Combined Uncapping Can and Cappings Press

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 82, Issue 6, 15 June 1951, Page 482

Combined Uncapping Can and Cappings Press

ALL methods of uncapping bee combs for extraction of honey entail the removal of a considerable quantity of honey with the wax cappings, and heat is usually applied to separate the honey from the wax. Where honey and wax cappings are dealt with in this way there is a danger of overheating the honey and spoiling its

natural colour and flavour.. In this article

D. Roberts,

, Apiary Instructor, Department

of Agriculture, Auckland, describes a combined uncapping can ' and cappings press used by Mr. B. G. Sharp, of Matakana, North Auckland, to deal with cappings without injury to the honey. The press has proved most effective and economical to operate and is easily constructed.

THE materials required to build the press are: — One tinned metal tray 22Jin. in diameter x 6in. deep fitted with a standardtype honey gate with a ljin. outlet. One circular bottom board 21Jin. in One circular bottom board 21Jm. in diameter made of lin. timber with 5 supporting crossbars each Jin. x fin. attached to each side of the board. The board is covered on one side with a piece of Chrysler queen excluder. _ , „ ~ . .. One wooden iollower 19 Jm. in ameter, lj-m. thick, and strengthened by wooden slats on each side Jin. wide and Jin. thick and set Jin. apart as illustrated below. The follower is also covered on one side with a Chrysler queen excluder.

One basket 21|in. in outside diameter and 12in. deep. This is constructed of top bars of Hoffman frames with the grooves widened to fin. and deepened to Jin. and is supported and held in shape by two tinned metal widA ho ° ps each 2in ' Y lde - . O ne uncapping bar 22 2 m. x 2in. x lm. One screw jack »of the type used to lift lorries or tractors and with not less than 12in. lift. A tractor jack with an extension welded to the top is quite satisfactory. . , ~ n . . ~ , . -+^ e + s^ i n diameter to ?? between the foot of the jack and tpe toliower - One piece of 6in. x 4in. timber of good quality. The length will depend

on the space available. In the original design a length of 12ft. has given excellent results. Sufficient steel 2in. x Jin. to anchor the pivots of the beam securely to the floor. Apart from the tray, for the construction of which the services of a tinsmith or plumber will probably be required, the manufacture of the circular bottom board, follower, and basket should be well within the capabilities of any beekeeper who has simple wood-working machinery available. Method of Use The circular bottom board is placed in the tray with the excluder side upward and the wooden slat basket set on top of the board. The basket is then lined with well-washed scrim or hessian and the uncapping bar is placed in position. Cappings fall directly into the basket, which is of sufficient size to hold the cappings of from 20 to 25 supers, about 4 hours’ work for one man. The follower is placed in position with the excluder side downward and pressure is applied with the jack until the free end of the beam is lifted to its upper limit. No further attention is required, as the weights attached to the free end of the beam exert continual pressure. An hour is sufficient for the separation of the honey from the wax and at the end of this period the wax can be removed from the basket. It may be more convenient to use two smaller baskets than one large one, but this is not important, provided the work of uncapping is not hindered. The pressure exerted in the press is governed by the length of the beam and the amount of weight suspended from the free end. For satisfactory separation it has been found that a total pressure of from 3 to 5 tons is required.