wax melting

[knob21]

I built a small two paned wax melter. Several consistent 80 degree days have turned the wax into a glob but nothing is running into the pan. Does this process take days of hot weather or am I doing something wrong?

[tillie]

It takes a certain number of hours at a temp of above 79.  I usually leave mine out in the AM before I go to work and take it in when I get home 7 PM and it has filtered through my paper towel filter (cheap solar wax melter) and is lovely yellow wax.

Maybe you don't have enough of a slant on whatever is guiding the melted wax into the pan.....

Linda T in Atlanta

[derrick1p1]

I'm currently using my wax melter this week (and last) that I learned from Linda's blog.  It cost just a few bucks to make and works like magic.  Just don't accidentlly drop a big glob of gooey wax on the ground near it.  The bees (many of them) found the rewards of my mistake and lapped up any residule honey like mad. 

On a side note, I took some honey and put it on my hand.  A bee found it and couldn't get enough.  Watching her lap up the honey with that tiny tongue while on my hand was a very intimate interaction with this amazing creature.  Just to think a couple of years ago I would have freaked at the sight of bees on a feeding frenzy, now I just stand, watch and even hand feed them.

Good luck on melting your wax,
Derrick

[Greg Peck]

Before I built my big wax melter I used a small cheap one also. I had to melt small amounts of wax at a time. My melter now I can melt 2 loaf pans easily in a day where the old one I maybe did a cup in a day. Check the temp inside the melter during the day you should be getting over 150 degrees for sure. Paint the inside of the melter black if you have not already dont it.

[DBoire]

I have found that its not the temp, but direct sunlight & angle toward the sun, assuming you have a double glass top.  We have have in the 80 deg. F.  The wax melts, but like yours doesn't run into the pan.  How ever, when facing directly at the sun the wax liquefies and runs into the pan.  This occurs only from about 11 am to 2 or so pm. and requires an adjustment every hour or so.  I have driven a small nail perpendicular to the top window and use it to aim the glass directly at the sun. i.e. no nail shadow, melter is directed at the sun.