Wax foundation

[jenkinsbrynmair]

....very logical explanation as always

Yes - I have Three Degrees in it - that's why I'm allowed to wear The Pips on my shoulders

 

[Finman]

Yes - I have Three Degrees in it - that's why I'm allowed to wear The Pips on my shoulders

Yes I know. Celsius, Fahrenheit and Kelvin.

 

[Hivemaker.]

For cleaning dirty/discoloured blocks of wax, re melting the wax in plenty of water and boiling with the addition of some bleach brings it back to a nice yellow colour.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

For cleaning dirty/discoloured blocks of wax, re melting the wax in plenty of water and boiling with the addition of some bleach brings it back to a nice yellow colour.

Does it lose the bleach smell or does it need another "washing" for that?

CVB

 

[Hivemaker.]

Does it lose the bleach smell or does it need another "washing" for that?

CVB

The bleach evaporates off, loses its smell, so no smell of bleach, just the nice aroma of wax left.

 

[dpearce4]

how much bleach HM?

 

[Thymallus]

If you want to try a more natural way, use a cheese grater on coarse and make a load of wax flakes from a colored beeswax block. Place in sunny position, like conservatory, and leave. Turn over every once in a while and within a month or so you have an almost "white" show standard wax.
Just takes a while.....

 

[Finman]

how much bleach HM?

If you do foundations, wax needs to to cleaned that it is "nice". IT is better with chemicals.

 

[Finman]

If you want to try a more natural way, use a cheese grater on coarse and make a load of wax flakes from a colored beeswax block. Place in sunny position, like conservatory, and leave. Turn over every once in a while and within a month or so you have an almost "white" show standard wax.
Just takes a while.....

Not necessary. Bees do not see it in the hive. And bees prefer dark combs... If you ask.

 

[dpearce4]

If you do foundations, wax needs to to cleaned that it is "nice". IT is better with chemicals.

was thinking to get my wax right for candles not foundation.

 

[Hivemaker.]

how much bleach HM?

Very technical, about a mugful mixed with a little water.

The discolored wax is first extracted and cast into blocks, 17 to 20kg, at a later date these are then put into a stainless steel boiler with around 15 to 20 liters of water, wax is melted and brought up to steady simmer and then the bleach added, I keep this simmering for an hour or so, not critical, but the idea is to have lots of tiny bubbles and water rising up through the liquid wax, to clean the stained wax molecules, when finished wrap/lag the tank in something to hold in the heat for a few hours, old blankets work okay, this allows a nice long time for any tiny particles to sink out, next ladle clean wax back into molds and leave to set, the next time they are melted is when needed for foundation making, although the wax could be used straight from the boiler after the bleach cleanup if desired.

The bleach quantity is not critical, but if using oxalic it is, too much and you end up with a soapy mixture.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Which bleach? Do you use hydrogen peroxide or the domestic stuff containing about 10% sodium hypochlorite?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Which bleach? Do you use hydrogen peroxide or the domestic stuff containing about 10% sodium hypochlorite?

Domestic stuff, sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Thanks.

 

[beebot]

The green is copper oxide

Not green the last time I used copper (I) oxide or copper (II) oxide

PS Acetic acid is used by real chemist in the real world.
Systematic name ethanoic acid is only used in schools (in this country anyway).
A little knowledge can be a misleading thing especially if gleaned through google.

 

[Itchy]

Not through Google, but assumption based on green cooper outdoors. Already corrected by Oliver

 

[Hivemaker.]

I use stainless steel boilers for wax, but also have two of the old type Burco boilers, they are twin walled with galvanized outer and plated copper inner, the plating has worn off in places on the copper, I do know that if i use either of these two old Burcos they will stain the wax green.

 

[pargyle]

Not through Google, but assumption based on green cooper outdoors. Already corrected by Oliver

I find the ignore button very soothing at times.....

 

[Finman]

I use stainless steel boilers for wax, but also have two of the old type Burco boilers, they are twin walled with galvanized outer and plated copper inner, the plating has worn off in places on the copper, I do know that if i use either of these two old Burcos they will stain the wax green.

How wax can get acetic acid? When uncapped honey gets water, it ferments. Next step is that alcohol gets oxygen and turs to asetic acid. IT acid had contact long time to copper, something may happen.

Honey is very acid and react itself with with copper.

Once I had yellow, bronze like frame wire. It had propably copper. The honey around the wire turner blue at the distance of one millimetre.

 

[Finman]

The green is copper oxide

A according wikipedia copper (ll) oxide is black.
Copper (l) oxide is from dark red to brown.


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