# My Solar Wax Melter



## Troutsqueezer (May 17, 2005)

Finished it last night. The only thing I had to purchase outright was the pine for the case. Everything else was scrounged up around the shed, things left over from previous projects.










Notice the Home Depot hurricane brackets that make up the glass door frame. These worked out well because the finished frame had a small warp to it so I drilled a hole thru the body and slid a nail through the bracket and that keeps the lid down tight and the hot air inside. 










The door opens up to the wax collecting tray of course. I think this plastic one might melt so I plan to get a metal bread pan or something to stick in there. 










Maybe I'll paint it black, but only after I test it first. If it works well as is, I may just leave it.


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## MapMan (May 24, 2007)

Fine piece of engineering and craftsmanship - what do you have under the metal inside - insulation? 

Get some temperature readings - like to know how hot it gets - should work great!

MM


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## Barry Digman (May 21, 2003)

Nice!
Especially the traditional beekeeper anticipation of things to come, which is evidenced by the lonely piece of wax waiting to be hauled out into the sunshine.


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## Jesus_the_only_way (Mar 17, 2006)

Nice work. Are you going to stain or varnish it, if you don't paint it black?
Tom


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## betrbekepn (Aug 7, 2006)

I would paint the outside black and the inside white. Looks nice .


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## Troutsqueezer (May 17, 2005)

Well, I put it out in the sun this afternoon for a test run and it melted that piece of comb in about 30 minutes. So it works, for sure.

I think I will paint it black after all, I guess it should be more about function than looks. I always hate to cover up wood grain though. Only a beekeeper would think it looks good in any form anyway.

Underneath the metal I have a 3/8" piece of plywood. I also caulked all around the inside to minimize air leaks. 

I am planning on sticking a thermometer in there. I've got two beeswax candles I tried to make one time which look crappy so I will stick those in there this weekend, plop in the thermometer and see how it goes. I wonder, it seems there might be two ways to take the measurement and I'm not sure which is more applicable: Put the thermometer right on the metal in the sun or place it under a shaded object to get the ambient temperature. Any ideas?

I've got about three shallows to harvest on the 4th of July so I expect to put this to good use very soon.


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## Jeff McGuire (Nov 18, 2005)

*Try boiled linseed oil*

I now use boiled linseed oil on all my hives, bottom boards, etc. I thin the first coat with 50% mineral spirits, 2nd coat 25%, then strait. I put it in a deck sprayer, use a fine spray pattern, stack everything up and don't even bother to wipe it down when done. It gives a nice finish which turns to a natural dark brown over time. It would look great on your melter and then would give that dark almost black color without covering the grain.


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## Troutsqueezer (May 17, 2005)

Hey! I just happen to have some linseed oil from one of my previous projects. I'll think I'll do that. Thanks for the idea!


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## Ron Young (Aug 16, 2006)

*Photos*



Jeff McGuire said:


> I now use boiled linseed oil on all my hives, bottom boards, etc. I thin the first coat with 50% mineral spirits, 2nd coat 25%, then strait. I put it in a deck sprayer, use a fine spray pattern, stack everything up and don't even bother to wipe it down when done. It gives a nice finish which turns to a natural dark brown over time. It would look great on your melter and then would give that dark almost black color without covering the grain.


Do you have any photos of your equipment?


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