Stirring soft set honey

[Levitt53]

I'm planning to make some soft set honey next year and am currently making my shopping list. The food stirrers the honey companies sell need you to connect it to a drill. Considering I've thoroughly cleaned the equipment, my kitchen and everything else to try not to get anything unwanted in the honey I really don't think I should be holding an oily drill from the depth of the shed over it, it just doesn't seem right to me. Are there any alternatives? I was wondering whether a hand held blender would do the job although this might be too aggressive. I don't plan to do too much so I think it would be an ok size. Any thoughts from your experience.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Loads of people use drills.
Mine is neither dirty nor oily
It takes only a couple of minutes to stir your honey. Make sure both seed and honey are nice and warm at 35 degrees
I’ve just made some.

I suppose you could buy a drill cover like they use in operating theatres if you are really fussy

 

[Erichalfbee]

PS
No need for a fancy stirrer really
Just use a long wooden spoon and make sure you don’t introduce any air
Might take a little longer and be harder work
I’m sure I made my first batch like that

 

[Beefriendly]

Or treat yourself to a professional creamer.
Depends how much soft set you make in a year.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Loads of people use drills.
Mine is neither dirty nor oily

I use one of my cordless ones, quick wipe with a damp cloth to shift any dust and it's good to go.

 

[pargyle]

I use one of my cordless ones, quick wipe with a damp cloth to shift any dust and it's good to go.

Or go berserk .... splash out four jars of honey on a new drill and keep it just for your honey stirring...

https://www.screwfix.com/p/mac-allister-mshd600-600w-electric-impact-drill-240v/294gf

and while you are shopping:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OX-Pro-Neg...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=08EQNMY8THXAN09Z1QJ1

 

[sjt]

I've just been given a KitchenAid and I'm wondering if I can use the dough mixing bit to do some soft set, I only want a few jars so the bowl would be big enough. Has anyone tried it this way?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I've just been given a KitchenAid and I'm wondering if I can use the dough mixing bit to do some soft set, I only want a few jars so the bowl would be big enough. Has anyone tried it this way?

There’s no secret to soft set. All you need to do is to mix the seed in thoroughly. If your making an amount that fits a mixer bowl just use a spoon

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Or go berserk .... splash out four jars of honey on a new drill and keep it just for your honey stirring...

https://www.screwfix.com/p/mac-allister-mshd600-600w-electric-impact-drill-240v/294gf

and while you are shopping:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OX-Pro-Neg...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=08EQNMY8THXAN09Z1QJ1

I'll have to wait for SWMBO to come down off the ceiling after learning I've splashed out on a new 20 frame extractor first, and convince her it only cost a few buckets of honey

 

[Erichalfbee]

and while you are shopping:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OX-Pro-Neg...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=08EQNMY8THXAN09Z1QJ1

Now that looks neat

 

[Beefriendly]

Neat...but It looks like it will introduce a lot of air into the soft set. Nowt worse than soft set with a frothy head after bottling.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Provided you keep it submerged it should be ok?

 

[Beefriendly]

Provided you keep it submerged it should be ok?

In my past experiences no. These "paint mixers" types creates an "eddy" pattern on the surface as they mix which introduces the air. Some have said if you run your drill in reverse it prevents this. I tried running drills slower but nope, every time I got a small amount of froth rising to the top of jars. I should qualify I'm usually making 50 litre batches of soft set so not sure how it reacts on smaller quantities.
I tried running the drill slowly but still always got a "cream" that ran to the surface after bottling. Best I found was that Huge Potato type masher that Thiornes sell, but that became a a lot of physical effort.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Happy to be corrected.
The screw type that Thorne’s sell works for me but I just make 100 or so jars and a few 3lb tubs

 

[Ian123]

Am sure some suppliers must still do a creamer a simple disc plunger with a few holes in it mounted on a 3ft pole and cross bar type handle.

 

[Beefriendly]

Am sure some suppliers must still do a creamer a simple disc plunger with a few holes in it mounted on a 3ft pole and cross bar type handle.

Thornes, thats the potato masher type I mentioned. Does a really good job.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Does that do a better/equal job than the screw type?
Needs no drill, anyway

 

[pargyle]

In my past experiences no. These "paint mixers" types creates an "eddy" pattern on the surface as they mix which introduces the air. Some have said if you run your drill in reverse it prevents this. I tried running drills slower but nope, every time I got a small amount of froth rising to the top of jars. I should qualify I'm usually making 50 litre batches of soft set so not sure how it reacts on smaller quantities.
I tried running the drill slowly but still always got a "cream" that ran to the surface after bottling. Best I found was that Huge Potato type masher that Thiornes sell, but that became a a lot of physical effort.

I got a very similar one in stainless steel by accident .. ordered a powder coated one from Amazon to mix up floor screed and they sent a much better quality stainless one (of course I told them about their mistake and they told me to keep it) .. it was far too good to use for floor screed and paint so I used it for some soft set mixing last year and bought a cheap one for the screed.. it was only a 30 lb bucket of honey 3/4 full to be honest. Just used it on the lowest drill speed and kept it moving around the bucket. I didn't get any sign of bubbles or a vortex but it was driven by a cordless drill and it ran very slowly. Did the job .. and it's a permanent resident in my bee box.

 

[Ian123]

Best bet get a drill and take it slow....used 1 of the above type for years it does the job.

 

[Millet]

I see a seed mentioned now and again..it is not needed..the honey is warmed to 45c to make it liquid and then mixed with a drill..five minutes every hour does a good job with a paint stirrer mounted to a bucket ..the paint stirrer I use pulls it up over so no bubbles get sucked down..the drill is a 24v cordless with no oil or grease..a brushless model is now on the market which has me thinking.