What to do with wax

[Dave]

Hi

Other than a solar extractor, any ways of cleaning sticky wax (I.E, capping honey contaminated) quickly?

We have loads of it, and about 200 frames to be cut out, old drawn comb, so got loads more to be done, I think we will be close to two dustbins full. I can't face washing a bowl of it 5 times in water, then popping it in my little double boiler, I will be doing it for years!

Cheers

Dave

 

[Hivemaker.]

Dave if you look on beekeeping forum, (melting wax tips) then i have said how i do this with the cappings,are your combs clean or have they had brood in? if they have then you may want to just ladle the wax off and then get into rough blocks then , do with strainer the second time,as they will block the strainer if it is dirty combs.Have also compressed them up and wrapped in net then put into boiler,wax runs out leaving big lumps and cocoons in the net.You will never recover much wax from very old brood combs,they will absorb the wax as it melts,better to burn them.

 

[BKF Admin]

Click here: This was the thread

 

[Finman]

.
I take the wax to beekeeping stuff supplier and he makes foundations from my wax. It is very sheap compared real foundation price.

If you have extra foundations, sell them to some another beekeeper.

 

[BKF Admin]

You can melt into molds and sell on Ebay?

 

[Hivemaker.]

I now exchange most of it for foundation,keep some for polish.I used to make all my own foundation ,but do not get the time for this now,athough i believe it is better. I get plenty of spare foundation from the exchange which i sell.

 

[Dave]

Hi

Thanks for all the replies, I will have a look at the other thread.

The wax, is all either cappings, brace comb (Clean), or super come (wet), so bar honey it is clean. I have come into alot of supers and other equipment (but the supers contain frames with wax) and we are wanting to start with new wax for obvious reasons.

Cheers

Dave