[Goldenman]

Two questions:

1) I did ten batches of processing combs into beeswax using a double boiler at 170 degrees. Two of my batches had old dirty combs from a source I am not sure of. All my batches turned into a nice golden color except two had a brown color. I read that old comb can turn this color and that it's almost impossible to clean (not worth the effort) and should be thrown out. Is this true? I have app 18 pounds of it.

2) How to you suggest I clean my golden beeswax a second time to prep for candles? For the first batches, we added water to the combs. When it had melted, I dumped the water and ran the wax through a tee shirt fabric and let it cool/separate. Is is suggested to do the same thing again using water? The wax looks pretty good but could use a second filtering. How do you guys do it and what is the recommended method for super clean beeswax?

Thanks a lot for your time and help!

 

[Bees In Miami]

Try sweatshirt material, fuzzy side up. You can double it up if the wax is really dirty. Works like a champ.

 

[captaintat2]

I would never filter my wax through anything more than a screen. I don't double boil either, just put some water in the bottom of the wax pot, melt your wax, pour it through a screen into a bucket with boiling water in it and let it cool overnight. The junk will sink to the bottom of the wax/water. Just scrape it off the bottom until you hit solid wax, it will still be contaminated though. To further purify it repeat the process. Check out the below links on Youtube/fatbeeman/Wax Part 1 and Wax Part 2. Don't make extra work, just put all of the old darker wax in with the rest of it and it will blend.

http://youtu.be/NNcrmz5AGA8

http://youtu.be/-VbXcmh46vc

 

[USMCEOD]

The best thing I have found for the last cleaning is to make a wire loop and stretch pantyhose over it and pour the wax through it. For small batches, you can put your wax chunks in pantyhose, tie it off and melt in water this will get a lot of the crud out.

 

[Michael Bush]

Old dark brood combs may not be worth the trouble, but once you have a block of brown beeswax, it's worth almost as much as any other beeswax. If you are considering throwing it out, I'll pay the shipping and you can send it to me.

 

[Fusion_power]

I'll pay the shipping and you can send it to me.

You might not make that offer if you knew how much it costs to ship from Canada to the U.S.

 

[Goldenman]

So what can you do with a block of brown beeswax? It's chocolate in color and I have about 18 pounds of it. Can this be used for candles? I usually don't see candles with that color...

 

[KPeacock]

I use beeswax around the shop/house for a lot of things like waterproofing boots, waterproofing wooden implements/tools, when building decks or driving wood screws i have a beeswax/mineral oil paste that i use to lubricate the screws...etc. I keep all my old nast bits of "bad" wax for this purpose. I don;t know anything about candle making, so i can;t offer advice there, but if it is un suitable for making "pretty" stuff, you can always use it for more industrial applications.

 

[Michael Bush]

I dip my boxes in beeswax and rosin so I never have enough. I don't care what color it is. Ad KPeacock said, it makes great waterproofing for boots (I mix it with vasoline to make it softer) or saddles etc. You can make candles, but probably won't get a premium price. You can make it into sheets and leave it in the sun to bleach. You can bleach it.

 

[johng]

You can trade in the wax for a credit with most bee supply companies. They may not give you as much for the darker wax it as they do for the lighter color wax but, it is still worth melting down that much wax. I would just do two different batches.