I agree with Cacklewack, the bees are born to make wax.
One problem with determining the or any source for colony calapse disorder (ccd) is the difficulty in establishing a control. Two colonies side by side with no differance in management can be as differant as night and day. To accept a tired loose comparison as a determination of the trade off between comb building and honey production doesn't hold water for me.
From an economic return, beeswax candles fetch a buck or two each with no food handling considerations, permits, liability or jars. Cunsumers always balance the specialties against the supermarket, but you must search for beeswax candles and they can be sold at yard sales.
I'm still learning the best way to render wax. When I let bees do the work, all that was left was wax. I'm going to try a flat platform form with a rain cover this year.
Also, while I'm alone tending the hives and packing the honey, the whole family has a ball making candles.