# Presto vs Rival vs Others



## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Hobie said:


> I've read some good things about using a Presto Pot to melt wax. Yesterday I was poking around the local thrift shop and they had two crock-pots, but neither was a Presto. Can anyone offer opinions on these?
> 
> First was a Rival crock pot. It only had High-Medium-Low settings, no thermostat. My thoughts were that this could be dangerous, not knowing the temp.
> 
> ...


I have crock pots and have uses them to melt and clean wax and pour candles ect ect and they are a cheap way to melt wax (yard sales)

There are two reasons I like the "Presto" is thermostat and it is metal so you can "tap" the valve into it to pour with, I have seen other brands but never one as cheap as "Presto" so you know how beekeepers are (cheap)

Another thought : I have spilled wax messing with a crock pot (it is HOT) so you will have to find what works best for you.

Good luck


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## riverrat (Jun 3, 2006)

*rival the way to go then double broiler*

Hobie So you have heard good things on presto pots have ya. You must have missed Jims post on presto pots. I myself dont use them but HM has almost talked me into trying it. Like HM I do use a rival crockpot to clean wax. I usually set it on high when I start out to get the water warm quicker then turn it down to low to melt the wax. You can usually get them at auctions for a buck or two. When I pour the final product I use a double broiler. What ever you do dont leave anything unattended when melting wax.


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## Brandy (Dec 3, 2005)

For me the main difference was the speed that it takes to melt the wax. I started with water and wax in the crockpot to start the cleaning process. Well, it's safe but it takes several hours to get hot and melt the wax. With the Presto I still add water but I can have hot melting wax water very quickly and safely standing there with the thermometer. So I've gone completely with the Presto's for cleaning wax, pouring candles, making lotion bars, and very soon warming up my oils for soapmaking.


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## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

I'm pretty certain if you do a search we had an in depth discussion about this that included some good pictures last year or the year before. The pictures are always a big help for me.


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## berkshire bee (Jan 28, 2007)

*can't beat the presto pot*

around $22 at walmart with another 8 or 10 bucks for the fittings. You also need, or need to know someone with, the pipetap. They aren't that expensive. I've made two pots so far, one for me and one for a fellow beekeeper. I wouldn't be without it


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## Hobie (Jun 1, 2006)

berkshire, do you just melt wax only in your Presto pot? (as opposed to water and wax, which some have mentioned above.) I'm assuming so becasue it looks like the tap is on the bottom.


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## Paraplegic Racehorse (Jan 25, 2007)

Ideally, someone would make a crock-pot with pour-spout. Sort of like a pitcher instead of the usual bowl-shaped crock inside


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

> You also need, or need to know someone with, the pipetap


Another option, instead of drilling the hole smaller than the pipe and then tapping it, is to simply drill the hole to the size of the pipe and use jam nuts on each side of the kettle's wall. An o-ring on one side or high-temp RTV seals it nicely. Pipe threaded jam nuts can be found at places like Grainger's.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

....i just put together a presto pot the other day, it worked like a charm! a couple of notes:

1. neither home depot nor lowes (which are both within a mile of my house) carries pipe taps....so i bought a steel nipple to use as a roll tap (since the pot is aluminum, this works fine). a tap would be better, but it's doable without one. that said, i flubbed my first hole, and had to enlarge it for a 1/2" pipe (with an adaptor i still used the 3/8" ball valve).

2. i put the hole in at an angle, so the right angle downspout isn't needed.

3. if you thread the nipple fairly well into the prestopot (and at an angle), it sticks up from the bottom, allowing the sediment to settle to the bottom without being drawn out the valve. we poured 100 tea lights the other night with somewhat clean (but not very) wax without any kind of filter...some stuff floated on the top, some settled on the bottom, and the wax drawn out from the middle. btw, we poured the tealights right into the tealight cups with the premade wicks (from betterbee) right from the spout...didn't use a pouring pot.

4. i have a bunch of older plug in appliances...but i would only use a brand new one for this purpose. the thermostats (at least on the older ones i have) are a bit sketchy....and i like the magnetic auto-disconnect.

deknow


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## berkshire bee (Jan 28, 2007)

Hobie said:


> berkshire, do you just melt wax only in your Presto pot? (as opposed to water and wax, which some have mentioned above.) I'm assuming so becasue it looks like the tap is on the bottom.


