On Sun, 2 Nov 1997 08:02:37 -0600 "Excerpts from BEE-L" <[log in to unmask]> writes: <<<<<<Does anyone fine-filter honey direct from the extractor? I only have 3 hives at the moment, but my experience is that honey straight from the extractor is too cool to run through the finish filter. It just clogs too quickly.>>>>>> As a hobbyist, I work with 5 gallon plastic buckets of honey, one of which has a plastic gate valve ("honey gate" in the catalogs) screwed into a hole cut in the bottom of the side. I let the honey settle a few days like Sid mentioned, and then pour it into this gated bucket, which is then set on the edge of the kitchen counter. I then allow the honey to run from the valve through new pair of woman's (washed) pantyhose (with one leg turned into the other to provide two layers) into another clean bucket on the floor. It's quick and easy, and it provides plenty of surface area for straining, so the honey need not be heated. It also saves the floating wax bits to the end, so they don't clog anything. It also provides a surface for the honey to run down, so it doesn't introduce air bubbles from falling honey I have done five 5-gallon buckets into one pair of pantyhose. When the last is drained out enough, it's a simple job to hold the pantyhose and it's wax cappings under the kitchen faucet to wash out the excess stickiness and leave nice clean cappings for candles, etc. Learned this from an old beekeeper friend who is now keeping the Lord's bees. To minimize the amount of cappings, try melting them off with a hot air gun. A friend showed me this this year, and it worked slick! When the honey was right up against the caps, it took more heat, (or the cappings fork,) but it went very fast without much loose cappings. Just be careful where the cells are not filled or capped as the heat will melt the comb down some. Nothing the beeses couldn't repair, I'm sure.