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Solar Melting

4K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  DerTiefster 
#1 ·
I built a solar melter, crude but it works with the recent warm sunny days...
I put in old comb that I have acquired mostly from doing cut-outs....
When I put the old comb into the melter, I get wa dripping into my pan, but there's a residue in the form of comb that is left. Almost feels like paper when I remove it.
Isn't the entire piece of comb wax? Shouldn't it melt completely??
Chuck
Ronan, MT
 
#3 · (Edited)
Thank you.... ;)

What would happen to that paper-like material if you were to just melt it in a pot? Could you still use it for candles?

BTW I know that Bea Arthur passed away a few years back, but did know that Bea Arthur is a Marine!

~Semper Fi~
 
#5 ·
As mentioned above, the cocoons from the pupating bees (they're wired to make them even inside the wax cells, which I find interesting) are not wax. They're part of what the wax moths eat/need as nutrition, and why fresh wax isn't a good home for wax moth larvae. But also as mentioned above they're good for fire starters,etc. And what wasn't mentioned above is that some folks use the material for its scent to enhance swarm lures.

And just for completeness' sake, I believe that "slum gum" is what the previous poster intended to write. In case one were to search for info.

Michael
 
#6 ·
The papery cells are cocoons left on the side of cells with each brood hatch. I consider slum gum to be the brown lumpy residue leftover from cappings melting. I don't know what it is but since it comes from cappings over new honey and not brood, it must not be cocoons. It contains wax which can only be retrieved by hot water pressing.
 
#7 ·
Oliver is MUCH more experienced than I, and knows the nomenclature well (possibly wrote/invented some of it). I, too, have seen the brown stuff in the cappings residue, but I thought it was principally propolis. I've been wrong before and fully expect that I am now wrong in certain things I consider to be true. I just don't know which ones.

Michael
 
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