Wax Extraction

[Hachi]

I seem to be amassing lots of wax taking up considerable space and its time I rendered it down for exchange.

Looking at what's available, I promise not to rant at what seems to be massively over priced drums with a few holes in it, I was thinking about one of these?

https://www.swienty.com/pi/Steam-wax-melter-mini-tank-only_4002422_164676.aspx

Has any one got one? Do you rate them?

Are there better alternatives?

Thanks

 

[Beefriendly]

Possibly....About same price is the Abelo wax melters £290 for a 70 litre job.

 

[Quis Custodiet]

............................

Has any one got one? Do you rate them?

Are there better alternatives?

Thanks

Someone I knew had one of these (Swienty) for several years, the comments were favourable and the general impression is that the device was satisfactory.

 

[Hachi]

Someone I knew had one of these (Swienty) for several years, the comments were favourable and the general impression is that the device was satisfactory.

Thanks both. I think I'll order myself the Abelo one which strangely enough, is £10 cheaper on the bay than from them direct and free delivery to my nearest Argos......

 

[Quis Custodiet]

Thanks both. I think I'll order myself the Abelo one which strangely enough, is £10 cheaper on the bay than from them direct and free delivery to my nearest Argos......

You have probably made the better choice, Lyson equipment is becoming increasingly popular in Ireland(North and South).Good luck with your purchase.

 

[geebee]

I have made several very efficient wax melters from plastic dustbins. A piece of mesh supported is at the bottom. The steam is provided by using a wall paper stripper. The wax is held in a sack or mesh curtain material. Much less expensive and just as efficient as equipment manufactures melters. GeeBee

 

[Olivia9801]

Geebee

Any chance you could post some photos of your device please?

 

[masterBK]

I find unwanted pillow cases ideal to house the comb from about 15 brood frames and filter the wax in my SS steam wax extractor

 

[Quis Custodiet]

I wonder how effective a steam wax extractor would be at sterilising frames and other equipment?

 

[dpearce4]

Could you let me know how much wax you have when clean Hachi as I would be interested in it. Cheers Doug.

 

[Beefriendly]

I wonder how effective a steam wax extractor would be at sterilising frames and other equipment?

Its at 100C so if you are happy with this temp for sterilizing fine but it's not 100% sterilization at this temp. Ideally you need 121C (AKA pressure cooker) to kill everything. But practically it's good enough, although 100C won't kill AFB spores.....but as you probably don't have AFB then it's not really an issue worth worrying about.

 

[Hachi]

Could you let me know how much wax you have when clean Hachi as I would be interested in it. Cheers Doug.

Sure no worries Bud

 

[geebee]

Will do when back from hols. Very simple to make. 3 blocks shaped to fit the curve of the dustbin. they are held in place, about 4" from the bottom by screws from the outside. A wire grid is then cut to fit on the top. Any sort of platform will do as long as it lets the liquid wax through. The wax, in or cut from the frames are held in a sack. The steam inlet can be anywhere but I prefer the bottom. The wax outlet is at the bottom. The whole thing is placed on a stand so as to get a wax container underneath.

 

[peterbees]

I find unwanted pillow cases ideal to house the comb from about 15 brood frames and filter the wax in my SS steam wax extractor

How long does it take to steam one load of frames and brood combs? Thanks.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

How long does it take to steam one load of frames and brood combs? Thanks.

Can't you just get a WG grant to buy a steam wax processing pantechnicon, I believe they are available to you Gogs

 

[Angry_Mob]

Anyone tried making something like the the Easi-steam that Thornes do? Uses brood boxes as the sides and also cleans them at the same time.

 

[Curley]

Anyone tried making something like the the Easi-steam that Thornes do? Uses brood boxes as the sides and also cleans them at the same time.

Yep - the roof is easy - pallet wood and a scrap aluminium litho plate over the top, well stuck on with bathroom silicone to seal the gaps. With hole to put the steam pipe. (Nothing sophisticated just ram it in - did look to find a fitting that would mate with the wallpaper stripper and I'm sure they exist but a neat hole and a bit of B F & I, did the trick.
The floor more tricky - needs an internal slope sort of thing down to the entrance, then lined with another bit of aluminium, shaped a bit at one edge into a spout then a bit of mesh (stainless varroa mesh) to keep the worst of the gunk off the floor. Melts the wax out of frames but you need to scrape the frames while they are still hot as they get covered with slum gum down at the bottom and when its cold its harder to get off. Doesn't get hot enough to sterilise frames. Am going to experiment with a second wall paper steamer going in at the bottom to get a higher temperature. Mostly now I do as Masterbk and cut out the comb and put it in an old pillow case and suspend that in the brood box. Not such a big clean up afterwards.

Significantly cheaper than Thornes offering especially if you have a wall paper stripper already. Having borrowed an easi-steam before making my own version, I would say equally effective. I am hoping that adding a second steamer would raise the temperature enough to sterilise frames or certainly do two boxes at once.

 

[wessexmario]

I made a steamer using a large storage box with lid, something like this one:
https://www.diy.com/departments/form-flexi-store-large-43l-plastic-storage-box/1144773_BQ.prd

I had a wallpaper steamer kettle, but buying one advertised for it's intended purpose will be much cheaper than one for specialist use!
A couple of 15mm plumbing tank connectors fitted to the top (steam in) and bottom (wax out) completed it.

A couple of advantages of this setup is that as the box is transparent you can see what's going on, and being rectangular it's easier to fit lots of frames in.

All the bits available with lots of change from £50.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/VonHaus-Ha...&qid=1525864723&sr=8-7&keywords=steam+cleaner
https://www.screwfix.com/p/pegler-px35-flanged-tank-connector-15mm/6146g

 

[SDM]

Can't you just get a WG grant to buy a steam wax processing pantechnicon, I believe they are available to you Gogs

Still laughing at being to dim to fill in a grant application form months later.
You're world must be very dull

 

[enrico]

Old solid floor lined with old metal roof with a gap cut for the wax to run out of.
Put old brood box on top, load with old frames, put insulated roof, like I use over the hives in the winter on the top of that, put the nozzle from the wallpaper stripper in a hole through the bottom of the wall of the old brood box I used and turn it on. The wax and water runs out and into a bucket filled with water.the wax sets on the top!
Done
E