Where to buy solar wax extractor?

[dickbowyer]

Looking to buy solar wax extractor and price and quality seem very variable whether you look on Th**n*s, Mai**m*r*s, P*y*e* or on e*ay websites. Anyone have know of good and economical supplier?

 

[BeeJayBee]

I bought a second hand one, the small version.

The wax-receiving container is narrower than the larger one, so there needs to be a funnel of some sort to channel the wax into it. If you put brood frames into the melter part the pupal cases fall downwards and block the mesh, and then it sets solid and has to be chiselled off or cleaned with hot water. It's fiddly and messy, and not really any better than any of the home-made things you can find on youtube.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I wouldn't buy another.

 

[itma]

Ask around your local 'ethnic' greengrocers and see if you can get a big flat expanded polystyrene box. Exotic fruit and veg are airfreighted around the world in very useful (disposable!) insulated boxes!
Then B&Q will sell you a small sheet (1.2 metres long) of conservatory roof clear(ish) polycarbonate double glazing.
If you go to a catering supplier (like Nisbets who do online ordering) you can get a stainless steel Gastronorm pan to form the guts of your creation.
A "Gastronorm 1/1" size (say 65mm deep) is big enough to take a national brood frame (but not quite a 14x12) and can be had for about a tenner -- and Nisbets are offering free delivery during this month of August.
Then you just need to invent a nice method of tapping off the molten wax into your receptacle - silicone bakeware 'releases' and cleans up nicely.
Putting your raw wax into some 'tights' offcut both contains it and acts a filter/strainer.
If you are going this route - best to actually get your stainless pan first, and then go looking for an insulated box for it ...


No need to buy!

 

[wwwcight]

I too would say don't buy one, make one. The most complicated bit is finding a reasonable sized piece of glass to go on top.

After that just make a sloped surface, box it in and insulate to keep the heat in. Line the bottom with some surface that is not going to soak up the wax and will not melt under, say, 100C.

If you want to go the extra mile you can paint the internal surfaces black / a dark colour and use double glazed glass, but I got away without using either of those.

Here is one I made earlier

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/...5767160280330597666&oid=116439088127908179713

The one I made is large, but you can make them pretty small if you like; I've seen ones not much bigger than a shoe box.


There are lots of pictures on google of home made ones

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=s...3Fs7htQbV5oDwDQ&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=1537&bih=743

 

[dickbowyer]

Many thanks for advice

 

[Russel]

Check out your local double glazing firms for an old glazed pvc sash, then make box to suit>

 

[peterbees]

I made mine using a small "mismeasured" double glazed panel from a local glass company. They are glad to get rid of them. OK, it's rather heavy, but it works well here in sunny North Wales. I melt the wax into two loaf tins. I made a wooden box to suit and a steel tray from an old shelving panel.

 

[Barbarian]

I have used double glazing units. I find that in time the inner sheet of glass cracks ------ heat stress ? The melter will still work.

My present set up uses 2 thicknesses of glass but not sealed.

 

[itma]

My small sheet of double-polycarbonate is enough for at least two melters (maybe three) and cost about £8. Simple to fit that stuff to the scrounged insulated box, rather than scrounge a heavy glass panel and have to then make a box and stand strong enough to support the ruddy thing!

 

[Jimmy]

A "Gastronorm 1/1" size (say 65mm deep) is big enough to take a national brood frame (but not quite a 14x12) t.
Then you just need to invent a nice method of tapping off the molten wax into your receptacle -

Any suggestions as to how to modify a gastronorm pan to tap off the molten wax?

Thanks

 

[madasafish]

I made a double glazed unit out of two sheets of polycarbonate sheet, sandwiched with wood and sealed with aluminium tape. Lasted 4 years so far.

 

[enrico]

Just a piece of glass on a box in full sun works. Put an old tray in the bottom with holes down one said.Put all the wax in a fine mesh bag to catch the crap and put it in the tray. Put a plastic box under the holes for the wax to run into and then tilt the whole thing so that the wax runs through the holes and into the plastic box.
Costs hardly anything.

 

[Truble]

As I'm crap at DIY I bought one from Ab£llo. Twice the size of Throens and half the price (or was). Been in used for at least 5 years and still going strong.