Thomas Mini Centrifuge Ø240

01 · THREE HUNDRED TIMES GRAVITY

The figure that explains why it works

At 1,500 rpm and with the cappings 12 cm from the axis, the force acting on them is of the order of 300 times their weight. Cappings that have been draining in a tub for days and no longer drip still hold honey by capillary action; at 300 g that honey comes out.

That is the difference between drained cappings and dry cappings: the first still weigh for the honey inside them, the second are already wax for the melter.

02 · PRESS OR SPINNER

Two different ways of getting the same thing out

A press squeezes: it compresses the wax and expels what honey it can, leaving a compacted cake. A spinner turns: the honey leaves through the force pushing it outward and the wax stays in the basket, loose.

There is no universal answer. A press handles quantity in little space and has no rotating parts; a spinner leaves the wax drier and looser, ready for the melter. If you are choosing between the two, tell us how much cappings you move and in what space, and we will look at it.

03 · SUPPLIED WITHOUT NYLON SCREEN

Worth ordering in the same purchase

The nylon screen is not included, and without it the machine does not work. It is a consumable that wears with use, so either way it belongs in the budget, along with a spare for the season.

It differs in this from the larger models of the same brand, which do come with screens. Ask for it along with the machine and save yourself a wasted trip.

04 · OUTLET AT 29.5 CM

A bucket fits, a drum does not

The honey outlet sits 295 mm off the floor, with 800 mm overall height. A twenty-five kilo bucket fits underneath; a drum does not.

It is compact, stable and quiet, meant to stay in its place inside the room. The maker sizes it for operations of up to 100-150 hives: above that, the next step in the range is a larger basket.

05 · BEFORE YOU BUY

Cappings drying for a mid-sized operation.