# Wax rendering



## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

I would like to stay away from overhead radiant heating. I know it works very efficiently but it poses a huge fire hazard.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

A wax press.

crazy Roland


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## BMAC (Jun 23, 2009)

Alright Crazy where do we find the wax press?


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

How do they rig them up to melt the wax out?


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

I have seen them using steam in a dairy tank. It has always appeared as an excessively messy job. For me it seems like wax rendering is chasing the last pennies and it is associated with the potential for huge losses. In the past I left it for others to do for us. Now we coat our frames with wax. We render it outdoors in a large tank. We heat it by burning junk boxes.

Jean-Marc


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

Walter Kelly used to and maybe still does sell a hydraulic wax press. Wax went in burlap sacs and was squeezed out by the press.

Jean-Marc


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

Reduce the wood use in our outdoor wood furnace....seriously. I press out quite a bit with sieves and a stick but there is still some in there.


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## JodieToadie (Dec 26, 2013)

Dumb question, what price is wax selling for?


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

The first press I can remember was a grape press mounted in a tank to be filled with hot water. It consisted of a lathe covered base, a cylindrical lathe cage in which to place the burlap bag, and a stout wooden frame with two uprights that connected the base to an upper cross bar. In the middle of the upper cross bar was an Acme nut, in which ran an Acme shaft that was turned to press on a lathe covered follower(piston), inserted after the full bag was tied. A stout Oak 2x2 was placed between the 4 pegs that stood proud around the top of the ring on the top of the Acme shaft. and a young lad, with a weak mind and a strong back(any guesses?), would tighten and squeeze the bag of slum gum. After a while you got the feel of how often to retighten the press, and when it was "done".

Now a hydraulic cylinder replaces the Acme screw, and the cage for the bag is Stainless. The concept is still the same, and in the hands of a skilled operator, all of the economically recoverable wax is removed. On occasion, by grandfather would send a load of the pressed remains for solvent extraction, to check if we where still doing a good job.

Do NOT try this with old black comb. You can get wax from old brood comb, but this methods is intended for cappings.

Where to buy one? Don/t know, we always made our own.

Questions?

crazy Roland


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Lol, oh Roland, I think you I have been here long enough for you to know I have loads more questions... Ha ha


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## Makin' Honey (Sep 13, 2010)

Back in the 80’s there was a commercial wax rendering beekeeper in Florida that had a pneumatic piston press and used trampoline matting instead of the burlap bags. He kept steam poring thru the press to keep it all hot. I was always amazed at how much nice yellow wax come out of the black stuff. Burlap bags are a use once bag where the trampoline matting was used over and over.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

True, but the burlap bags are free down at the feed mill.

O.K. Ian, what more do you want to know?


Crazy Roland


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

I'm trying to figure a way of dealing with the cappings slum in my tank without incorporating a radiant bulb.
If I used a radiant bulb, I'd melt the cappings on a secondary tray to hold the slum. Right now I'm scooping it out with a strainer, lots of wax still in this stuff. 
With the hot water melters like the Findely, is a kitchen strainer what is used?
I don't want to use radiant because of fire issues


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Then use radiant hot water coils. Anything to block the upward heat loss.

Crazy Roland


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## Ben Little (Apr 9, 2012)

Is there any manufacturers that actually make a good wax melter and press ? I have always thought it was strange that Beekeepers have to "rig" something up to do a better job or to deal with something that a purpose machine couldn't do.
I think some of you could pitch these ideas to a manufacturer and make some serious money


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Findlay and cooks and beals has a nice unit


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