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Tangential extractor & wide spaced combs

PostPosted:09 Jul 2019, 11:19
by Jules59
I have a small 4 frames tangential extractor.
I was wondering if comb that has been fully drawn out on widely spaced super frames (eg on castellated runners) will present problems when using a tangential extractor as the comb will be wider than the frames ?
Is there more damage to the comb?
Is a radial extractor better for these frames?

Re: Tangential extractor & wide spaced combs

PostPosted:09 Jul 2019, 12:59
by Patrick
You should be fine on wired foundation. Castellated spacing or wide plastic spacing allows you to extract fewer but fatter combs.

The action of the
Tangential is used gently, change sides, then more oomph and reverse once more. You may find the face of the drawn out comb gets a bit crushed against the cage wires but the bees will sort out. Don’t be tempted to just do a single reverse just building up the speed on each side - the mass of honey left on the unsound side on a wide spacing may simply distort or dislodge the comb out of the frame with a satisfying “bang” noise then everything goes wobbly. Or becomes embedded in the cage.

I have made it sound a more time consuming and laborious process than it really is with only a few boxes to do. Once / if you have more than a few I would look into a radial which is much quicker or borrow the association one if they share one.

Still handy to have your own for those few frames now and again. I now used unwired foundation in supers, so just have to go carefully even with a radial for the first season of being drawn out fat. Also beware of super combs with pollen in - it will not extract and make a blow up much more likely if you get carried away with your workout.