Problem Filtering Rendered Wax

[The Riviera Kid]

I have been rendering my surplus beeswax on our wood burner and pouring the melted wax through a sieve lined with muslin.

This is very effective at getting all the larger bits out but when the wax sets, there are tiny particles of proposlis and other debris at the bottom of the block which gets progressively browner the nearer the bottom you look.

Can anyone please suggest and inexpensive solution to filter out these micro particles so that I can have wax of sufficient quality to sell?

Thanks.

 

[Frisbee]

I heat mine in rainwater and then strain through double muslin. There is still an amount of darker on the bottom, this can be scraped off if you want it really pure, for exchange for foundation purposes though this is adequate.

I'm sure others will come on and offer their take on it too.

Frisbee

 

[The Riviera Kid]

I heat mine in rainwater and then strain through double muslin. There is still an amount of darker on the bottom, this can be scraped off if you want it really pure, for exchange for foundation purposes though this is adequate.

I'm sure others will come on and offer their take on it too.

Frisbee

Thanks for the method. I had thought about heating the wax with water, but dismissed it as I assumed that propolis would float like wax... I will try it tomorrow!!!

 

[susbees]

Secrets of wax:

Don't overheat
Don't use hard water
Cool very slowly...in a tall container ideally over maybe an inch of rainwater (or our spring water ). Put the container in a hay box or wrap it in as much insulation as you can and leave to cool very slowly...max time for the bits to settle. Then tip it out and scrape it off.

 

[The Riviera Kid]

Thanks for the tip about cooling it slowly. How about if I left the wax in the container next to the stove? It burns slowly all night and takes about 7 hours to be comfortably touch cool in the morning.

 

[susbees]

All you need to do is stick the container in an insulated box....even an old blanket or two wrapped around it will help...and don't forget a thick lid and insulation on top too. Of course you could put that by the stove...

 

[MuswellMetro]

Thanks for the method. I had thought about heating the wax with water, but dismissed it as I assumed that propolis would float like wax... I will try it tomorrow!!!

has to e rainwater or acidified tap water ( teaspoom of lemon jiuce or vinager) otherwisw you get soaping whicj degrades the wax

 

[Mosquito]

I heat mine over hot water, then let it cool and scrap the dirt left at the bottom off.
You may need to do it more then once.

 

[Poly Hive]

Surgical lint is your friend here and a double thickness does the trick.

PH

 

[The Riviera Kid]

I'll give surgical lint a go. The muslin just isn't fine enough.

I shouldn't have any problem finding rain water after the downpours here of the last 24 hours. I could simply wring out my soggy cycling clothes from my ride to work this morning...

 

[Poly Hive]

Badly needed rain though. We could do with a few days of it if we are honest.

PH

 

[The Riviera Kid]

Yes we do need the rain... water butts at the allotment were almost empty. They should be full to overflowing at this time of year!

It's just not very convenient when it rains when I'm out on my bike or when I want to go do bee stuff. Our girls dislike this weather even more than we do I think!

 

[Poly Hive]

Beekeeping teaches one to observe the weather.

if the weather inconveniences you cycling than some better clothing might be the way to go? My wet weather kit really keeps me dry up to but not including monsoon conditions.

PH

 

[The Riviera Kid]

Yes, I think that cycling, allotmenting and beekeeping all make a person more in tune with nature and more observant meteorologists.

Point taken about cycling gear. I ride a fair distance (8 miles each way) to work and can work up a big sweat when clad from head to toe in Goretex. The worst is that the water runs down my trouser legs and in to my boots. The pedaling action keeps moving the bottoms of the trousers and I end up with soggy feet

 

[RoofTops]

Lint, as PH suggested - but hairy side uppermost, or if using two sheets hairy sides in the middle. But best to coarse strain first otherwise it will block with rubbish very quickly.

Cooling slowly is the trick for large crack free blocks, although it is not foolproof. One method is to stand the container of wax back in the bath of hot water and then let them both cool together.

 

[drstitson]

lint or old fashioned nappy liners.

 

[winmag270]

old fashioned nappy liners.

use clean ones though.....

 

[peteinwilts]

Don't overheat
.

I 'was' going to pour boiling water over it to melt and sieve the bits.

don't overheat? is boiling water a bad idea?

 

[susbees]

I 'was' going to pour boiling water over it to melt and sieve the bits.

don't overheat? is boiling water a bad idea?

Oven filtering 90 deg C. 85/90ish wax discolours...though that's obviously the wax temperature itself. Depends on the end use...show wax, candles, blocks, foundation?

Where do people buy large chunks of cheap lint?

 

[BillyGoat]

Surgical Lint can be purchased from most chemists although they may need to order it in. Check the price first.

I ordered some last year from eb*y :

http://www.eb*y.co.uk/itm/Fast-Aid-...ealth_Beauty_First_Aid_ET&hash=item35b2ce3d89

Liked the nappy liners idea and will try that next time.

Never used water, just heat wax gently until all melted and then pour straight through the lint into a plastic bowl. Seat bowl in hot water whilst cooling.
Used a plastic takeaway dish last year and got 1st prize!