> I'm not sure what you mean by "shimming the top bolts"

I have been told on smaller extractors you can add a washer or use a thin
piece of metal to slightly raise up the weight of the basket.

Allen did an excellent job of explaining the way bearings work.


>  what is "double loading" ?

Placing more frames than the machine is designed for. Instead of 20 medium
frames load 25-30.

larger extractors & methods:

Double loading is taking an extractor made for 50 frames and put in a 100 by
either removing the cast piece which spaces the frames or (and) putting a
screen over the bottom area so frames can be set in the middle space.

Rarely do I not  see older large extractors not being double loaded.

The beekeeper can improve on older large extractor performance. Parts are
available from many sources.
Grainger Co. sells new motors which will fit most large extractors cheaper
than the manufacturer and motor size can be increased. No more starting the
basket by hand.

I also use a finger set speed control from Grainger for the advance. (half
the price of a new dadant advance but you reach top speeds fast if desired).


Loading an extractor is like loading a washing machine. If the machine is
out of balance turn off and adjust the load. Running an extractor out of 
balance load
can knock the bearings out.

Double loading actually *in my opinion* lets you run the load at a higher
speed and less apt to blow out frames.

The older *speed advances* took unnecessary time and once the machine kicked
off the help unloaded and the frames may or may not be dry. Spacing was too
wide for new frames  causing blow outs.

I have saw noisy extractor bearings last to end of extracting and personally 
never saw one fail completely but sure others have. The old ball bearing 
bearings (like were on the old cars) are not as good as the new timken 
roller bearings. If you can replace the ball bearing with an exact size 
roller bearing for an old machine the swap will work.

With the older machines a cup protected the bearing from the honey and was 
filled with food approved grease. The reason was not necessarily to grease 
the bearing but as Charlie said to protect the bearing from honey and 
moisture.

As Allen said power washers were rare when those extractors were first built 
but those in use today are powerful enough to wash grease from those cups 
and bearing if aimed in the area. Causing failure the next season.

Always replace the race with the bearing on the old machines not simply drop 
the bearing in. A tool which pulls the race might be needed on some very old 
models.

I personally never saw an old large extractor which could not be restored 
unless left outside in the elements.

These new Cowan machines are hard to beat in many ways but plenty of help 
with old style equipment (Boganshut or Dakota Guness with  large radials) 
can be as fast with less chance of break down but only my opinion.

There is certainly less mess with the large Cowan extracting setups and with 
the wax spinner better handling of wax. *however* shoveling the wax into 
drums and sending to the wax plant has shown to be cost effective in the 
large operation.

bob

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