> what advice can various people with experience give me in terms of
> extracting honey without any mechanical assistance?  How should I go
> about it?
 
Don't do it.  All such methods destroy comb and comb is precious.
 
Make a friend through a local bee club (ask at the gov't ag office) and
beg or borrow his/her extractor for a few hours.  Or find a local
commercial beekeeper whjo will run your combs through for about 10c per
pound.
 
Allen