Barrels to buckets

[crazy_bull]

Anyone got a bright idea on how to get set honey from a barrel into buckets easily?

I'm lucky they are open top barrels not the ones with two small holes.

Long story short a buyer who intially wanted OSR honey in 45 gallon drums has changed their mind and now wants it in 30lb buckets

Luckily i have only barreled up 2 barrels so not the end of the world but it is set like concrete, short of building a warming cabinet specially for the job, any bright ideas?

Thinking i might have to carve it out with a stainless spade, but what a polava!

Who ever said the 'customer is always right' needs a bullet

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What about an electric blanket?

 

[For want of a better word]

tell them that they are in metric buckets, which just so happens to be the same as the old imperial 45 gallon drum!

 

[crazy_bull]

What about an electric blanket?

doubt it would be man enough but good thinking outside the box.

 

[crazy_bull]

tell them that they are in metric buckets, which just so happens to be the same as the old imperial 45 gallon drum!

I am seriously considering telling them to take it as initially agree but don't really want to loose the custom if they turn round and say they will go elsewhere.

 

[madasafish]

Place in conservatory or greenhouse in sun...

 

[huntsman666]

I agree with greenhouse. However to get high enough temperatures, many plants could be killed. Make sure the ground is wet to increase the humidity and some might be saved.

Expect (on a pretty good day temp as high as 40C. Might need a few days considering the mass of honey. Throw a blanket over the barrels at night.

 

[oliver90owner]

http://www.waxmelters.com/PRIMO-100...ey-Bottler-p/primo 1000 beekeeping melter.htm

This might do it easily, but I think you mean cheaply too!

I think I would be standing the barrel in a deep tank of water thermostatically controlled at about 45 degrees or a bit more! Probably take a while to melt it.

Regards, RAB

 

[oliver90owner]

Then there is this one........


http://www.anel.gr/index.php?option...l-flypage.tpl&product_id=297&Itemid=1&lang=en

Have fun, RAB

 

[craigavonb]

soil warming cable

Wrap the barrells with soil warming cables this should heat your honey in a day or two

 

[susbees]

I am seriously considering telling them to take it as initially agree but don't really want to loose the custom if they turn round and say they will go elsewhere.

Which would need them to find a seasonal product in that size of bucket. Hmm, the stick it on the UFH and wait isn't going to work. Sympathies...

 

[Poly Hive]

Find a Bee Farmer with the right kit and even then it takes three days. Pal of mine works them all the time but he is in Ross-Shire.

PH

 

[oliver90owner]

Wrap the barrells with soil warming cables this should heat your honey in a day or two

Give us a clue as to how many or what wattage? We are talking here of 250-300kg of honey per barrel!

RAB

 

[Nose Ma]

Random thinking...

Is OSR honey thixotropic? Ling is, but granulation and gelling are a little different.

Anyhow, my thinking was, if it's thixotropic could you strap a spin dryer to the barrel, or put it in a wheelbarrow and walk quickly over some cobbles, or anything to vibrate it. The vibration would liquefy it, so you could decant it.

Maybe to see if it is, get a small pot of it and see if it liquefies if left on the washing machine during the spin cycle.

As you can tell, I'm more about ideas than practicality.

I have no idea if it would work, and this is really the sort of thing that should only be tried on Mythbusters. Mind you, they'd just use explosives and ballistics gel.

I'll get me coat.

 

[Chris B]

Find a bee farmer who sells honey in barrels and do a trade:

He fills your buckets with 600kg of his honey.

You give him the 2 barrels to sell on.

I'd do it myself if you were closer.

 

[oliver90owner]

I'll get me coat.

A good idea! Better than the other one!!

Regards, RAB

 

[huntsman666]

Nice brain-storming session.

 

[beebreeder]

Try starting a thread on beesource, the americans use barrels a lot more than we do, they may have an idea or two

 

[Hombre]

Th*rne do a pedestal heater that might do the job, but the cost is silly.

I think your customer needs to be picking up some of your additional processing cost, even if it's just the cost of the buckets and stainless steel spade. Good luck.

It's amazing how much progress you can make with a hive tool and a strong stainless steel catering spoon when you set your mind to it.

 

[crazy_bull]

Find a bee farmer who sells honey in barrels and do a trade:

He fills your buckets with 600kg of his honey.

You give him the 2 barrels to sell on.

I'd do it myself if you were closer.

Yes looking to go down this route, am on the case with it hopefully......



Good idea about the thixotropic nature of ling, however to imagine how OSR sets in a barrel imagine ice cream that has partially melted then been re-frozen. Solid as hell!


C B