Have You Been Using this Tool Wrong?

An uncapping fork may not be the fastest or the easiest tool to uncap frames for honey extraction, but it is the cheapest. Some beekeepers who have tried to use one will tell you it’s a novelty tool, not for actual use. They’re correct that it’s difficult to do use as your sole means of uncapping honey for a large harvest. But it’s a fantastic tool for anyone with two or three hives.
The biggest misconception is that the fork’s tines should be used to poke holes in all of the caps. This would take an eternity and you would have tendonitis by the time it was finished. Beginners who have never had a honey harvest are the only individuals would would try this. Anyone who has tried it once will find another method.
You can slide the fork underneath the caps and gently slide up the frame, but this method also takes a long time. It’s also easy to slip and remove more comb than you intended. This method is better for working tough spots.
The method i use is to push the tines slightly into the caps and pull down. This is a slightly more destructive method and there will be a heavy amount of wax in your honey. What it allows for is 1. Relative speed, much faster process than trying to gently slide under the caps, and 2. Control. With this method i never destroy excess comb.
To deal with the wax in the honey, let the freshly extracted honey sit for 24-48 hours and all of the wax will float to the top. I typically move the wax into my uncapping tank. Putting the wax into a strainer over an empty bowl would also work.
#honeyextraction
#beginnerbeekeeping
#beekeeping
#honeybees
#honeycomb

[@OlJarhead]

I have tried it both ways. Scratching and going under. For me… there is less damage to the comb and fewer cappings going under. But as with almost every aspect in beekeeping… whatever works best for each individual is the way to do it.

[@BeensBees]

With some wet-capped frames i almost have to go under. But the time is the thing for me, scratching is twice as quick. I think I'll be saving up for the Simple Harmony Farms Uncapper for next year. But they're currently backordered and I think got a pretty big price increase too ($300 to $400).

[@robinfrazier5940]

I personally like the little roller deal to roll across the frames with the capitanian it knocks all the tops off of them

[@Bobcagon]

Extracting for the hobbyist can be frustrating. The comb is a good tool. Heat in the room is of great benefit as it keeps the capping pliable.What I do is to use a propane torch to melt the capping. Starting from the bottom up. If the room is warm enough the capping stay fluid. I use the comb on some thicker wax areas. I do mine in my garage end of July.Pick a hot day and fly at it. Come mid August there is usually a dearth that’s when I give the bees the comb to clean up. Helps with the robbing if combs are far from the hives. Cheers.

[@geraltofrivia8529]

I think Bob binnie has a video on the effect of heat on honey

[@gazinta]

Use it starting from the bottom up. The cells are at a 17° tilt. Like a wine rack. Lay the frame horizontally as possible looking from the bottom to the top bar. Gently pluck the caps. They'll collect between the forks. Stab, pluck. Stab, pluck. All the way to the top. Wipe. Next row: Stab, pluck..... like 3 cells at a time each stab. Flip, and repeat. The screw should mark the sides of the top bar, not the short sides where the wood is thin and weak.

[@BeensBees]

I’m sure that you can get quick at this, but it sounds painstakingly slow. Am i wrong on that?

[@bluelab5019]

I used this method but it was such a pain filtering it. Just kept clogging up the filter

[@BeensBees]

I let the honey buckets sit for 24-48 hours and end up with a thick cap of wax on top. I move that wax straight over to the uncapping tank. Then i pour the honey through a 400 micron strainer.

[@thanosrevenisios]

hi..I'm beekeeper from Greece and I have Chanel in youtube

[@MinnesotaBeekeeper]

Lol I've never seen anyone use that to just poke holes.

[@BeensBees]

Big drop in mentoring in my area means people trying to figure out this stuff all on their own. And sometimes struggling in ways you couldn’t anticipate if you tried. People really stopped mentoring during 2020 and i’ve yet to see it pick back up.

[@davidsoloninka7742]

Excellent! What extractor do u recommend? Thx Ds

[@BeensBees]

Whatever one you can get your hands on! If you have a smaller harvest I’d try to get away with borrowing or renting an extractor. I was given my four-frame, hand-crank extractor by a retired beekeeper. If i scale up from here i’ll add a motor to my current extractor first. The big ones are so expensive, if i buy one soon it will be secondhand.

[@stanparker3528]

Thanks, great demo

[@BeensBees]

Thanks for watching!

[@robinfrazier5940]

I don't know what that captain of the world for the that was on my text before but that ain't what I said

[@BeensBees]

Autocorrect?