That's fantastic! Have you considered insulating that structure and warming the space? Or, is it already so warm that you don't need to do that. Nicely done, I'm so glad I stopped in to watch!
Thank you, I have considered insulating it. we are processing around 300 gallons of honey a year in that structure which is a 12x20 and we are probably going to have to get a bigger building. also my original idea was not insulating it along with a slightly to small air conditioner would act like a dehydrator during harvest which worked fairly well as we could keep humidity around 48% that way. this year fortunately we purchased a dehydrator and some space heaters to try drying honey prior to harvest. we kept it 90 degrees in there for 3 days at 28% humidity. we got our honey from 18.3% down to about 16.5%. it has been a very wet and humid summer here in northwest Alabama. at harvest time our temps ususally 88-97 degrees for highs and lows usually 70-76 with dewpoints around 68-74 in mid july.
I'm looking at getting this and a few other items for a new honey house. I still use 5 gallon buckets but will be moving to Asheville next spring and want to move up to 500 hives in a few years. Im looking at Lyson automatic extracting line but it's like 30k. I know I can sell honey in Asheville so I'll get my money back but there are many different kinds of equipment out there. Always looking for a better idea and it seems your on the same path as me.
I would like to get to the 100 to 150 colony range. unfortunately there is not alot of great options for sideliners in the honey harvesting part of beekeeping. i have been keeping bees for 15 years and have got to where i am without borrowing any money. my biggest mistake was not focusing on honeybee health and monitoring/controling mite numbers for over a decade. you can probably get decent used equipment on commercial beekeeper groups or classifieds. if you check out my playlist i have one called honey harvesting and processing., in there is a tour of my honey house. i have storage tanks now but i am going to switch to storing in drums so i can move them around and not have to bottle it all at once. i have also purchased a honey pump to help with this. thanks for watching and good luck..
I saw your honey house and oh my that's tight. I'm going to build a barn and have space for a honey house. The honey and bee business is going to be my retirement plan. I made a few bucks selling houses so I can invest in bees. I breed my own queens and have at least 6 different strains of bees. Like you I just love nature and bee's. Changes every day and i keep learning. You'll see me on your tube next year. I'm a creative director by trade so building a you tube site is a walk in the park. I will grow organics as well. Asheville goes nuts for that stuff and I can grow just about anything.
I agree Randal….I bought the same style in a 16-gallon size….Maxant makes quality and I don’t mind buying when it’s quality….I have a much smaller operation….I did 429 quarts this year….
@@randallcarter-carterhillho2277 Randal, was you at Kamon & Laurel’s conference this past weekend? I called my self “keeping an eye out for you” but never saw you.
@Don Bearden no sir i did not get to come. I signed up at first but i had to back out. I hopefully will get to come next year. I saw you on a couple of videos, and it was nice to see you. It looked like a blast for sure with a great bunch of people. I went last year and really enjoyed it. I hope to see you there next year or hopefully at our state meet in september if you attend that.
Where do you get your bottles at? I use this style bottle but the seals that come with the ones I order don’t seal so I’m looking for a new place to order from.
@@randallcarter-carterhillho2277 I have a different size tank and my heater is on the right as you look at it from the front and my drain plug is directly below the sight glass. You've got a nice operation, I'm more of a hobbyist that actually use my hives as mentor hives for the beekeepers club I'm in. I didn't use honey before becoming a beekeeper, I took a beekeeping course at the community college just to learn something new and got hooked. Have a great day!
Another great video with helpful information. Thanks for sharing. I'm trying to decide whether to buy a bottling tank like yours or a decapping tank. Which upgrade would you make first? My current uncapping tank is a plastic tote with a hardware cloth "screen" to catch the bulk of the cappings. I'm bottling out of a 5 gallon bucket with plastic honey gate. I have three of these. I hope to see you again in January in Sevierville.
Thank you. That's a hard call. I got the uncapping tank first but i was not even considering an uncapping tank at the time. Now because i am changing some of my strategies i got the bottling tank this year. If you are going to bottle honey as needed i believe i would get the bottling tank first as it will allow easier bottling in winter along with just making bottling much faster and easier overall. I am going to sell my stainless steel tanks and store honey in barrels going forward and bottle as needed.
@@randallcarter-carterhillho2277 What kind of adjustment do you have for the temperature? I bought a heater for my 5 gallon buckets. It works, but is terribly slow. I'll bet that tank is MUCH faster. Is the water jacket underneath or only on the sides of the container?
