Making Thymol Syrup

[Millet]

Is surgical spirit just the same as isopropyl alcohol for dissolving the thymol crystals ..i used to buy it already made up but now i have more than one hive it is going to be a tad expensive so i am going to make my own..i have been all over today trying to get some isopropyl alcohol but the only place i found that had some requires a prescription..

 

[Beefriendly]

Loads on fleabay about £6 litre delivered.
Look up isopropyl alcohol or isopropanol. They are the same thing.
Surgical spirits will dissolve thymol fine, it's just a posh name for methylated spirits.

 

[Millet]

Cheers for that N..i was trying to buy everything local but i have ended up ordering the thymol crystals online so i might as well do the same with the isopropyl..i do not need that much but i suppose it will come in handy for other things like cleaning my monocle..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is surgical spirit just the same as isopropyl alcohol for dissolving the thymol crystals

Near as makes no difference

 

[Millet]

Near as makes no difference

Cheers..

 

[Millet]

One other thing i bought some lecithin today for half the price as the best before end date is October this year..that should not make much difference where emulsifying the Thymol is concerned should it..?..

 

[Ian123]

Local chemist will supply surgical spirit used that for years they may need to order in the alcohol my local shop only had the 1 and until they looked where not sure about that.

 

[Erichalfbee]

One other thing i bought some lecithin today for half the price as the best before end date is October this year..that should not make much difference where emulsifying the Thymol is concerned should it..?..

None at all
I have some from three years ago that did the job
I couldn’t quite get my head around being healthy and putting it on my cereal so I kept it for making thymol emulsion and I gave bits away to other beekeepers

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

One other thing i bought some lecithin today for half the price as the best before end date is October this year..that should not make much difference where emulsifying the Thymol is concerned should it..?..

Not at all, although, however tightly you seal the stuff it tends to turn a bit gunky after a year or two

 

[XYZ]

One other thing i bought some lecithin today for half the price as the best before end date is October this year..that should not make much difference where emulsifying the Thymol is concerned should it..?..

Where did you get your lecithin?

 

[Millet]

Where did you get your lecithin?

Holland and Barret..however i have recently been informed from a 100% accurate source that it is not needed so save your dosh...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

.however i have recently been informed from a 100% accurate source that it is not needed so save your dosh...

I'd take your source's data with a pinch of salt. Thymol is insoluble in water hence the need for the alcohol, but as soon as you put it into the mix it separates so you end up with the thymol just floating on top, the lecithin is needed to keep the solution in emulsion to ensure the thymol is spread through all the syrup.

 

[Millet]

I'd take your source's data with a pinch of salt. Thymol is insoluble in water hence the need for the alcohol, but as soon as you put it into the mix it separates so you end up with the thymol just floating on top, the lecithin is needed to keep the solution in emulsion to ensure the thymol is spread through all the syrup.

You do what you do and i will do what i do from a known experienced source that i value highly..where could we surely go wrong..

 

[Beefriendly]

Thymol is insoluble in water

It's poorly soluble in water around 0.9g litre unless the chemists have their figures wrong. You piggy back it into solution by using alcohol,in which it is highly soluble.
Which if you do you maths the amount added is well under 0.9g per litre.

 

[Walrus]

It's poorly soluble in water around 0.9g litre unless the chemists have their figures wrong. You piggy back it into solution by using alcohol,in which it is highly soluble.
Which if you do you maths the amount added is well under 0.9g per litre.

Yes, it dissolves in the alcohol, but what happens if you pour that into your syrup? It won't mix. The lecithin is there to make an emulsion. (oops - just noticed JBM already said it better!)

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Lecithin helps very much

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes, it dissolves in the alcohol, but what happens if you pour that into your syrup? It won't mix. The lecithin is there to make an emulsion. (oops - just noticed JBM already said it better!)

I seem to remember somebody posting a photo of just that, when emulsifying agents were being discussed one year.
A thin film of oily thymol floating on a feeder full of syrup
Then the thread disintegrated a little when honey was suggested as an emulsifier
I've always used Lecithin

 

[Erichalfbee]

Here we go
No photo though...sorry
Some names from the past here...some still here in a different guise
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=35198&highlight=emulsifying+honey
Post 35

 

[Millet]

..

 

[Worldsend]

Yes health food shops are the place to go

Take a friend as the tub is large enough to make many solutions just put it in a jar and shake well