how to purify/bleach beeswax

[mom]

I'm trying to find some literature or website that can tell me how to purify/bleach beeswax. Can you help me?

[Michael Bush]

I've never attemtped to bleach it, but here's how I process it. Melt the wax with some water in the bottom of the container. When it's nicely liquid, I pour it through a sieve (screen wire strainer) to get out the cocoons and such. Then I pour it through a fine cloth filter in the same sieve to get out the pollen and finer impurities. Then I pour it into something that is taller than it is wide. This is because the impurities are on the bottom and the smaller the surface area of the bottom, the more concentrated the impurities are. You end up scraping the impurities off of the bottom. While the wax is setting up, I keep cutting around the outside (there is still water on the bottom to keep it from sticking there) to keep it free enough that I can remove it when it is hard. Scrap all the grainy stuff off of the bottom. Usually, if you don't use too much black brood comb, this results in nice bright yellow wax.

Too much black brood comb results in brownish colored wax.

[Russ]

Micheal, You say you use a container taller than it is wide. What do you use? Give us an example. Dale

[RAlex]

I believe that hydrochloric acid is used to whiten dark bees wax ...just not sure of the process ....That might be good for making candles or dying the wax but dont think I would use it in my hives ..Rick

[Clayton]

Hi,

I use no chem's to whiten/lighten beewax. After I have clean wax blocks. I run several times through solar wax melter to lighten from which I use to make cut comb or section foundation. Not sure if this is what you are looking for. I process the wax similar to Micheals post but a bit different as I don't need to scrape the bottom of the cakes as I process once to remove slum and then again to remove the fine stuff ending up with a clean block which I caste into 1/2 gallon milk cartons yeilding 4 lbs. blocks.

Clay

[Michael Bush]

>Micheal, You say you use a container taller than it is wide. What do you use? Give us an example. Dale

It's the principle of having a small bottom surface area with the pollen and impurities, to scrape off. So I use what I have available. I used to use the paper half gallon milk cartons, when they were easy to get. These are easy to get the wax out of because you just tear them apart. I have used plastic gallon milk jugs cut off, but they are'nt as tall as I would like. A two liter bottle cut off would work, I think, but I haven't tried it and don't know how it would react to the heat. I have used coffee cans. I don't have anything that is as tall as I would like, but I try to get taller and skinnier instead of wider. I do end up melting it in a big fat pot, but I try to pour it into something taller. I think the ideal, which I don't have, would be a very large funnel with the hole plugged and placed in something to stabalize it so it doesn't fall over. The wax would be easy to remove because of the taper and the sludge would be very small in diameter at the bottom.

[Russ]

Thanks Micheal, That gives me some thing to think about. Dale

[Russ]

Thanks Micheal, That gives me some thing to think about. Dale

[BULLSEYE BILL]

When I was a kid we had a popcorn popper that was made of aluminum and was about 2 1/2 inches diameter at the bottom and maybe 14 inches across the top. Can't remember the name for sure, maybe Vornado? I dunno, but that would work great if you can find one at a garage sale.
Bill

[Russ]

Bill, I know what you are talking about. I was in an old bldg. at Gridley and saw the machine that they were made on. They were made of spun alumunium. Will keep my eye out for one. I think my brother still has one. Dale

[Russ]

That was Gridley Ks. Dale

[Brandon Shaw]

What about stove pipe, or similar exhaust pipe. Many types are easily seperated, and you could cut the length and width to whatever size you wanted within reason. I'm not sure how you would best hold it together while pouring wax, but I'm sure your creative enough to figure something out. Duct tape?