[Ravenseye]

Nice work. It does take time. You might want to try freezing them. If the wax is frozen you can use the bent side of your hive tool and the hard wax flies right off. I also use an old awl that I heated and bent at the tip for the grooves. I've seen them sold here and there. I don't worry about bacteria or bugs since that's all natural in a hive. Either way works if you have them time!

 

[My-smokepole]

A wash tub on a fish fryer for me with a couple inch of water.

 

[hankstump]

I built a solar wax melter that will hold about 3 deep frames at a shot. On a sunny day around 70, that box will get up to 200 degrees easily. Stuff your frames in there, let them warm up, and pull one out, and add another. In the time it takes you to scrape down a hot frame, the next one should be ready.

Save all those scrapings on a piece of fabric or burlap and put in your swarm traps on top of the frames. All the right scents for a good swarm trap.

I also put a piece of burlap in my solar wax melter to collect all the slum gum. It filters out the wax nicely, and makes a good matt of hive flavors for swarm traps. Works a treat.

A deep stock pot and a hot plate works well to boil the frames for a short bit. Everything ends up a bit wax coated, and you need to skim the water from time to time. It will surely warp plastic ware.

Phil in Fremont.

 

[Michael Bush]

I wouldn't have bothered... besides I like a little comb on the top bar so I don't have to put a starter strip in...