Melting brood wax

[snoop]

What is everybody using to melt down brood wax frames

 

[Erichalfbee]

What is everybody using to melt down brood wax frames

I have only six hives. Too much bother. In the bin.
I have used a steamer made out of an old brood box and a wallpaper stripper. You do get some wax out.

 

[Swarm]

Boil them in a big drum of water? Nice pong

 

[tonyofarr]

I agree with Dani, you don't get a lot of wax from brood frames, and it doesn't tend to have a good colour. I burn the old brood frames and then make up new frames.

 

[Spikedog]

Steamer (from T''s) ... Messy ... then boil wash/scrub frames in Washing Soda ... I know 'Belt and Braces.' Wax exchanged for new.

 

[alfazer]

I just leave them in my solar extractor in summer. We don't get much sun but it only takes one or two good days.
I don't get a lot of wax from them but it drips through a filter screen and comes out a good colour. Minimal time and effort, and no energy costs.
Or sometimes I might just use with kindling for lighting my stove.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Bonfire

 

[Stiffy]

Tried and discarded a solar melter, steaming boxes is too messy, well for me anyway.
I now put the lot into an old Burco boiler which is then boiled and left to cool. Frames when boiled and cleaned are stacked for re-use, wax floats to the top and removed. Sludge removed and fresh water added which is then re-boiled. Wax is placed onto a fine muslin and boiled many times through muslin until clean...... any gloop goes on a bonfire..
S

 

[Millet]

I have found for the amount of good wax verses mess is not worth the effort..i now cut it out of the frames and my lady friend uses it to get the fire going.

 

[Popparand]

What is everybody using to melt down brood wax frames

Cut the wax out of the frames. Scrunch up and put in a recycled bowl shaped strainer lined with kitchen paper. Place over a collecting bowl/dish. Place in fan oven at 75 degrees. Wax melts in no time. All the gunge left on kitchen paper. When cold wrap in newspaper and use as firelighters. Pour melted wax into soft spread butter containers (empty). (Suggest no more than half inch deep.) Ditch the solar melter - too much faff, not enough sun!

 

[drex]

I just cut it out of the frames and bung it in my home made solar wax melter. It drips through a fine metal mesh and into a non stick loaf tin. The only attention it needs is to bung the wax in and take it out. Never been refused at a wax exchange yet. Saves me at least £50 each visit.

 

[Tim.S]

Old brood box, wallpaper steamer and big heavy sheet for insulation. It cooks away while I am doing other things. The manky frames nearly always get thrown out if they are 2 or more years old but none of the wax gets wasted, I hardly buy any foundation these days as it all goes for exchange at T's Stockbridge emporium.

 

[robinharman]

I extracted and processed wax and said I would never do it again. So did my wife.

 

[Courty]

Obtained a very large aluminium pan and colander the other day, I’m thinking of cutting out the brood wax, removing wire, scrunch up inside some thick tights material and steaming it in the colander over the pan.
The main problem I find with brood wax is all the junk, hexagonal shapes which maybe be layers of cocoon, or pupae, and who knows what, clogs filters up.
Steaming will be worth a try. If not, maybe soak the tights in the water and then sit in the colander over the water.
Pour off into a plastic container, scrape the gunk off the bottom, and melt in water and filter again.
Finally melt wax in bain marie so the last sediment falls to the bottom and pour clean wax into small ingots in a mold.
Might be a lot of work for some, but the wax is usually ok for candles etc.

I also bought a small steam cleaner the other day, I’ll try that on the frames.
Courty

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Obtained a very large aluminium pan and colander the other day, I’m thinking of cutting out the brood wax, removing wire, scrunch up inside some thick tights material and steaming it in the colander over the pan.
The main problem I find with brood wax is all the junk, hexagonal shapes which maybe be layers of cocoon, or pupae, and who knows what, clogs filters up.
Steaming will be worth a try. If not, maybe soak the tights in the water and then sit in the colander over the water.
Pour off into a plastic container, scrape the gunk off the bottom, and melt in water and filter again.
Finally melt wax in bain marie so the last sediment falls to the bottom and pour clean wax into small ingots in a mold.
Might be a lot of work for some, but the wax is usually ok for candles etc.

I also bought a small steam cleaner the other day, I’ll try that on the frames.
Courty

If you are determined to go through with that faff, forget steaming the wax out with the colander above the pan, just dump the lot in the water and let the wax seep out then remove the sac full of slumgum and leave cool - you will then have a disc of 'clean' wax sat on top of the water

 

[Millet]

If you are determined to go through with that faff, forget steaming the wax out with the colander above the pan, just dump the lot in the water and let the wax seep out then remove the sac full of slumgum and leave cool - you will then have a disc of 'clean' wax sat on top of the water

Hell no you will not..just saying..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hell no you will not..just saying..

you will note the inverted commas around the word 'clean'