June 1, 1911 



327 



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THE POWELL GRAVITY STRAINER. 



Eight Tons of Honey Clarified per Day, with No 

 Attention from the Operator. 



BY R. POWELL. 



[Of all the gravity honey-strainers that have come 

 to our notice, the one here described seems to have 

 the most desirable features. We have always felt 

 that there should be a screen used in connection 

 with the gravity plan, to insure good results, and 

 the screen could be made Quite fine too, for the 

 ■ most of the impurities do not reach it. This outfit 

 may have its objections; but they do not occur to 

 us now. At any rate, we expect to test it thorough- 

 ly the coming season, and we suggest that others 

 give it a trial also, and report. — Ed.] 



I have read Gleanings for over thirty 

 years, and have yet to see a good practical 

 honey-strainer described, so I thought I 

 would tell how to make one that I have heen 

 using for o\er twelve years in large Califor- 

 nia apiaries. Others have adopted it, and 

 they call it " Powell's Gravity Strainer." 



First make a gal vanized-iron can the depth 

 (or a little deejjer would be better) of the 

 honey-tank. 14 inches in diameter at the 

 top, and 12 at the bottom. Solder on a two- 

 inch coupling within 4 inches of the to]i, to 

 run the honey in, and another two-inch 

 couiiling as near the bottom as possible (on 

 , the opposite side). Solder one more coujjling 

 1)4 inches in size for a honey-gate to emjity 

 the strainer at the 

 close of the day's 

 extracting. 



Inside of this 

 can place another 

 can with a strain- 

 er bottom, so made 

 that it will slip in- 

 to the outside can 

 below thecoui)ling 

 that lets the honey 

 in, and remain 

 supported within 

 4 inches of the bot- 

 tom of the outside 

 can. This inner 

 can must fit snug 

 at the top, so noth- 

 ing can pass down 

 between the two. 



To connect the 

 strainer with the 

 honey - tank and 

 extractor, use two- 

 inch gal vanized- 

 iron pipe. i)lacing 

 a union between 

 the extractor and 

 the strainer. Have 

 the strainer at least 

 12 inches higher 

 than the honey- 

 tank, so there will 

 be ]ilenty of grav- 

 ity flow. The pii)e 



from the strainer {o the tank should come 

 up to a point eight inches from the toj) of 

 the outside strainer-can, and then turn with 

 an elbow over to the tank. 



The strainer will always be full up to the 

 level of the outlet, and all the impurities 

 will stay on top of the honey, and the screen 

 will have little or nothing to do, and will 

 never clog (unless there is granulated honey 

 in the combs that would find its way to the 

 bottom and choke the strainer) . At the close 

 of the day's extracting draw out the honey 

 from the strainer by means of the gate, and 

 during the night tlie refuse will be drained 

 clean of honey, so that the inside can may 

 be lifted out and washed. 



It is best to fill the strainer at least half 

 full with clean honey so as not to stick wax, 

 etc., on the screen to start with; after that 

 it will take care of itself by the aid of gravi- 

 ty- 



This strainer will do just as good work 

 without the inside strainer, but it would be 

 hard to clean, and one could not strain the 

 honey left in the can. The capacity of this 



POWKLL .S IMPROVKD GRAVITY &TKA1NKK; CAPACITY EIGHT TONS 

 OF HONEY PER DAY. 



