pollen.

i think it's what's referred to as "ultra filtration" that only removes pollen completely.