# Why is my wax coming out in two colors



## jparrish (Nov 29, 2014)

I started rendering beeswax last week, I bought the unprocessed wax form a local beekeeper. I read multiple articles on rendering the wax and decided to utilize the double boiler method. I've been filtering it through layers of cheesecloth and I'm running into the issue that the bottom 1/3ish of my "cleaned" wax is dark brown in color. What is causing this?


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## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

Try using distilled water or spring water in your wax pan. What that looks to me like is either propolis that hasn't been able to fall out of the wax correctly, or iron deposits from the water being used. If by chance you are using distilled or spring water already, use more in your redering.


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## jparrish (Nov 29, 2014)

I haven't been exposing the wax to any water, I have been putting it in a dry pot with water boiling underneath and allowing the wax to melt. Then I just pour it through the cheesecloth strainer into the mold. Should I switch to boiling it in water first? Will that also pull out the honey? The first batch I did didn't have any of the brown, but honey kept oozing out of a crack in the bottom.


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## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

Yes, and Yes. I use water in my rendering pot, throw my wax in there, melt it all down, then pour it through my cloth into a bucket. The wax will naturally float to the top as it is an oil base, and everything else falls to the bottom of the bucket. Doing it this way will also allow any of the old honey that you haven't washed out ahead of time to come out too. I'll post a pic in a min of what your wax cake should look like once it is refined correctly.

Here is 13.8 oz refined wax cake from this year. This came from both wax cappings (very little) and mostly dark brood comb.
View attachment 14697


Hope this helps!


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## jparrish (Nov 29, 2014)

I appreciate it alot


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## gone2seed (Sep 18, 2011)

jparrish said:


> Should I switch to boiling it in water first? .


Don't boil the wax. Keep it well below the boiling point of water. 150-160 degrees should allow it to flow through your filter cloth.


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## jparrish (Nov 29, 2014)

So just add water, bring it to a melt but not hot enough to boil, run it through the filter and it will separate. Then will I be able to double boil it down to pour it into my molds?


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## gone2seed (Sep 18, 2011)

jparrish said:


> So just add water, bring it to a melt but not hot enough to boil, run it through the filter and it will separate. Then will I be able to double boil it down to pour it into my molds?


That should work. If you have much wax you might look for an old "crock pot" at one of the local thrift stores. I put a couple of inches of water in the bottom and melt CLEAN wax there for molding.


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## jparrish (Nov 29, 2014)

The first batch I melted in a double boiler turned out great and I've had a local store offer me $11 a pound. Is that about a fair price?


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## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

jparrish said:


> The first batch I melted in a double boiler turned out great and I've had a local store offer me $11 a pound. Is that about a fair price?


I'd say $11 a pound is a good price. I've seen it higher, and lower in bulk, but if you don't have to ship it, great price right there.


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## WBVC (Apr 25, 2013)

Is that propolis that ends up on the lower side of the eax?


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## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

WBVC said:


> Is that propolis that ends up on the lower side of the eax?


The discoloration that is in the wax the OP shows in pic is most likely propolis and other fine contaminates that have gotten through the filter material. That is why the water bath is needed while melting the combs down. Use the water with the melting on at least the first two melts, depending upon how refined you are going for, then on the last melt you can either use a crock pot as mentioned above, or go straight wax. 
Depending upon how dirty the combs are it may take several melt cycles to completely decontaminate the wax.


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## jparrish (Nov 29, 2014)

I greatly appreciate all the information, my plan is to start rendering again on my next day off. Ill post pictures of how it turns out.


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## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

I use single layer quality paper towel as the filter. Works well.

Solar melter ............dirty wax on paper towel melts thru paper towel into a container with about an inch or two of distilled water.


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

Try the other ear.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

use water, that brown stuff will stay in solution as the wax separates out and solidifies, it's most likely propolis or stain from boiling coccoons.


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