@@showmebees9431 i try to get honey around 95. It takes 2.5 -3 hours if honey starts around 75 degrees. It is jacketed on the bottom and sides up the fill spout which i had the white towel in.
I buy them in boxes of 12 from rossman apiaries. In moultrie, ga. It's not the cheapest but the boxes of 12 bottles are handy for me because I sell alot to stores.
@@randallcarter-carterhillho2277 I'm finding prices all over the map from barely reasonable to ridiculous. It seems the only people making any money are the suppliers! I can buy pint and quart mason jars with the lids cheaper at dollar general any other container. Country folks from around here don't mind and....they're getting a canning jar to boot. But...the slickers like the bears. What's so stupid is Mann lake and similar price the lids separate...grrr! You do good work and I appreciate your honesty and down home style. I'm just a hillbilly from KY and feel at home listening to you talk. I'd like to buy a larger extractor but so far the honey production isn't enough to justify it. I hate undersized and/or flimsy made stuff.
@@mark-wn5ek i buy my quarts from a man in columbia, tn. He has a good selection usually. If you are in south cdntral ky,. Might be a good option for you.
Good stuff Randall. I love my MAXANT bottling tank. Game changer..,
thank you
That's fantastic! Have you considered insulating that structure and warming the space? Or, is it already so warm that you don't need to do that. Nicely done, I'm so glad I stopped in to watch!
Thank you, I have considered insulating it. we are processing around 300 gallons of honey a year in that structure which is a 12x20 and we are probably going to have to get a bigger building. also my original idea was not insulating it along with a slightly to small air conditioner would act like a dehydrator during harvest which worked fairly well as we could keep humidity around 48% that way. this year fortunately we purchased a dehydrator and some space heaters to try drying honey prior to harvest. we kept it 90 degrees in there for 3 days at 28% humidity. we got our honey from 18.3% down to about 16.5%. it has been a very wet and humid summer here in northwest Alabama. at harvest time our temps ususally 88-97 degrees for highs and lows usually 70-76 with dewpoints around 68-74 in mid july.
Nice review, Randall. Glad it's working so well for your operation.
Thank you.
I’ve got the same tank Randall, though I did get a mixer with mine (got it used). Love it.
Great control. Thanks for the review.
I'm looking at getting this and a few other items for a new honey house. I still use 5 gallon buckets but will be moving to Asheville next spring and want to move up to 500 hives in a few years. Im looking at Lyson automatic extracting line but it's like 30k. I know I can sell honey in Asheville so I'll get my money back but there are many different kinds of equipment out there. Always looking for a better idea and it seems your on the same path as me.
I would like to get to the 100 to 150 colony range. unfortunately there is not alot of great options for sideliners in the honey harvesting part of beekeeping. i have been keeping bees for 15 years and have got to where i am without borrowing any money. my biggest mistake was not focusing on honeybee health and monitoring/controling mite numbers for over a decade. you can probably get decent used equipment on commercial beekeeper groups or classifieds. if you check out my playlist i have one called honey harvesting and processing., in there is a tour of my honey house. i have storage tanks now but i am going to switch to storing in drums so i can move them around and not have to bottle it all at once. i have also purchased a honey pump to help with this. thanks for watching and good luck..
I saw your honey house and oh my that's tight. I'm going to build a barn and have space for a honey house. The honey and bee business is going to be my retirement plan. I made a few bucks selling houses so I can invest in bees. I breed my own queens and have at least 6 different strains of bees. Like you I just love nature and bee's. Changes every day and i keep learning. You'll see me on your tube next year. I'm a creative director by trade so building a you tube site is a walk in the park. I will grow organics as well. Asheville goes nuts for that stuff and I can grow just about anything.
@@mileawayhoney2802 that is great, i wish you the best.
I agree Randal….I bought the same style in a 16-gallon size….Maxant makes quality and I don’t mind buying when it’s quality….I have a much smaller operation….I did 429 quarts this year….
Randal, very nice bottling tank! You’re the 4th person I know of that’s bought one of those in the last year. I hope your sales are going great!
Thank you, sales are doing pretty good.
@@randallcarter-carterhillho2277 Randal, was you at Kamon & Laurel’s conference this past weekend? I called my self “keeping an eye out for you” but never saw you.
