Some updates on the 6 frame radial manual extractor.
I managed to get my order after some waiting time. Currently the shippig logistics in NZ is slow because many people(employees) are in self isolation.
The extractor looks good overall however it is not a very good build in terms of quality.
There are some smaller issues and also some more alarming ones.
The mechanism looks good, runs well even if the axel is not sitting on a bearing. Will see how it performs in action.
The honey gate was easy to fit and there is no reason to be concerned about any leaking(it is a plastic honey gate).
There are 3 legs and the metal is thin so my idea is to fit few bits of wood inside those legs around the joining points. Also the palstic end caps are better to be replaced.
The plastic lids have sharp edges. Easy to fix with some sand paper. Also the lids do not have any hinge fittings. I will see what I can find in Mitre 10 Mega. Meanwhile I saw a video with this extractor in action and those beekeepers(Vietnam) did not use the lids at all.
Some bigger concerns.
I started assembling the extractor by fitting the legs to the top edge of the drum. When I moved to the bottom end I had to discover that the legs and the leg-jointer are far from each other. I managed to fit the bolts and nuts however I was afraid to tighten them too much. What if the welding at the bottom of the drum will break? I still have a 6 mm-ish gap at each leg. How will this hold itself under load? No idea.
My plan is to add washers to all bolts(top and bottom).
Inside the drum at the bottom there are rusty welding points. Can not do too much about it.
www.beelinesupplies.co.nz
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