heated solar wax extractor !

[martin.henwood]

I'm planning to construct a solar wax extractor. i have most of the necessary gubbins.

I can't start a project without worrying about it for weeks before starting. I woke up at for this morning fretting about putting an electric heating element under the tray for use in the dark days of autumn. Does anyone have any thoughts on the idea.

 

[PaleoPerson]

having the same thoughts myself.

I am looking at a solar panel (Ebay secondhand unit), just trying to Sus out the heating element part.

 

[Poly Hive]

There are really two reasons for building a solar powered wax melter.

The obvious one is free heat.

Not so obvious is the bleaching effect from the process.

The normal rule of thumb is every time you melt wax you darken it X % depending on how rough you are with it.

With solar you are actually reversing that rule.

Long story cut short. By marriage I had connections with a Dutch family who originally made their living from selling beeswax, and they had a book with pictures of long strands of wax, deliberately made so they had the biggest surface for the sun to bleach.

Adding a heat source takes you back to the basic rule.

PH

 

[martin.henwood]

Is darkening of the wax an issue. Mostly I only want to sell/swap it for foundation. Although she-that-I-generally-obey-because-I-know-whats-good-for-me might dabble in candle or cosmetic making.

 

[martin.henwood]

having the same thoughts myself.

I am looking at a solar panel (Ebay secondhand unit), just trying to Sus out the heating element part.

pricerunner do i nice little greenhouse heater, 45 watts for less that 20 quid. but i'm not convinced it will get the temperature up high enough without setting the whole shooting match on fire..

 

[Adam]

To be honest, I don't find I have much wax out of season that needs processing. The bees are all packed up and the sun shine is pretty much proportional to when you need to undertake the melting, e.g. May - September.

Adam

 

[merylvingien]

she-that-I-generally-obey-because-I-know-whats-good-for-me might dabble in candle or cosmetic making.

Tell me about it!!!
I was intending to save my wax for a deal on foundation, till the girlfreind realised that you can make **** out of it, candles and soap, blimey, i need 400 hives to keep her in business

 

[Tim1606]

Tell me about it!!!
I was intending to save my wax for a deal on foundation, till the girlfreind realised that you can make **** out of it, candles and soap, blimey, i need 400 hives to keep her in business

For personal use then you have no problem, but if you want to sell to the public then you have to have each recipe certified. And it's not cheap as you have to do that each time you change the recipe.

 

[Adam]

For personal use then you have no problem, but if you want to sell to the public then you have to have each recipe certified. And it's not cheap as you have to do that each time you change the recipe.

technically correct. Althought I rarely see people who know about that rule. You can use some standard recipes which are much cheaper as they have already been approved.

Adam

 

[merylvingien]

For personal use then you have no problem, but if you want to sell to the public then you have to have each recipe certified. And it's not cheap as you have to do that each time you change the recipe.

I didnt realise that people eat soap!
Ah well, nout as queer as folk....