Rendering wax in an aluminium saucepan

[E&MBees]

Is it ok to melt old wax in an aluminium saucepan? I have an old stock pot that would do the job, if it’s ok.

Thanks.

 

[pargyle]

Is it ok to melt old wax in an aluminium saucepan? I have an old stock pot that would do the job, if it’s ok.

Thanks.

You need to have a double boiler - beeswax is flammable and a single pot is asking for trouble. Also aluminium tends to make beeswax darker than you would like it to be.

Can you use your stock pot as an outer vessel and find either a stainless steel vessel or a glass basin to go inside it ? Charity shops might be open next week - or gumtree is a good local source of second hand pots and pans.

Anything you use for beeswax is totally useless for anything else afterwards.

 

[E&MBees]

You need to have a double boiler - beeswax is flammable and a single pot is asking for trouble. Also aluminium tends to make beeswax darker than you would like it to be.

Can you use your stock pot as an outer vessel and find either a stainless steel vessel or a glass basin to go inside it ? Charity shops might be open next week - or gumtree is a good local source of second hand pots and pans.

Anything you use for beeswax is totally useless for anything else afterwards.

Thanks. Hadn’t realised that Aluminium darkens wax, but knew I needed a double boiler.

I’ve got a jam preserver/ urn for the outer part. Just need the inner one. Trying to collect everything together before I sort out the hive and nuc with CBPV.

Will a ratio of 1:5 soda crystals to water be ok for boiling the frames and removing traces of the CBPV?

 

[Swarm]

I'm more of the dangerous type and melt my wax in a Teflon lined saucepan, not boiling just a nice roll in the water. Obviously don't over fill.
I pour the lot through muslin, into containers and allow to cool before turning out.
Wax gets the same process until clean and then it goes into Bain Marie before ultra filtering into silicon cake tin.
Don't use aluminium.

 

[pargyle]

Will a ratio of 1:5 soda crystals to water be ok for boiling the frames and removing traces of the CBPV?

A cup full to a gallon is what I use .. works well. You will need some good rubber gloves and a decent apron - an old washing up brush and a bucket of clean water to rinse them off.

Put them in the hot mixture (I do two or three at a time) leave for a couple of minutes. drag the frame out scrub it with the brush .. you will find the crud comes off fairly easily, once clean into the rinse bucket and put another frame into boil. Repeat until you get to the stage where it's easier to buy new frames in the sales and put them together ...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've found aluminium double boilers fine for wax rendering - as they seldom get up to a heat high enough to affect the wax, I have a large aluminium bain marie which holds about a gallon, but I only use it for the first render which gets rid of all the slumgum and water - I have a few kilos of wax from that which was destined for this year's Royal Welsh, the wax is almost white. I have a Thornes stainess bain marie for the secod and third fine filtering they often have them on sale.

 

[E&MBees]

Thanks all for your suggestions, help and encouragement.

 

[coffindodger]

Depends how much you've got, but I use an old electric rice cooker.