saving wax

[rje66]

Have a bucket of mixed brace comb and old black stuff from very old frames from an abandoned hive, today I melted half of it in water strained and it is now in shed cooling, where I hope fine particles etc will separate out. So a few questions:...
Had to do this in a hurry and seemed the best option, is there a better way ?
It still looks black, will this separate out?
Best method of clean up??, I rinced down strainers with boiling water, but stove top is a mess and she is home this evening so I get a clip on the ear if it's not clean , will detergent dissolve wax from work top and stove???
Essential equipment? I just used old saucepan and old flour sieves
any other tip greatly appreciated.

OR

Am I wasting my time with this very old comb ???
Ta

 

[YorkshireBees]

brace comb I would melt separately.

Old brood comb contains very little wax. I melted down 19 old national deep combs in a burco boiler and when it had cooled I had a disc about 1 inch think of wax at the top still with a lot of debris. I then stick that disc in my solar wax extractor and what's left is very little!

I still do this as I don't like wasting any wax but tbh unless it was the fact that I find it the easiest way to clean up old frames for re-use I probably wouldn't do it just for the wax!


ps. I would never do this any where but out in my bee shed due to the smell / mess!!!!!

 

[Tremyfro]

Have a bucket of mixed brace comb and old black stuff from very old frames from an abandoned hive, today I melted half of it in water strained and it is now in shed cooling, where I hope fine particles etc will separate out. So a few questions:...
Had to do this in a hurry and seemed the best option, is there a better way ?
It still looks black, will this separate out?
Best method of clean up??, I rinced down strainers with boiling water, but stove top is a mess and she is home this evening so I get a clip on the ear if it's not clean , will detergent dissolve wax from work top and stove???
Essential equipment? I just used old saucepan and old flour sieves
any other tip greatly appreciated.

OR

Am I wasting my time with this very old comb ???
Ta

Uh huh.....you are in so much trouble! Detergent won't remove wax. If that 'old' saucepan turns out to be her favourite......

 

[enrico]

Put a tissue over the wax and run a hairdryer onto it, the wax will melt into the tissue.
I scrap really old frames, you barely get a teaspoon of wax out of it. If I can see wax in the frame then I use a solar extractor. So much easier. Home made out of an old cupboard with sliding glass doors, pan with holes in one end wax runs through holes and into plastic container. No mess other than where it doesn't matter!
E

 

[dexter's shed]

get out in the doghouse now, as that's where your going,lol

 

[Roola]

get out in the doghouse now, as that's where your going,lol

sounds like me when i've been extracting and she keeps finding sticky bits everywhere..... no matter how careful you are, you always miss a bit.

 

[rje66]

Update, didn't get a thick ear this time, but praise for cleaning the cooker and floor it's a win win.
so...... really old comb is not worth saving and if saving wax don't use the kitchen