2.2 Methods for uncapping and separating cappings

Question 1

Knife

Answer 1

Clean, quick, easy
Risk of injury, uneven, water on blade
Electric over heating

Question 2

Uncapping fork

Answer 2

Minimal honey in tray, easy cheap, good on uneven com

slow, risk of injury, messy

Question 3

Plane

Answer 3

Easy on new comb

Can overheat

Question 4

Hot air

Answer 4

Simple operation, no waste

Spits wax, slow, messy, risk of injury, can overheat honey, no cappings

Question 5

Roller

Answer 5

Easy

Messy (wax everywhere inside extractor)

Question 6

Separate cappings - straining

Answer 6

Sieve for 24 hrs, filter by adding to tank. Feedback to bees to clean remainder
No equipment needed, better wax/slow and laborious

Question 7

Separate cappings - melting

Answer 7

Melt in a heat tray 62-64°C. Cool. Wax floats to top
Filter honey before adding to tank
Relatively quick/heat degrades honey, messy

Question 8

Separate cappings - centrifuge

Answer 8

For small quantities, hang cappings in straining cloth securely in extractor and rotate
- For large quantities, employ centrifuge
- Strain honey before adding it to the honey tank
Quick, efficient recovery of wax and honey/Costly if employing centrifuge, can be fiddly to set up in extractor, need to ensure secure and in plane of rotation in order to minimise wobble on unit