@Don Bearden no sir i did not get to come. I signed up at first but i had to back out. I hopefully will get to come next year. I saw you on a couple of videos, and it was nice to see you. It looked like a blast for sure with a great bunch of people. I went last year and really enjoyed it. I hope to see you there next year or hopefully at our state meet in september if you attend that.
I like that rolling dolly what brand is it?
It is sold at harbor freight. Only brand they have. Brand is haul master.
Looks like an awesome bit of kit :)
Thank you.
First!!! That's really slick!!! Thanks Randall!!
Thank you. I really like it.
@@randallcarter-carterhillho2277 Hopefully I will get to your level one day.
@@randallcarter-carterhillho2277 How's the weather? Getting a lot of rain?
@@rodneymiddleton9624 raining again, hoping we get a break today. I need to do some bee work today.
very nice
Where do you get your bottles at? I use this style bottle but the seals that come with the ones I order don’t seal so I’m looking for a new place to order from.
The plastic bottles i get from rossman apiaries in moultrie, ga. The quarts i get in columbia, tn.
@@randallcarter-carterhillho2277 thanks!
Did you place your heating element on the opposite side than it's supposed to be?
There is only one place it can go on this tank. The other side is drain plug which is much smaller.
@@randallcarter-carterhillho2277 I have a different size tank and my heater is on the right as you look at it from the front and my drain plug is directly below the sight glass. You've got a nice operation, I'm more of a hobbyist that actually use my hives as mentor hives for the beekeepers club I'm in. I didn't use honey before becoming a beekeeper, I took a beekeeping course at the community college just to learn something new and got hooked. Have a great day!
Another great video with helpful information. Thanks for sharing. I'm trying to decide whether to buy a bottling tank like yours or a decapping tank. Which upgrade would you make first? My current uncapping tank is a plastic tote with a hardware cloth "screen" to catch the bulk of the cappings. I'm bottling out of a 5 gallon bucket with plastic honey gate. I have three of these. I hope to see you again in January in Sevierville.
Thank you. That's a hard call. I got the uncapping tank first but i was not even considering an uncapping tank at the time. Now because i am changing some of my strategies i got the bottling tank this year. If you are going to bottle honey as needed i believe i would get the bottling tank first as it will allow easier bottling in winter along with just making bottling much faster and easier overall. I am going to sell my stainless steel tanks and store honey in barrels going forward and bottle as needed.
Also i am planning on being at conference as well. Hope to see you there.
@@randallcarter-carterhillho2277 What kind of adjustment do you have for the temperature? I bought a heater for my 5 gallon buckets. It works, but is terribly slow. I'll bet that tank is MUCH faster. Is the water jacket underneath or only on the sides of the container?
@@showmebees9431 i try to get honey around 95. It takes 2.5 -3 hours if honey starts around 75 degrees. It is jacketed on the bottom and sides up the fill spout which i had the white towel in.
@@showmebees9431 temp adjustment is rotary knob, it is capable of melting beeswax and boiling water.
Where do you like to buy your plastic bottles and labels Randall?
I buy them in boxes of 12 from rossman apiaries. In moultrie, ga. It's not the cheapest but the boxes of 12 bottles are handy for me because I sell alot to stores.
@@randallcarter-carterhillho2277 I'm finding prices all over the map from barely reasonable to ridiculous. It seems the only people making any money are the suppliers! I can buy pint and quart mason jars with the lids cheaper at dollar general any other container. Country folks from around here don't mind and....they're getting a canning jar to boot. But...the slickers like the bears. What's so stupid is Mann lake and similar price the lids separate...grrr! You do good work and I appreciate your honesty and down home style. I'm just a hillbilly from KY and feel at home listening to you talk. I'd like to buy a larger extractor but so far the honey production isn't enough to justify it. I hate undersized and/or flimsy made stuff.
@@mark-wn5ek i buy my quarts from a man in columbia, tn. He has a good selection usually. If you are in south cdntral ky,. Might be a good option for you.
Where did you get your white lids for your jars? Did you buy them in bulk?
i buy the lids by the case from a man in columbia, tn. there is enough lids in a case to do 80 cases of 12 quart jars.
@@randallcarter-carterhillho2277 Would you be willing to give me his name, number/ email. I'm in Arkansas.
@@daviddiffey2140 yes, email me at carter51117@gmail.com