How to clean raw bees wax ?

Fred from Wandi

unread,

Mar 27, 2008, 10:10:39 AM3/27/08

to

Hi everyone,

Can anyone here suggest how I can clean my cappings from my previous
harvests preferably without having to go out and purchase some special
equipment.

Thanks for that.

Cheers,
Fred

--
You are welcome to visit my website at http://www.wandismallharvest.com

flintster

unread,

Mar 28, 2008, 9:39:14 AM3/28/08

to

Fred
Do you mean the comb left from robbing, can't you let the bee's clean
it themselves and then store until ready to use again?
James

Fred from Wandi

unread,

Mar 28, 2008, 10:15:08 PM3/28/08

to

flintster wrote:

I have wax that is left from my harvest. I have already left the frames
the spent frames outside for the bees to clean up and these have now
been put away. My only fear there is that wax moth may have already
infested the waxcomb with their eggs. I have left the cappings outside
for the bees to remove the honey but it is still quite dirty with
pollen and other debris. That is what I wish to clean.

Cheers, Fred

--

Svend Grønlund

unread,

Mar 30, 2008, 5:42:38 PM3/30/08

to

Hallo Fred

You should melt the wax in a pot with plenty of water, so it don't
stick too much. Let it cool slowly.

If you want to store wax comb, you should store it in closed boxes
with some vinegar. Then the moths will not attack the vax.

And you shoul never let the bees remove the honey remains outside. You
risk to spread bee diseases. In Denmark it is forbitten in any way to
feed bees outside the hive.

Kind regards
Svend

Fred from Wandi

unread,

Mar 31, 2008, 2:54:43 AM3/31/08

to

Svend Grųnlund <sv...@groenlund.dk> wrote in
news:9d4ae580-f260-4590...@s37g2000prg.googlegroups.com:

Hi Svend,

that's interesting news. I don't know if there is a law like that here
in Australia. My bees come from swarms collected feral stock and so far
it's only wax moth which is has plagued me. But I will take note.

Len

unread,

Apr 20, 2008, 9:41:43 PM4/20/08

to

Put it in your top feeder. That's what I would do. Fairly easy to
build or buy:
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/products.asp?pcode=262

On 27 Mar 2008 14:10:39 GMT, Fred from Wandi
<prefe...@newsgroups.spm> wrote:
*>Hi everyone,
*>Can anyone here suggest how I can clean my cappings from my previous
*>harvests preferably without having to go out and purchase some
special
*>equipment.
*>
*>Thanks for that.
*>
*>Cheers,
*>Fred
*************

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can
sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.

Tom

unread,

Jun 4, 2008, 3:52:02 PM6/4/08

to

Fred,

I have only a couple of hives and I take my cappings and put them in a
milk carton with some water.
Pop it in the microwave and heat until it is melted. Then I pour the
lot through on old, but clean,
nylon into another carton. Let it cool and tear off the carton from
the almost square block of clean wax.

-Tom

JustTom

unread,

Jun 12, 2008, 3:03:10 PM6/12/08

to

On 29 Mar 2008 02:15:08 GMT, "Fred from Wandi" <not_in_usenet.spm>
wrote:

>

>I have wax that is left from my harvest. I have already left the frames
>the spent frames outside for the bees to clean up and these have now
>been put away. My only fear there is that wax moth may have already
>infested the waxcomb with their eggs. I have left the cappings outside
>for the bees to remove the honey but it is still quite dirty with
>pollen and other debris. That is what I wish to clean.
>

I know this is really old, but I saw a reply from a few days ago, so
at least a few folks are still here.

The boiling water method: http://www.berniesbeebuzz.com/beeswax.html

But wax is a fire hazard and the stove or a microwave is a bit chancy.

A much safer alternative is to build a solar wax melter:
http://www.beesource.com/plans/melter.htm

Or an even simpler AKA dirt cheap version using a styrofoam cooler can

be seen here,

http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/2007/06/video-on-how-to-use-simple-solar-wax.html