I have a question about melting wax. My wife has a deal that melted paraffin wax and she would dip her hand into it to soften her hands or something. She has not used it in years and I am wondering if I can use it to melt down old comb? Anyone tried something like this or have any idea if it will work?
Not sure what you are asking. Bees wax and paraffin wax are not the same.
Are you asking if you can heat the bees wax with a unit that heated paraffin wax, probably yes if you can control the temperature. Paraffin wax melts at 115 to 155, bees wax melts at 141- 147 degrees F.
Jim
Thank you that's kind of what I meant to ask is would it melt it without any fire issues, I didn't know if there was a difference in the melting point of the two waxes. I can't control the temp but as long as paraffin's melting point is lower I can try it without having to worry about the beeswax getting to hot.
Easier way to do it Solar Beeswax melter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSekQk2Zc9Y
I use the cheapest crock pot I can find at goodwill (last one was 4 bucks and still going strong). Fill it a 1/4 full of water, jamb as much cappings in it as it'll hold and set it on low. Takes a couple hours to melt down and then I strain it thu a t shirt, wax floats and hardens, the crud settles in the water.
ONLY use it to melt beeswax and old comb if you NEVER intend to use it for anything else.. you wont understand that until you do it once. If your wife wishes to ever take up using that thing again then dont do it... find the old crock or pan at the yard sale... I have two pots, one aluminum, and one stainless that I use to melt cappings and old comb in. I do very seriously doubt that they could ever be cleaned up enough to be used for anything else....
I agree with oldmech but I do agree with the approach rwlaw mentioned. My modified version is to put the fabric / T-shirt in first and pull the fabric through the melted wax. When I have tried to pour melted wax through a filter is starts to cool to fast and solidify on the filter.
It would work fine some things to note about old comb, if it ever had brood in it: I melt it in a Wok that I got at Goodwill. The wax has chunks of cocoons in it that quickly clogs filters and strainers. I boil my brood comb in water (as mentioned) I scrape the top off with a piece of window screen then I set up a bucket. Over the bucket I place a piece of aluminum window screen, above that a piece of #8 hardware cloth. I boil water in a pan, and when the wax solution has been boiling for a while I pour the boiling water through the screens / window screen. This preheats the screens and gives me some hot water on the base of the bucket. Now I pour my mixture of slop over the screen, sometimes I even need to adjust the flow as the different screens clog. Let the foul smelling mixture sit overnight. Dump it into the yard. You will have a nice block of wax with scum on the bottom, scrape it off and you have reasonable wax.
Hope I was not off track with this.
Thank you for the replies! Sounds like I will be heading to the goodwill store to see if I can get some crockpots. 👍