Hobie, I've used it for everything from raw wax that has honey,dead bees and slum to clean wax. In the summer I run the raw wax through the solar melter to filter out a lot of the gunk. With the presto pot I throw the wax in water. Once it's solidified, I just drain the water off and turn it over to drop the chunk of wax out.

I like having the right angle spout because if you're opening the valve all the way to fill a pouring pot you have more control over where it's going. Also, by being right on the bottom, I can get everything out. No matter how well my wax is filtered, I always run it out of the presto pot spout, through my double filter and into the pouring pot, so I know it's as clean as can be. Specks of dirt can be your worst enemy when it comes to getting the candles to burn properly. 

The other plus to having it as low as possible is that when I'm done draining the wax out I can just take a paper towel and wipe out and dirt thats left on the bottom.There's always some. That's why I filter as it comes out. After I wipe the bottom out, I can put my candle finisher in and finish off the bottom of the tapers from the previous batches.

We all develop our own favorite ways of doing things and no one way is the only way. It's whatever works for you. It's great that we have this forum to share ideas, ask for and give constructive criticism, and help each other out. berkshire


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## Hobie (Jun 1, 2006)

Okay, dumb question: What makes a good "pouring pot"?


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## RAlex (Aug 18, 2001)

Hobie Here are the plans for the presto pot. I use it for making candles and melting wax to use for waxing in comb foundation ( I dip a small paint brush into the hot wax to apply to the top bar) .I have read of others using them to dye or scent the wax for candles. I dont use water and keep the temp set below 200 as always never leave it unattended.
http://www.candletech.com/budgetmelter/index.htm
Rick


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## berkshire bee (Jan 28, 2007)

Hobie said:


> Okay, dumb question: What makes a good "pouring pot"?


You can actually buy a "pouring" pot at craft stores that sell candle making supplies or places like Betterbee. Any decent sized metal pitcher type pot will do. Something with a spout at the top or you can bend top into a little v spout. Nothing fancy or expensive. I try to keep my wax around 175 deg


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## Hobie (Jun 1, 2006)

Thank you for all the info! With only one hive last year, plus a swarm, I do not have much wax, but I am collecting it and wanted to try candles someday. This is all good information to add to my file. 

Note to self: Get larger file cabinet.


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## berkshire bee (Jan 28, 2007)

Hobie, Most suppy places also sell wax. It takes a long time to get a good amount from your own hives. With 10 hives last year, I only got a couple of pounds


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## Brent Bean (Jun 30, 2005)

I use a double boiler you can get them at Wal-Mart for under $15 and you never have to worry about overheating the wax to the point of combustion. When the wax is melted pull the top pot of the boiler out and pour the wax where you want it.
I use it with a small electric hot plate cost $9 double boiler $11. Later I got a larger one from a garage sale for $1.


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Brent Bean said:


> I use a double boiler you can get them at Wal-Mart for under $15 and you never have to worry about overheating the wax to the point of combustion. When the wax is melted pull the top pot of the boiler out and pour the wax where you want it.
> I use it with a small electric hot plate cost $9 double boiler $11. Later I got a larger one from a garage sale for $1.


I have also used a glass coffee pot (Mr. Coffee) on the $9 hot plate.


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Hobie said:


> Thank you for all the info! With only one hive last year, plus a swarm, I do not have much wax, but I am collecting it and wanted to try candles someday. This is all good information to add to my file.
> 
> Note to self: Get larger file cabinet.


If you belong to a local "bee club" (if you dont join one) mabee somone in the club will sell you some wax a lot cheaper than you can get it from a supply house


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## riverrat (Jun 3, 2006)

Joel said:


> I'm pretty certain if you do a search we had an in depth discussion about this that included some good pictures last year or the year before. The pictures are always a big help for me.


HM. didnt you post some photos at one time of your pot. On another note Jim must have been kidnapped. I figured he would chime in on this one


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

riverrat said:


> HM. didnt you post some photos at one time of your pot. On another note Jim must have been kidnapped. I figured he would chime in on this one


http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c277/honeyman46408/mypicpot.jpg?t=1200846672

How about this mess :?


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

another little diddy about my pot

I like to pour as cool as I can and I was having a problem with the wax hardning in the valve so one day I saw a 1/4" ball valve that had male threads on one end I bought one and it helps a lot because it keeps the valve closer to the heat of the pot.

Where did I find the valve, glad you ask, it is at "Home Depot" in thr air tool section NOT in plumbing.


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