Melting wax cappings and burr comb

[HoneyBuzzard]

Last year I had read that you can take wax cappings and burr comb and double boiler everything to get it to melt down. I did this and ended up with a nice block of wax although it eventually molded completely on me. I would like to make some candles or just have some wax blocks eventually but I don't really know how to render the wax properly. I don't have enough money to buy a big Maxant type melter and was looking for something a bit more reasonable price wise. Right now I have a few big coffe cans full of cappings (still a bit of honey in there too) Can I store it in this fashion untill I am ready to melt it? Any help would be appreciated!! Thanks so much.

[riverrat]

I would put the wax cappings outside on a plate and let the bees clean up the extra honey you would bee suprised at how much honey they can get out of cappings. make sure they are a ways away from hives to keep it from encouraging robbing. has for processing the wax that is another easy one get a crock pot I usually pick them up at auctions for a buck. fill it about half full of water add your burr comb and cappings to fill it up turn it on low until all wax is melted. turn off let wax solidify remove wax pour out water scrape inpurities off bottom of wax block repeat process each time the wax will get cleaner. I have never had a block of wax mold after cleaning this way. If melting old brood comb put the wax in a nylon stocking the first time through remove stocking and squeez out excess wax before letting the wax cool down. after you have rendered the wax then use the double broiler to melt wax to pour into wax mold.

[berkshire bee]

I just built a simple solar wax melter. I place it on the blacktop. I pile the cappings or old comb on a window screen with a cake pan underneath that has some water in the bottom. Most of the debris is caught by the window screen. The wax is hot enough to burn your fingers so use caution. after it melts in the pan of water, lift the box in the evening when it cools and slide the pan out, and follow riverrat's directions for cleaning etc. For really clean wax you can repeat, using a fine mesh cloth and you'll be good to go. If you want more details on my simple melter, PM me.