Hi Dawn, she’s fine. Would you believe the potato ricer gets used for everything, except ricing potatoes 
I think I originally bought it for ricing potatoes to make gnocchi.
It does a good job of squeezing sugarbag honey from native bees. Plus a slow, but effective way of squeezing jellybush honey out.
hmmm,
I don’t know Jeff- I have used my presses many times now and I believe I am able to extract 95% of the honey at least. The wax at the end of the process is always still sticky- but highly compacted and containing very little honey in the grand scheme of things. The blocks are not heavy suggesting to me they are mostly just wax. Of course I always prefer spinning frames- or using flow frames- but when I have wonky frames, offcuts, cappings, etc- the press is my go to extractor.
I turn the screw until it can’t really be turned any more and the wax ‘pancake’ is totally solid and a firm hard block.
I don’t think there is any way at all I could do as good a job with a potato masher?
here are some pics of harvesting 10 frames all at once with my large press. These frames came from a hive that mhadn’t been managed for over a year and the entire super was cross combed and crazy- none of the frames were worth spinning or preserving so I mashed them all:
Hi Jack, it’s a potato ricer. It’s like a large version of a garlic press. Although you can only press a cup full at a time, I seem to get less honey left within the wax than I did with my home-made honey press. Maybe I was trying to press too much in one go.
Yours looks to be working fantastic. I’m still going to modify mine. I already have some jellybush honey in a bucket waiting to be pressed.
as you know I have two presses- the small one and the large one pictured. the large one does work brilliantly- and very fast- and that’s because there are so many holes in the walls I think. My smaller one also work well- but it is slow- you need to leave it dripping over 1 day- and periodically turn the screw- waiting unti the pressure subsides before turning it again. That’s because it only has small holes int eh walls that restrict the flow. Maybe the issue with yours is the same- not enough holes to let the honey out quick enough? My small one is still very good for dealing with capping and small amounts when there in no urgency- the large one is not practical for small loads.
I was thinking along the same lines myself. With my modifications, I’ll allow larger gaps. Plus I need to make an easier way to lift the wax out.
I know how to drill ss now without burning drill bits. I’ll drill a series of holes down each plate.
I picked up a fruit press from a home brew shop (local beekeeper shops had no stock) to press honey out of the comb I get from cutouts. It looks very similar to yours, Jack. I’m impressed (bad pun) with how well it works and the wax turns out fairly dry. Sticky, but I can’t squeeze anymore from it.
Mike
Hi @aussiemike did you have a photo of your fruit press to show? Does it sit exposed like @semaphore or in a bowl?
It is open cage design 7litre, Alan. Similar to Jack’s but not all stainless. The cage and threaded rod are stainless with 5.8mm holes in the cage. The press plate is hardwood and the rest of the metal is painted. It was marketed as a grape/olive press, but works very well for honey. I think it was about $280.
That looks good Mike, having used it would you buy it again? Is there a brand name on it? I’m interested in buying one but I don’t want to add to my ‘bee junk box’. 
Cheers
I would definitely buy it again. I’ve only used it to extract from rescue comb. Most recently from a fallen tree cutout. The honey is dark and delicious. There are no markings on the press and I threw out the packaging long ago so don’t know the brand. This looks like it - https://mysliceoflife.com.au/product/7-5l-manual-t-bar-fruit-wine-press/. I found mine in a random home brew shop.
Thanks Mike, much appreciate you advice and thoughts. 
