Frame boiling pot

[rayz_x]

I am looking for a low-tech way to boil frames. Stainless pots are expensive. Big Burco hard to find and expensive.
At the moment I am considering the bottom part of a copper immersion tank or a butane gas bottle with the top off.
Apart from the potential for the Darwin awards when cutting the gas bottle is there any reason these won't work.
Ray.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Big Burco hard to find and expensive.

These are not too expensive. https://www.cs-catering-equipment.co.uk/burco-mfc30sthf-manual-fill-water-boiler

Or another method would be to use a 45 gallon drum set on four concrete blocks, and light a fire under it.

 

[oliver90owner]

They are a steel tub, once cut off, nothing more or less. Probably better using a gas ring as heat source.

No need for testing the Darwin system or trying for an award.

Several ways to ensure safety when cutting them.

Illegal to use some of them like that, so if you are worried about them wanting it back, burn off the paint afterwards and remove any serial numbers, etc.

Only problem with a gas burner might be a fire - hot wax is readily flammable - so being present at all times is perhaps good advice.

 

[dexter's shed]

I've used cut gas bottles for other things

first, open the valve, even if empty and leave for a few days
next, get mole grips on valve and a big hammer and get it off
next put hose pipe in the top and flush it with water for an hour or so,
then get the angle grinder out

yes an oil drum is easier, but can hold more water, thus longer to heat up to a boil

 

[rayz_x]

Thank you Dexter and others. The Burco is a good deal but I am looking for 'almost free'. If I can find a, preferably legitimate, gas bottle it seems a good option. I was planning to use a boiling ring - Toolstation do them for £36.65 if I don't find a better deal. The butane bottles are heavy and would take a lot of use. Only problem would be rusting between uses.
I have seen stainless steel barrels used by breweries and wondered if it is possible to pick up a damaged one of those.
Ray

 

[ugcheleuce]

Yes, an oil drum is easier, but can hold more water, thus longer to heat up to a boil.

What if you cut the oil drum very shallow, so that instead of dipping the frames vertically you let them soak horizontall? National frames should fit flat inside a 200 l drum. I've never done this, so I'm not sure what the effect would be.

Only problem would be rusting between uses.

Erm, do what you do with cast iron cookingware...? Rub it all over with cooking oil. Or won't that stop the rust?

Only problem with a gas burner might be a fire - hot wax is readily flammable - so being present at all times is perhaps good advice.

If he's going to be heating water in a single walled vessel, won't there be a risk that floating wax that touch the sides of the vessel (which will be really hot, much hotter than the water in it) catch fire even though the wax doesn't touch the naked flame?

 

[dexter's shed]

.
I have seen stainless steel barrels used by breweries and wondered if it is possible to pick up a damaged one of those.
Ray

of course it is, funnily enough, I used one of those for something else too, be careful about posting pictures though, as the forum trolls on other forums already gave me the third degree on how I'm going to get hung,drawn and quartered for doing this

 

[itma]

What can be done about cleaning a tea-urn after frame boiling, so that it could be used for other tasks?

Or does everyone dedicate a container/urn to that sole task?


I'm wondering whether the boiling is "worth the candle", or whether simple frame replacement makes more sense for the hobby-scale beekeeper.

 

[Otis Hogg]

Thinking back to my brewing day, why not use a plastic barrel with a kettle or emmersion heater in it. You can look it up on the homebrew forums how to make them. I used one to boil up my beer and it lasted my for years.

Paul

 

[wessexmario]

just search ebay, plenty going, you'll just have to find those within range as many will be collect only.

search for "steel barrel -nipples" (or the results will have lot's of "barrel nipples", I jest not )


PS. something else that might be suitable:
second hand stainless steel commercial kitchen sinks ?
they have legs and a heater could be placed underneath

 

[For want of a better word]

I am looking for a low-tech way to boil frames. Stainless pots are expensive. Big Burco hard to find and expensive.
At the moment I am considering the bottom part of a copper immersion tank or a butane gas bottle with the top off.
Apart from the potential for the Darwin awards when cutting the gas bottle is there any reason these won't work.
Ray.

Barrell ( pressure vessell) should be marked with a TARE weight... ie weight when EMPTY!

Weigh bottle and if it matches Tare you should be OK to cut it..... word of caution ( in a previous life had IDEST certification to service diving cylinders)...
Valves can become corroded shut. Appearing to be empty, will almost definitely make you a candidate for the Darwin awards if tampered with

Yeghes da

 

[wessexmario]

Barrell ( pressure vessell) should be marked with a TARE weight... ie weight when EMPTY!

Weigh bottle and if it matches Tare you should be OK to cut it.....

All I can say to that is "how little gas does it take to cause severe burns if ignited?"

 

[For want of a better word]

All I can say to that is "how little gas does it take to cause severe burns if ignited?"

That is the problem with playing around with cylinders of inflamable gas!

Yeghes da

 

[rayz_x]

I have seen plenty of instructions for making woodburners out of gas cylinders. As long as you can get enough of the brass tap part off the top to get a hose in and fill with water that should purge all gas. Should be safe to get the angle grinder on it then.
I have also found a source of smaller steel drums and will investigate over the holiday.
Ray

 

[tresallier]

When I took scouts to camp we had a galvanised dustbin on three bricks with a fire under it to provide hot water. Worked a treat.

 

[For want of a better word]

When I took scouts to camp we had a galvanised dustbin on three bricks with a fire under it to provide hot water. Worked a treat.

Good idea to add an extra plate of iron on the bottom over the fire source... stops bottom burning out!

Yeghes da

 

[biglongdarren]

i got this made up for myself and it works a treat.

Darren

 

[flytrapman]

If you want a stainless tank visit any scrap metal dealer who deals in non ferrous metals, as the price of scrap has dropped you will get something suitable cheap

 

[will]

I am looking for a low-tech way to boil frames. Stainless pots are expensive. Big Burco hard to find and expensive.
At the moment I am considering the bottom part of a copper immersion tank or a butane gas bottle with the top off.
Apart from the potential for the Darwin awards when cutting the gas bottle is there any reason these won't work.
Ray.

There is one on fleabay item number 221814104559 I have one of these and it's great it is a square one Will

 

[Arfermo]

Ask on your local Freecycle website. I got an old Burco wash boiler that way.