Solar Wax Melter ??

[Ronnie Elliott]

Brushy Mts. solar wax melter how to build plans call for 14-gauge galvinized metal pan.  Can other type metal be used, or pans bought at the hardware store?  The hardware stores carry metal flashing in rolls, but they don't know what gauge the metal is.

[Robo]

I used aluminum flashing from Lowe's to build the pan for mine.  A little flimsy, but works fine.

[Ronnie Elliott]

Thanks, I have plenty of the aluminum, and the lite gauge metal flashing, I just was thinking one metal might heat the wax more than annother.  I built a melter, but I had the pan to deep down from the glass.  The wax would melt, but most of the time the comb that wax moths had got into would absorb the melted wax, and I would have to discard it.   8-) 8-)

[heaflaw]

Since we're discussing wax melting, I have a lot to melt that i've been saving for years.  I plan to do it somehow this summer.  Most of what I have to melt is cappings, but I also have some very dark wax(either old brood wax or moth eaten).  Should I melt it together or keep it seperate?  Is the dark as good to sell as the cappings?

[reinbeau]

I'd keep them separate.  The capping wax makes just lovely light wax - the darker is ok, but I love capping wax!

[Robo]

depends on what you are going to use it for.   If your just gonna make foundation than you could mix it together if that makes it easier.   Otherwise,  I would agree with Ann and suggest keeping it separate. 

[Jerrymac]

Place it in a glass dish with a glass lid (clear glass) and let the sun melt it again and again. The impurities settle out and the sun bleaches the rest.

[Cindi]

Jerry, what a pretty picture you painted here, the pretty light coloured wax, yea.....awesome day, great life, love our place on earth. Cindi

[babathemba]

I lined a normal pan (actually a small wooden box) with aluminum foil, and put a piece of glass over the top.  Works perfectly.

[steveouk]

I was thinking about making my own wax melt they don't seem to be hard to make...

[heaflaw]

I'm going to sell almost all of it probably to Brushy Mtn Bee Farms.  They're only 45 minutes away form me.  Will they accept dark and light?

[blckoakbees]

Months ago I saw a plan for building a solar wax melter from and old cooler.  I would love to have the design or information.  It was so simple a design and I need to melt some wax also.

Thanks,

[steveouk]

you can may them out of the polystyrene coolers. just put a gals lid on the top and then a bowl inside to melt your wax

[Dick Allen]

http://www2.gsu.edu/~biojdsx/solmltr.htm

[DennisB]

Here is another link to LindaT in Atlanta. This is a slide show of her building and using one.

http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/2007/06/today-im-trying-solar-wax-melter.html

[Dick Allen]

In reading the blog posted, I noticed Linda wrote the temperature needs to be at least 79º for the solar melter to work. I've never actually made a melter like the one in the link I posted earlier. But I've made one using the Penn State design:
http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/plans/6265.pdf

I've also made one along the same design using a cardboard box insulated with an inch of styrofoam and wrapped in black tar paper. The cover was simply a clear plastic sack. Both melters work well in the low 70s.

[tillie]

I don't think 79 degrees is a rule --- gosh, I have to watch what I say --- it just needs to be in the 70s for at least 2 hours, the hotter during that time the better.  Here in GA that isn't a problem, but in some places the temperature could mean a SWM wouldn't work at all (solar wax melter - not single white male - although the same thought could apply  :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:)

Linda T in Atlanta

[Jerrymac]

I don't think 79 degrees is a rule --- gosh, I have to watch what I say ---

Yeah they take you seriously around here. When it comes to dancing I have two left feet. Now everybody things I have a problem buying shoes.

mean a SWM wouldn't work at all (solar wax melter - not single white male - although the same thought could apply 

Good thing I'm not single..............  :? Define "WORK"  :?

[Brian D. Bray]

A meatloaf baking pan makes a great catch basin and mold for use in a solar wax melter.  Get one of those new flexible types and you can just pop the wax brick out when you're done.  Bread pan = meatloaf pan.