# Don't make this mistake



## GaSteve (Apr 28, 2004)

I had several unopened plastic bears that had totally crystallized. I put them in a pot of warm water, but wondered if I should pierce the foam seal under the lid to keep the lids from popping off. I decided against it and went ahead and heated the honey.

No, the tops didn't blow off, but it did push the bottoms out so far that they won't stand up.

I guess I really need to keep all the honey in buckets and bottle as needed. If a bucket crystallizes, the whole bucket can be warmed much easier than individual containers.


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## tarheit (Mar 26, 2003)

I've run into the same thing when I wasn't watching the heat and they got to warm (not hot enough to burn the honey though). The pot of warm water also has the problem of ruining the labels as well.

Now for the most part I bottle the honey as needed, but I still get jars that crystalize from time to time. So now I use a hot box or honey warmer which basically is a box with a heat source and thermostat. Controlled, dry heat that prevents bulging honey bears and ruined labels. See www.honeyrunapiaries.com/beekeeping.phtml for a picture of mine.

-Tim


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## newbee 101 (May 26, 2004)

I only label as I need them, just in case I have to warm them up.


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

I built a wood box to hold two 5-gallon buckets of honey. I heat it by three 100 watt light bulbs and I use a water heater thermostat to limit my upper end heat range to 130 degrees. Absolutely nothing fancy to this arrangement, and all the hardware/electrical is available at home improvement stores.

Along side the buckets, I have room to set crystalized bottles and bears.

I found that if I merely loosen the plastic flip caps on my bears, about a half turn or so, this is sufficient to allow any expansion. I remove the bears and allow them to cool to room temperature before screwing the lids down tight. No damage is done to the bear or the label.

This box has worked so well, with one light bulb I can reliquify jars of cut comb honey with harely any damage to the wax comb.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## nursebee (Sep 29, 2003)

I read somewhere that different plastics have different temperature tolerances. I do not think the bee suppliers publish this info, it likely came directly from a manufacturer.


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