How is this even a topic? It just is.
This is how I lubricated my honey extractor yesterday, keeping in mind this is just how I do it. I didn’t learn how to do this by reading a book. There’s not much to it, but I took pictures the whole time and I hate to see good pictures go to waste, so here it is.
I spent $1,400 (Canadian) on the extractor probably around my 4th year of beekeeping. I sold honey to pay for it. Before that, I spent $120 on a homemade extractor which was fine if I only had to extract a small number of frames, but the DIY novelty of it wore off pretty quick.
These days, when I want to extract honey, I uncap about six medium frames at a time, place them in the extractor, gradually turn up the power and then walk away for 10-15 minutes. Most of the honey is probably extracted within the first few minutes, but I let it go a little longer so the frames are as dry and light as can be.
Frame cage holds 6 medium frames and 3 deep frames.
Specifically, it requires a food-grade lubricant like this.
I try to lubricate my extractor every year, usually around the same time I give it a top-to-bottom cleaning. So the first thing I did after cleaning it was degrease and lube up the cage.
The grease got a little dark over the winter.
I cleaned it out with a cotton swab.
I had to use several cotton swabs but the end result was pretty spic and span.
I cleaned out the hole in the bottom of the extractor with a cloth and a cotton swab. Then I pulled out my trusty tube of lube and gave it a squeeze.
I applied some of the goop to a cotton swab.
Then I stuck it in the hole.
A few wipes with the cotton swab spread it all around the side of the hole.
Then I put it all back together and I was done, ready to extract some honey this weekend.
My Maxant 3100p extractor sitting in my driveway.
That’s all she wrote.