Glue gun for beeswax?

[Sutty]

Just wondering if anyone has tried using sticks of beeswax in a glue gun? You'd have to cast them the right size of course.
Could be handy for such uses as wax beads to encourage comb building in the right place, fixing cut-out comb in frames, anchoring queen cells, etc.
There are small butane powered ones too for maximum portability.
Just not sure whether the melting points are similar enough!

 

[pargyle]

I think the temperature to melt glue sticks is considerably hgher than that to melt beeswax... consequently, you would probably find that the whole lot of beeswax in the gun would start to melt and you would end up with a very sticky mess ....

 

[BugsInABox]

Just wondering if anyone has tried using sticks of beeswax in a glue gun? You'd have to cast them the right size of course.
Could be handy for such uses as wax beads to encourage comb building in the right place, fixing cut-out comb in frames, anchoring queen cells, etc.
There are small butane powered ones too for maximum portability.
Just not sure whether the melting points are similar enough!

It's a nice idea - google suggest though that they operate at 100degrees+. The flashpoint of bees wax is 204.4 apparently and also some glue guns work at 300degrees+.
I'm guessing there'd be a sweet spot 35-45 degrees somewhere?

 

[pargyle]

It's a nice idea - google suggest though that they operate at 100degrees+. The flashpoint of bees wax is 204.4 apparently and also some glue guns work at 300degrees+.
I'm guessing there'd be a sweet spot 35-45 degrees somewhere?

It is a nice idea but the thing you would have to consider is the heat transfer up the stick of beeswax ... which, I suspect would at least soften a lot or more likely melt ... only one way to find out ... somebody needs to try it ...

 

[pargyle]

Ooops ....

 

[BugsInABox]

would have to consider is the heat transfer up the stick of beeswax

Dont get me started......

BIAB

 

[pargyle]

Dont get me started......

BIAB

Go for it ... always up for a bit of proper science on a Sunday evening in preference to a hunch !

I have this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-He...8-df78-4008-ae20-e69f683e58b1&tag=plonsite-21

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Go for it ... always up for a bit of proper science on a Sunday evening

Makes a change from Antiques roadshow

 

[pargyle]

Makes a change from Antiques roadshow

Which was not on tonight !!! Trumped by BAFTA's .....

 

[Curly green finger's]

It is a nice idea but the thing you would have to consider is the heat transfer up the stick of beeswax ... which, I suspect would at least soften a lot or more likely melt ... only one way to find out ... somebody needs to try it ...

What if you stuck the sticks in the freezer first? It would take them a longer time to melt possible

 

[pargyle]

What if you stuck the sticks in the freezer first? It would take them a longer time to melt possible

Yes ... that's a good idea ... make up a mould for 11.2 mm cylinder of beeswax and cast a stick ... and freeze it ... then try it ... IN YOUR GLUE GUN !!

Me ? ... I'm going to stick to melting beeswax in my Thornes wax melter and painting a strip of beeswax on my foundationless frames !

 

[Sutty]

I was thinking a simple power controller - a bit like a dimmer switch - could reduce the power, or a small flame on the gas one.

 

[pargyle]

I was thinking a simple power controller - a bit like a dimmer switch - could reduce the power, or a small flame on the gas one.

Let us know how you get on.... interesting experiment ...

 

[madasafish]

Join it with a soldering iron: selective wax melting.

 

[oliver90owner]

I was thinking a simple power controller - a bit like a dimmer switch - could reduce the power, or a small flame on the gas one.

That is the best idea so far - a simple dimmer. Only problem might be if the glue-gun tip is thermostatted

Glue sticks in a freezer - they would soon warm up. Might be OK if doing the melting close handy to the freezer?

 

[frankenstine]

if i owned a fgule gun the recipe would be easy to try

cheep common tempriture controll module and attach a k type thermocouple to the heater in the gun it would then turn the heater on or off to matain your new desired temp