melting wax

[sahtlinurk]

How to you guys melt your wax? ( except solar power). I had a juice steamer at home but here i haven't found anything to do the job.

Cheers,
Lauri

 

[wilderness]

melt your wax as in recovery of brace comb etc or melt your wax to make candles?

For the former I have a polystyrene box with a pane of glass rested on the open end. Point it South during the summer and stick a brick under the back edge. Put brace comb in an old pair of tights and wait.

For candles I have a double boiler (bainmarie)

 

[plumber]

use a wickes wallpaper steamer (Wickes) £20 and make an easy steam (Thornes @ £77).

add a large cylindrical vessel with a LOOSE lid as a steam wax extractor.

 

[VEG]

Will be melting mine in the greenhouse in the summer

 

[Poly Hive]

I have a piece of kit that melts pretty much any wax and strains it to surgical lint cleanliness in a one heat operation.

I copied it from a long defunct business and scaled it up to where it will do 60 lbs+ in one shot using pressure.

I may be persuaded to hire it for a fee including a deposit (refundable) with the end product suitable for candles.

PH

 

[Mike a]

I used an old veg steamer which was ok for melting down old brood comb with bits in it, but to get candle or wax blocks for showing I did this and I'm not kidding as I won first prize in the 10-12oz and 2nd prize in the 1-2 oz association show.

Bit of chicken wire, kitchen towel and a pyrex bowl.

 

[thurrock bees]

sounds like a plan

 

[rowbow]

hi i use an old slow cooker with a removable inner bowl, you can pick them up at car boots.
Regards
John

 

[VEG]

I use an old electric fondue set. Not tried the greeenhouse yet

 

[MrB]

hi i use an old slow cooker with a removable inner bowl, you can pick them up at car boots.
Regards
John

Great idea, i knew there would be a use for it!!!

 

[Peteinuk]

I used an old veg steamer which was ok for melting down old brood comb with bits in it, but to get candle or wax blocks for showing I did this and I'm not kidding as I won first prize in the 10-12oz and 2nd prize in the 1-2 oz association show.


Bit of chicken wire, kitchen towel and a pyrex bowl.

I like that idea, I've got some old frames to melt down I'll give it a try.

 

[Frithgar]

I use a microwave and a pyrex jug, don't use normal glass dishes, make sure it's a genuine pyrex or it will shatter because of the heat, then I have an old kitchen strainer that I line with a couple pieces of muslin.

Wax comes out lovely and clean, and retains aroma and colour.

When you try it first put the wax in for 1 minute, then check, add a minute each time until all melted, then you'll know the time needed for your microwave/quantity of wax and won't burn it.

Use oven gloves as the jug gets HOT!

 

[steve_e]

Mike, what temperature did you have your oven on at?

 

[oliver90owner]

what temperature did you have your oven on at?

I don't think that is particularly relevant. Oven temperatures can easily vary by + or - 10 degrees.

Wax melts at around 62 and spoils if overheated. You need to find your own compromise, for temperature and time to filter, I think.

RAB

 

[steve_e]

I was just wondering because I've just measured the warming oven of our Aga and it's about 67% so I wanted to check that was about right. Sounds like it might be?

I've put the wax I've got in a casserole dish, all washed with rainwater to get as much honey and stuff off as possible, and inside a muslin cloth to strain any other bits out. Might be a bit experimental, but as long as it's not in danger of combusting I can't see any major drawback in doing it other than spoiling the wax...

 

[psafloyd]

use a wickes wallpaper steamer (Wickes) £20 and make an easy steam (Thornes @ £77).

add a large cylindrical vessel with a LOOSE lid as a steam wax extractor.

Do you have a sketch of how that would look?

 

[psafloyd]

I used an old veg steamer which was ok for melting down old brood comb with bits in it, but to get candle or wax blocks for showing I did this and I'm not kidding as I won first prize in the 10-12oz and 2nd prize in the 1-2 oz association show.

Bit of chicken wire, kitchen towel and a pyrex bowl.

What temperature did you have the oven on, Mike?

 

[steve_e]

Well mine worked well. Left the wax for four hours or so in a pyrex casserole dish in the oven, lifted the muslin cloth out and had lovely clear liquid wax left.

Put that in a cool place for a couple more hours and had a nice piece of yellow wax cake with a bit of honey drizzle around it. Washed that off with cold water and it looks great!

 

[psafloyd]

what temperature did you have your oven on at?

I don't think that is particularly relevant. Oven temperatures can easily vary by + or - 10 degrees.

Wax melts at around 62 and spoils if overheated. You need to find your own compromise, for temperature and time to filter, I think.

RAB

Thank you, Rab. I wasn't going to hold him to it, just get a ballpark. Thanks for the additional info.