Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Tucker1 on January 25, 2010, 08:18:24 PM

Title: What to do with wax caps....
Post by: Tucker1 on January 25, 2010, 08:18:24 PM
With less than a 1/2 dozen hives does it make any sense to try and do something with the caps?  I usually place them is a nylon sack and spin them a bit to get out any left over honey.  After that, they go into the trash. If there was something easy to do with them, I try to use them.  But, I suspect the amount of caps has to be considerable to make using/processing them worthwhile. 

Am I wrong headed in my thinking?

Regards,
Tucker1
Title: Re: What to do with wax caps....
Post by: doak on January 25, 2010, 08:32:32 PM
The capping's is the most undisputed best white bees wax you can get.
I would melt it down even just a little.
You can compact it and zip lock bag it and freeze till you get a bunch.
The best there is. :)doak
Title: Re: What to do with wax caps....
Post by: Kathyp on January 25, 2010, 08:57:47 PM
i agree.  they are great wax. i like to melt my wax in water because the wax floats to the top and the crud stays in the water, but you have to be very careful not to boil it.  it goes over and not only will be a fire hazard, but it's a heck of a mess to clean up!
Title: Re: What to do with wax caps....
Post by: Wynoochee_newbee_guy on January 26, 2010, 12:10:44 AM
the capping is the very best wax the bees make. tossing it out ugh! keep it melt it down and make candles.
Title: Re: What to do with wax caps....
Post by: Michael Bush on January 26, 2010, 02:14:22 AM
Just keep melting them down and pouring that in a mold until you have enough to do something or sell it to someone else who wants it.  Plenty of people are looking for good white wax for lip balm etc.
Title: Re: What to do with wax caps....
Post by: theriverhawk on January 26, 2010, 12:37:09 PM
My family tradition since I was a kid....My father would take the caps, shove them in a jar and pour honey over them.  We could then eat the honey and comb with a fork whenever we wanted some.  Not too much honey like when eating comb honey.  I great tradition that my father started that I now do.  Friends will see the jars and ask if they can have some.  Friends now look forward to harvest time because of these "special" jars of honey.  
Try it...
Title: Re: What to do with wax caps....
Post by: rast on January 27, 2010, 09:09:51 PM
 I melted, filtered and saved it. Didn't know what to do with it either. Until, one of my wife's co-workers asked if she had any beeswax lip balm for sale!