NEW DECAPPER IN ACTION by beekeeper Fred

Beekeeper Jon built a semi-automated decapper to help with the honey harvest.  To get the benefit of the decapper you need to use 8 or 9 frames in a 10 frame honey super.  If the bees cooperate and built thicker combs then decapping is a breeze.  I had used 9 frames in my supers and the bees did not always build the extra thick comb.  At any rate it took 1 1/2 days to do my honey harvest last year.  With approximately the same number of supers we were able to decap and extract the honey in only 1 day.  There was still a fair amount of hand decapping with the electric knife, so I think I may try 8 frames in some supers next year.

                                                     V-shaped knife is electrically heated.

                                                                        End view

                                                             Comb in start position.

                       Shows knife can not reach into concave areas.  These require hand work.

                     This one was almost 100% decapped.  Takes about 15 seconds per frame per side.