# Why didn't my beeswax harden after rendering? Its very mushy.



## SmilenEz

Hello, this is my first time rendering wax from my bee hives. I used the double boiler method of melting the wax. I filtered it through a cheesecloth into a container. The rendered beeswax never hardened, its like a mushy slush which will shift if I tilt the container. There are three layers, a whitish layer on top a middle layer and a little left over honey on the bottom. I did everything that I read about or watched on rendering beeswax. I was hoping to make some lotions, balms and salves as Christmas gifts. 


What did I do wrong?


Thanks!


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## RobWok

you need to boil it in a water bath. That removes all the sugars. Chop it in chunks, set at medium high heat, and stir, then when it's clear, turn off the heat and set aside and don't touch it until the next day. Then, you'll pull out the wafer that's floating on top.

Next, you set it out to dry, then shave off the bottom - the part that was in the water, until you get solid wax. Then you're good to go. The shaved off stuff you can add to next year's batch. You want to clean off the bottom until there's no dirty residue. At this point, you could heat it again in a double boiler and pour through a coffee filter for a fully refined wax.

rob.


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## SmilenEz

Thank you Rob, so just put the glob i have from last time in the water and boil till clear. I will try this tonight.


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## RobWok

yep.


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## crofter

If water, wax and honey are in just the right proportions and perhaps boiling the three can form an emulsion similar to soft soap. It happened with identical results to my son. It can be difficult to break down the emulsion once it happens. 

The more honey, less water solution has a higher boiling point than a mostly water bath; that may be part of the reason it happens. We did not try to reproduce those results to find out why. I use lots of water and have not had it occur.


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## beeware10

what was the amount of cappings your working with? It takes quite a bit to amount to much.


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## Dan the bee guy

When I did my wax I used a ice cream pail ful to the top of cappings. I put it in a kettle of water on low heat the water did not boil. It takes a little longer that way but it separated very nice from the honey . Melted the wax again in the pail with water in the pail.


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## tech.35058

RobWok said:


> you need to boil it in a water bath.


I don't want to argue with any one, since I am so in-experienced, but, I was cautioned not to get the wax too hot, as it "(would darken it)". Color probably doesn't matter for this application though.
Last year, I put scrap wax in cheese cloth, or "t-shirt cloth" , then when melted pulled the bag up & let it drip back in the pot.
I processed the bagged slumgum multiple times.
thanks for the tip about coffee filters, I had not heard or thought of that 
CE


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## Michael Bush

I've had that happen when there was honey in it. The honey sort of emulsifies it. A water bath, as others have said, will get the honey out and that should fix it. Cook it with some water in the pot with the wax.


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## mgolden

tech.35058 said:


> I don't want to argue with any one, since I am so in-experienced, but, I was cautioned not to get the wax too hot, as it "(would darken it)". Color probably doesn't matter for this application though.
> Last year, I put scrap wax in cheese cloth, or "t-shirt cloth" , then when melted pulled the bag up & let it drip back in the pot.
> I processed the bagged slumgum multiple times.
> thanks for the tip about coffee filters, I had not heard or thought of that
> CE


I used a section of panty hose leg to do the fine straining.

Made a loop in a piece of wire and twisted the free ends together to form a handle. Similar to the handle of a fly swatter except the grip is formed to a larger round circle. Cut a piece from the leg and slip it over the ring and get double filtering. Poured the liquid wax through and with double straining it is very clean.

Worked very well. No need to cut the bottom off the wax and melt it again with next batch.


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## mgstei1

squeez as mush honey as possible through cheese cloth or a nylon paint trainer. Warm room in a paint strainer hanging over night most of the honey will drip out.
Then find an open area preferably a fair distance from your colonies and spread the cappings on plywood or a flat surfcae. Stir it a few times as the bees will gather all the remaining honey.It will be like fine shredded leaves but slightly sticky once its ready to render.
Solar melter works great for a nice clear wax with very little residue to scrape away.


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## LimeJello

tech.35058 said:


> I don't want to argue with any one, since I am so in-experienced, but, I was cautioned not to get the wax too hot, as it "(would darken it)". Color probably doesn't matter for this application though.
> Last year, I put scrap wax in cheese cloth, or "t-shirt cloth" , then when melted pulled the bag up & let it drip back in the pot.
> I processed the bagged slumgum multiple times.
> thanks for the tip about coffee filters, I had not heard or thought of that
> CE


I too am ultra careful about the temperature the wax is allowed to go to. When it is overheated, it loses the antimicrobrioal properties.


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## homesteadingentrepre

How long does the water bath take seems like I've been on a light boil for 2 or 3 hours.


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## Cloverdale

To add, I use a crockpot on low, with water, and an old tee shirt in there; it will melt, pull the tee shirt out with all the goober stuff and it will harden nice and clean.


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## Fivej

homesteadingentrepre said:


> How long does the water bath take seems like I've been on a light boil for 2 or 3 hours.


Far too long, and don't boil it. Low heat and stir occasionally to make solids break apart from wax and sink to bottom. Shut off once wax is melted. J


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