Wax filtering.

[Newbeeneil]

I have been making a few wax items and normally use lint to filter which works but is costly.
I've read that nappy liners or coffee filters will do the same job, any recommendations?

 

[Swarm]

I imagine nappy liners would be hard to find these days.

 

[JamezF]

I imagine nappy liners would be hard to find these days.

Might not be that difficult to be honest. It's been quite some years since our two were babies, but even then there was a definite, err, "movement" back towards reusable nappies, partly because they're more environmentally responsible, but also cheaper in the long run (and what baby hasn't had a long run at some point?). There was even an active second-hand market for them. There are parts of one's childrens' early lives that evolution has probably conditioned us to forget otherwise we'd never survive as a species, but I have a vague recollection that liners were available in both disposable and washable versions.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

Might not be that difficult to be honest.

Yes. Cheap as chips on Amazon

 

[Newbeeneil]

Yes. Cheap as chips on Amazon

Hence my question as lint is expensive, but no one has any experience of them by the sound of it?

 

[Erichalfbee]

There’s a roll there for less than £4.00. Try it and see?
I use two layers of J cloths.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I only use lint for filtering wax for showing, for normal use I find a double layer of ladies' tights sufficient

 

[Wilco]

I've used tights and pillowcases to filter it. Steaming it through a pillowcase worked alright to lighten darker wax into a more acceptable tone.

I've decided to try to do most of my rendering and candle making in the summer next year to save on energy.

 

[JamezF]

I've decided to try to do most of my rendering and candle making in the summer next year to save on energy.

I'm trying to think of an arrangement that allows me to utilise the steam coming off my beer boiler to melt and filter wax so I get two uses out of the same heat.

James

 

[Wilco]

I'm trying to think of an arrangement that allows me to utilise the steam coming off my beer boiler to melt and filter wax so I get two uses out of the same heat.

James

Have the steam spout connected to a closed box with a cotton sheet loosely spread across the top with the wax on it. Steam enters below the sheet in my setup but I doubt it matters. Wax and condensate collect below, I remove it in sheets once cooled then remelt and pour into bars to remove any encapsulated water droplets.

Edit... Or just sit another, lidded, pan, with the wax above a sheet and a small amount of hot water in the bottom on top of the lid of the boiler?

 

[JamezF]

Have the steam spout connected to a closed box with a cotton sheet loosely spread across the top with the wax on it. Steam enters below the sheet in my setup but I doubt it matters. Wax and condensate collect below, I remove it in sheets once cooled then remelt and pour into bars to remove any encapsulated water droplets.

Hmm, yes... It's just occurred to me that I have an old copper hot water cylinder that might be pressed into service. I want to cut some of it up for another project, but I reckon I could use the top half upside down, allowing wax to run out of the hole for the top fitting. Make a lid and something to support the filter material inside and it could be a goer.

James

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

Four layers of J cloth is what I use, sits nicely in a stainless sieve on our small tank.
Used cloths get put in the steam tank to clean ready for re-use.

 

[E&MBees]

I found that the wax solidifies on the j-cloth when I tried. What am I doing wrong? Not heating it sufficiently?

 

[pargyle]

Old flanellette sheets cut into discs is what I use ... and the wax that is retained in them can be recovered and the discs re-used time after time. There's a masterclass in wax cleaning here:

http://www.southamptonbeekeepers.co.uk/index_files/notes/wax.pdf

 

[Jimmy]

I found that the wax solidifies on the j-cloth when I tried. What am I doing wrong? Not heating it sufficiently?

You might need a greater volume of wax going through the filter. The initial liquid will still solidify but the following liquid should melt it and unclog the filter. That or start with your wax at a higher temperature, though there are downsides to this.

 

[aj180949]

Try a single layer of paper kitchen towels. You must keep the set-up warm. I use a smoker that I can set for 75 degC. If your kitchen oven can go that low, try it. But make sure no wax drips down or you will experience the wrath of SHMBO.

 

[judy12]

And, of course, used cloths or kitchen towels stiff with wax residue are excellent for lighting fires.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

no mention of coffee filters?

i was going to give them a try if they work....stuck with tights atm

 

[E&MBees]

Thanks all. I use old muslin cloths which work ok or tights. But j cloths always solidify.

 

[Newbeeneil]

no mention of coffee filters?

i was going to give them a try if they work....stuck with tights atm

I think I'm going to try these. £1.20 for 40 in Tescos seems reasonable.