extracting honey from foundationless frames

[Mikiko Murakami]

When extracting honey from foundationless frames using an electric extractor:
1. What are the best/easiest ways to support the comb?

2. Speed?

3. Any other tips?

[Paula Breen]

Hi Mikkiko,

I have found that extracting them on the radial axis is much better at keeping the comb from flying out of the frame. The force on the tangential axis tends make the wax fall off more easily. If it is an older frame of foundationless and they have attached it on all sides, I will crank the speed up a little bit higher as the older wax isn't as delicate. If it is new comb and/or not attached all the way around, I rubber band it in and keep the speed lower, basically just fast enough that I can see honey coming out on the sides of the extractor drum. 

Good luck! 

Paula 🐝 🌻 🍯 

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[Gerald Przybylski]

Our foundationless honey frames have two stiff wires from top to bottom bars to support comb not attached on 3 or 4 sides.
We find Tangential orientation is faster for us.
The basket wires of our extractor supports the comb quite well in tangential orientation.
1. uncap and load frames
2. spin slow for about half a min to get 80% if the honey out of that side.
3. Flip the frames over. Spin slow for 15 sec. Start ramping up the speed.
< if the extractor shakes too much, stop and adjust where the frames sit in the basket to get a more symmetrical weight distribution >
4. Spin fast for another minute or two.
5. Flip the frames over again and spin fast for another minute or two.
-- done

Spinning fast in our extractor (180 RPM) doesn't generally break foundationless comb WHEN it is attached on all sides
and supported by the basket.
Brood comb is much less fragile than yellow comb.
New white comb is most fragile especially when cold.

If comb breaks, rubber-band around it.  The bees will fix it.

Granulated honey in the combs greatly increases stress on the comb when spinning fast.

That's my 2¢

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[Mikiko Murakami]

Hi, Paula and Jerry!
Thank you - SUPER helpful. Some (hopefully final) questions:

1. Would either/both of you have photos of what your radial vs tangential setups in the extractors look like?
2. Does it matter which club extractor I borrow for this? We have mostly frames with foundation, with some foundationless frames.
3. What do you use for uncapping (foundationless frames)?

Thank you!

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[YDK (Yateendra)]

Hi Mikkiko, 

Thanks for asking this question! While we are waiting for a response from Paula and Jerry, I was very curious and so I just literally typed radial vs tangential frame loading for honey extraction in Google. See that search and results here. The associated you tube video explains it very well, see that video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbuGvWcHyhQ&pp=ygUKI3N0YW5kc3B2Yw%3D%3D&t=889.

I have not used the extractor and so it was good to learn about this along with you!  

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[J R]

Thanks Mikkiko , i love Jeff he make great video with a good sense of humour ! 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 10, 2025, at 3:20 PM, YDK (Yateendra) <yatee...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Paula Breen]

Oooh sorry I never got back! This fell off my radar. Hopefully Yateendra's response helped. 

I'm not sure about the club extractors but I think you can find more info on the members only part of the website.

I use an uncapping fork for all extracting. I ditched the hot knife immediately - seemed like it was scorching the honey, but maybe I got a crap model. Anyway I'm used to the fork now so that's all I use. I tried one of those uncapper roller machine doo-dads but it didn't work for me very well. I still had to use the fork a lot because I do a lot of foundationless and if the frame isn't fat and perfect the device doesn't work well.  Here's a link to what I'm talking about about. Some people really like them. You can find YouTube videos. 

Hope this helps! 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/276881071774?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=Ou2px6NgQFi&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=1yJH4PvZRDW&stype=1&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=MORE

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[Mikiko Murakami]

Thank you, everyone! All of the responses have been very helpful!

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