I have three buckets like the one on the left, I had cooked that down in the past and let it set in the bucket. I don't know how I can get that wax out since it's pretty solid and stuck in the bucket. Most of the buckets are like the one on the right. One of the buckets currently has live wax moth living inside it.
I don't have any equipment to process this beeswax, I'm going to need to buy some things.
I'm a bit confused when reading about it, it seems like people have different methods to processing beeswax.
Can anyone provide a good method on how to go about processing such a large amount of beeswax, and what instruments I'll need to buy. I can't seem to buy very large second hand pots and then brand new large stainless steel pots are quite expensive.
what are you going to make or supply wax to?
is there a place over there that buys wax to make into foundation or candles or something? May be get a few dollars a pail and be rid of it.
I put my cappings on a few inches of water and boil (6 inches or so) then let cool and I have a 2 or 3 inch puck floating on the water the next morning. that will need be carved out of the pails and melted.
here a canner for canning quarts of food is big enough to create a double boiler and get the wax out once the edge melts a bit.
I would with out a direction Melt strain and maybe make Kilo blocks to peddle ideally you have a buyer first to describe the output.
GG
I don't have any buyer but people occasionally ask to buy beeswax, so I was thinking of trying to cook it down into 1kg blocks. Is there something I can buy that will give me exactly 1kg blocks?
So you cook it first in one pot, then next day cook it again in a double boiler method?
I picked up an electric frying pan a few years ago to use ONLY for wax. That kept my wife happy and kept the house and kitchen a lot cleaner. I fill the pan up with wax and water and let it all melt. Then I pour it through a paint mesh straining bag into a plastic food grade bucket. This gets the big chunks and dead bees out of the wax. If you want really clean wax, next melting run the cleaner wax through a grease strainer from a restaurant supply house to get it better. You will also need to scrape the bottom between each melting to get the smaller, grainy stuff out. You may have to do this 2 or 3 times. Your local bee supply house probably has molds to give you the size and weight bars you want.
I don't have pics, but here's my method: I have a 5 gallon bucket with a lid. The lid has the center cut out so it's just the rim. I lay a xxl t-shirt over the bucket, leaving a bit of slack so it's sunk down into the bucket a bit. I put about an inch of water in the bucket, and I place the lid over this to hold the shirt in place. I have a piece of window screen that I lay on top of the lid. I put my dirty wax on top. I have a harbor freight heat gun that I use to melt the wax on the screen. It easily melts it. The screen catches the big stuff, and the t-shirt catches the small particles. The clean wax drips into the water and cools. When I don't have any comb left, I take the screen off and there's usually a little bit that puddles on top of the shirt, so I put a little extra heat on it to make it flow on down. I'm left with clean wax floating on the water. I break the cake into pieces and melt them in a double boiler to pour them into blocks.
Set your frozen buckets of bees wax in a car in the sun and it will come out of the bucket later in the day. Solar wax melters are really easy to make and I am sure you tube is full of samples and builds.
I can NOT advise using and oven to melt wax. Wax dripping on a hot element will easily catch on fire. Listen to Vance, build a nice solar wax melter NOW, while it is still hot.
No doubt it is a sketchy practice. I place the small pan on top of a raised-edge cookie sheet and I put the fire extinguisher on the counter. But there is no way to fully eliminate the risk if you chose to do it. Melter beware.
Made out of a styrafoam cooler, piece of glass in top, a wire frame inside on top of a tupperware container. i set it in the driveway while im at work, all melted by time i get home. Granted i do it as i get it so as not to have tons to do at once.
The proper method is a stainless steal stacked tanks, like a double boiler. The bigger tank is filled with water, the smaller with wax. No filters are needed, let it cool after you have dipped down to dirt. Scrap the dirt off the bottom the next day and repeat. 150 gallons is a good size for the inner tank. Too small and it cools to fast for good dipping.
Interesting videos Greg! Saw the word "Fox" in both, is that a mistranslation or is that what they are called?
Anyone ever converted a fruit press or sausage stuffer press into a slum gum press? Off work today and spotted a cast iron Enterprise Mfg Co sausage press in a second hand consignment type store. Thought it could be converted fairly easily. A bit small and $65 so did not buy it. Researching a bit they were made in different sizes and some were dual use. Basket and other attachments for fruit... And much much higher in price!
This particular press design is very old and indeed is called "fox". No clue why.
Very simple design that only takes standard lumber and some hardware.
The "improved fox" in that second video can be used for both honey and wax pressing (AND it also serves as a sitting/working bench - no wasted space).
The video author has also made a true German-style press (pictured in the video).
He preferres the "fox" press I understand - just much simpler construction and operation all way around (akin Tiger vs. T-34).
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