Solar vs Steam Wax Melter

[Grif]

If you had to choose between the two ? - for cleaning up old brood frames and reclaiming the wax.

 

[Finman]

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Steam is better. It is not weather dependent.

In black combs wax stays in pupasilk in sun melter.

 

[nantmoel]

You need sun for the solar one! We have had two days of sun here so far this season!

 

[Quis Custodiet]

Some steam wax melters have the steam entering through the roof, others have the steam entering from close to the floor. Has anyone ever had these two connections on the same melter and thus been able to make an accurate comparison.
To the op. steam melters can be used in the winter when there are no bees flying. Solar melters cannot and likely not in the summer either.

 

[enrico]

I made my own out of an old brood box and altered the steam to go through the floor it is much better than when going through the roof. I use solar when the bees are flying and steam in the winter when they are not. If you use steam in the summer the bees will find it!!!!!
E

 

[Zante]

If you had to choose between the two ? - for cleaning up old brood frames and reclaiming the wax.

Solar, definitely, but then again, I live in Italy

 

[For want of a better word]

Solar steam generator... with steam entering the top and bottom, followed by a scrubber with hot lye.

 

[Beefriendly]

followed by a scrubber with hot lye.

Not sure we wish to read about your kinky sex life.......

 

[Finman]

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Solar melter is very good when I melt light color combs, for ecample those which has damaged during winter.

Important is that wires are OK after melting. It is easy to boil the frames in lye solution.

I have not solved the melting of old black combs. It is vain to put them into solar melter.


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[Amari]

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Solar melter is very good when I melt light color combs, for ecample those which has damaged during winter.

Important is that wires are OK after melting. It is easy to boil the frames in lye solution.

I have not solved the melting of old black combs. It is vain to put them into solar melter.
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Not worth the bother. Very low wax yield. Use them as firelighters.

 

[Spikedog]

Used Thornes steamer for first time yesterday. Did an excellent job – ensure lid/roof is pushed well down on brood box. The amount of slumgum was astonishing. Might confuse the uninitiated as to redeemable wax -v- slumgum. Still requires scraping of frames (propolis etc.). Just don’t have the weather for effective solar treatment.

 

[Barbarian]

I use a solar wax melter. Works OK when sun shines.
No longer put frames in it. The joints shrink and become wobbly.

I am deterred from steam by cost and low wax re-cycling price.

 

[Beefriendly]

I am deterred from steam by cost and low wax re-cycling price.

On our electricity tariff steam works out at about 30p per hour to run. Does a reasonable job, but worse in winter when everything is cold and the wax sets as it runs out and gums everything up or you end up with stalactites of wax dribbling from the exit. I find it still leaves wax between the bottom runners which means you still have to scrape frames clean before adding new sheets.
Summer solar, as no attention needed....I keep mine inside a greenhouse so it works most days when the sun shines...so far once this year

Dunno about low trade in prices, my biggest market sellers are 1oz beeswax blocks at £1 a time. I not going to claim that I sell all the bees wax I extract at this price, but shall we say it more than pays for buying a years worth foundation with plenty left over to pay for more frames etc.

 

[Finman]

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Wax price?
Change it to foundations and you get a good price. Printing foundations from own wax is £ 3/kg. 100g/sheet.

What I get wax annually from hives, it goes to renew combs. Nothing to sell.