The club upgraded their honey extractor by purchasing a used one from Dave Korver. Harlan Ten Haken went through and serviced our old extractor (Thanks Harlan) that will be made available to club members on an upcoming auction so stay tuned for details forthcoming. It is a 4 frame tangent extractor (meaning you have to switch the frames around and do both sides). Below are directions on how to use/checkout the club extractor. Thanks to Ron for organizing and of course to Jay for the use of his facilities.
Jay Schuiteman provides the location and the room and we still owe Jay a large debt of thanks. Here are some “rules” that we all need to adhere to:
1. 4352 Ironwood Ave., Orange City, Iowa 51041 is his address. Directly across the street from the sheriff’s office. He has added a larger building in front but the extractor door is still in the original section a bit further east. When you open the “man door”, take a few steps inside and the sliding door on your left opens to the extracting room. Light/fan switches to the left. There is an AC unit on the floor on the north side of the room. There is a new hot water heater, so it won’t run out as soon now.
2. The new extractor will hold 12 small frames, and 6 large frames. (Each section has 4 slots for shallow frames; place large frames in slots 1 and 3. If balance is an issue, choose slots 2 and 4). All frames set in the slots with the large top bar facing out, and there is no turning them around halfway through. (radial system) This system allows them to run at a higher speed for a longer time. Suggestion: set it going with the first frames you uncap, and then let it run while you uncap the next set, letting them sit in the uncapping tub meanwhile. Balance is important, of course, so get creative: if you have two frames left at the end, load up the opposite side with several empties to provide balance. The spout is now on the left, near the sink. When you’re all done and you wish to tip the unit, you’ll have to undo the turnbuckles, because the stand is bolted down. Beware that if you don’t open the drain spout soon enough, the collected honey in the bottom will slow the machine down, so watch that closely. There will always be honey in the bottom when you arrive, and some of your honey will remain for the next guy, so it all works out, basically.
3. We laid down red paper on the floor and there’s a part roll there for cleanup. Please take care to keep the floor clean (honey stains cement). If you find drips at the end, please wipe them up with wet rags, and replace the paper if it’s really trashed when you’re finished.
4. If you have cappings in the uncap tray at the end, you can bring the tray home (there are two), but return it soon so there is at least one there always. If you bring home a gated bucket (several of them in the room now), bottle and return it clean asap as well. OK to bring your own buckets and wash all the equipment you leave behind when you’re done. (new sink in there too!). (Jay has made things as convenient as possible, and we thank him deeply for his generosity.)
5. Which leads to payment—leaving behind a jar of honey or an offering of money is entirely appropriate. He pays the electric bill and bought the original machine. Let’s all do our part. (we have not set a price because everyone has more or less boxes to extract. Free will).
6. Ron Rynders keeps the schedule. Please send email to ron.rynders@dordt.edu a bit in advance to see if the room is scheduled. I’ll try to space them a bit so that everyone has time to bring equipment home for their bees to clean off the honey. Please don’t just “show up”. Please return things soon.
7. If anyone has no experience and has questions, please contact Ron. 712-449-5010.
8. WARNING!! If you arrive with some boxes in a pickup, bring ALL of them into the room right away and proceed. If you leave wet boxes outside for a while, Jay’s bees will gladly help you uncap the whole lot.