# Wax Spraying



## Countryboy (Feb 15, 2009)

I use a foam paintbrush to lightly 'paint' some melted wax on plastic frames. The bees seem to accept the frames well after I do this.

I've also known of people using a small roller brush to apply wax.


----------



## Broke-T (Jul 9, 2008)

Melt wax in crockpot. Use 4" foam paintbrush to apply light coat of melted wax to frames. Bees take to it nice.

Johnny


----------



## LSPender (Nov 16, 2004)

melt wax, roll on with 4 or 6 " foam paint roller.

Is this a repeat?


----------



## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

When using the roller do you use a couple at a time? While 1 roller is being used to roll on wax the other roller is sitting in the wax so the whole roller can be at the temp of the wax. Then on the next frame you swap rollers to allow the first 1 to heat up again.

If you use a 6" roller handle you can take a 12" pad and cut it down to the size you need to match your plastic foundation.


----------



## Broke-T (Jul 9, 2008)

Haven't used roller but the brush stays warm as long as your using it. Dip in wax for a few seconds and let drain a few seconds brush one side, Dip and repeat other side. 

Only time I have probleb is if I stop for 5 min or more. Then brush gets hard and have to hold in melted wax for 5 min waiting for brush to get hot and wax in it to melt.

To fix I took two broke frame bottoms and put together with rubber bands. When I need break stick handle of brush between sticks and suspend brush in pot so only foam is in wax and it will be ready when I start back up.

Johnny


----------



## Mabe (Mar 22, 2005)

The lazy method works too, and the bees draw the plastic just as nicely...

Take big wads of soft warm wax and just crayon it on by hand. Make sure you hit the corners and edges well. This won't look as pretty as the melted wax technique, but, as soon as the frame goes into the hive the temps will smooth it. Or you can do this in the sunshine on a warm day and you'll think it was sprayed on. But we do it while watching TV!!!opcorn:


----------



## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Chip Euliss said:


> Anybody know what is needed to spray beeswax or who might spray frames for a fee?
> 
> Thanks,
> Chip


So does anybody know?


----------



## LSPender (Nov 16, 2004)

Actually yes, I visited with Nick of pierco 2 years ago regarding this. They have a spray system for the frames they make. 2 sprayers, heated wax, conveyor. Hand fed and hand packed into boxes, very labor intensive.

After visiting woth nick, we dicided to go with the rollers, have done about 3000 to 4000 frames. it goes quickly.

Challenges with spray system, its located in orange county ca, at piercos plant.

Also, dirt and dust from used equipment, labor to pack and unpack at their plant.

Nick encouraged us to use the roller.


----------



## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Great post Larry. I dont have any expertise at all but sounds to me like spraying would be a major P I T A unless maybe you are set up to do a whole bunch but then coffee breaks would probably be out of the question.
Have always worried about the purity of the wax and the amount used and since we usually do around 10000 at a time I am afraid it would a big mess.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Seems like dipping would be the simplest... a sprayer would have to be heated all the way from the tank to the nozzle or it would clog up...


----------



## Chip Euliss (Sep 2, 2010)

Lots of good ideas--thanks I did a hundred or so last summer using a crock pot to melt the wax and a foam brush for the application. I have nearly 4,000 to go so was hoping for something fast. I've rarely used waxed foundation in the past but these frames have some residue left on them from the molding process. I pressure washed 100 and brushed 100 with wax; the bees wouldn't touch the washed ones so I guess I'll be waxing! I'll try the roller but I'm guessing that the quickest method will be dipping.

Thanks,
Chip


----------



## HVH (Feb 20, 2008)

It may sound crazy but beeswax is soluble in either naphthalene, toluene or xylene. If wax was melted with an organic solvent, a very thin coat of wax could be applied. Both naphthalene and toluene are very volatile and would evaporate quickly. I just don't know if any residue would be left behind or if there are pure enough grades where no residue is left behind. I'm not suggesting that this approach is reasonable - but I suspect even plastic in a hive contains plastic monomers and releasing agents that are not one with nature either.


----------



## HONEYDEW (Mar 9, 2007)

Check out youtube for John Plutas Georgia beekeepers blogspot videos, he has a video of waxing used plastic foundation.....:thumbsup:


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I would be afraid the solvents would melt the wax... not to mention I don't want to eat them...


----------



## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

Michael Bush said:


> I would be afraid the solvents would melt the wax... not to mention I don't want to eat them...


MB,

I think you meant to say that the solvents would melt the plastic...


----------



## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

I'm a 4" foam roller kind of guy. I melt my wax in a large, electric roasting pan which is basically a double boiler (found in just about every church kitchen and sell for anywhere between $30 to $50 at most department stores). 

I use one roller, and if I can roll the foam roller on the side of the roaster pan, it picks up more wax than if I simply dipped the roller. It also helps to have the wax really hot, just below the boiling point.

My downside has been how the glue on the roller gives out after a hundred frames. Then the roller pad won't stay on the handle. However, my bees absolutely LOVE this treatment.

Grant
Jackson, MO


----------



## HVH (Feb 20, 2008)

Michael Bush said:


> I would be afraid the solvents would melt the wax... not to mention I don't want to eat them...


I have melted paraffin in all of these solvents to see which would make the best soap releasing agent (in my soap molds) and didn't see any effect on the plastic. In addition, both naphthalene and toluene are so volatile that little contact time insures minimal damage. My biggest concern would be any possible residue that is left behind. But to be fair, the plastic foundation and the releasing agents (used to get the sheet off the mold) are also questionable from a health perspective.


----------

