Looking For Ideas As To How To Break Up Blocks Of Beeswax

[Ben Framed]

I read The15thembers' good post recently showing her newly made Candles for Christmas! Really nice job she did. I have some blocks of wax and though I might give it a try so I found this old topic, (as of this post, is on its second page, go back and see the first page here), which has some good ideas in it.

If you would like to see (Reagans') candles, The15thMember you can find her post By searching the following topic and going to the reply.

"What did you do in your Apiary/Bee yard today?"
<<Reply #334 on: December 09, 2022, 04:12:34 pm >>

[The15thMember]

Thanks, Phillip.    I have trouble breaking up my big blocks of wax too, incidentally.  My usual method is to score the block and then bash it on my tile floor. 

[paus]

Have you tried your decapping hot knife?

[Ben Framed]

That's a good idea Paus but I don't have one of those.

Phillip

[Ben Framed]

Thanks, Phillip.    I have trouble breaking up my big blocks of wax too, incidentally.  My usual method is to score the block and then bash it on my tile floor.

Thanks Reagan, I might have to get the ole 'sl'u'dge' lol hammer out and go to town on it! 

Phillip

[Lesgold]

I use a small axe (tomahawk). Place the wax on a firm bench or a concrete floor. Position the sharpe edge of the axe on the wax where you would like the break to occur and then hit the axe with a heavy hammer. Very simple and works well.

[beehappy1950]

Hydraulic wood splitter

[Kathyp]

I use the axe too.  If not that, a big screwdriver and hammer, but that tends to make a bit of a mess. Whatever you do, don't mess up your SOs floor or break the tile 

[Terri Yaki]

I have a hydraulic press, I figure I'll give that a shot should the time come.

[BeeMaster2]

I have a 120 hot wire cutter. It looks like a hacksaw with the blade being replaced by a wire. I haven?t tried it yet but I bet it would work really well for wax.
Jim Altmiller

[Beelab]

I put the wax into an old pillow case and whack it on the edge of the porch steps.

[Ben Framed]

Good one Beelab. Thanks for posting! By the way, it?s good to hear from you! How are your bee faring since varroa invaded your country? I hope your bees are thriving!

Phillip

[Michael Bush]

It breaks a bit easier if you freeze it first.  Not a lot easier, but somewhat easier.

[Lesgold]

Agree with Michael  on that one. Breaking blocks of wax up on a hot summers day requires a lot more effort. When they are smashed up during the winter months the wax is far more brittle. Casting wax into larger, thinner blocks makes this process much easier. Big, solid blocks that are very thick require a bit more muscle to get the job done. Using a bag to contain all bits of wax, stops it from being shattered all over the floor and helps to prevent dirt and grit from contaminating areas of the wax. I don?t personally use bags for this method as it slows the process down. Any pieces that pick up a bit of dirt from the concrete floor are given a quick scrape before being used. The dirty scraps just get recycled with the next melt.

[Kathyp]

Big, solid blocks that are very thick require a bit more muscle to get the job done.

I found that out the hard way. I have a big vat and I kept dumping stuff in, then strained it and washed it through again. When I let it cool it was about 6 inches thick and hard as a rock. My DIL wanted a chunk and we had the devil of a time breaking some off.

Thinner next time!

[Terri Yaki]

Big, solid blocks that are very thick require a bit more muscle to get the job done.

I found that out the hard way. I have a big vat and I kept dumping stuff in, then strained it and washed it through again. When I let it cool it was about 6 inches thick and hard as a rock. My DIL wanted a chunk and we had the devil of a time breaking some off.

Thinner next time!

If I had a chunk like that, I'd drill a string of holes in it, freeze it and drive a chisel into it like they do with rocks. Well...except that I do have a hydraulic press so I'd use that.

[NigelP]

Clamp in vice and take reciprocating power saw  to it.

[Ben Framed]

Hydraulic wood splitter

Should work to precision!

[Ben Framed]

I use a hot wire I made long ago for cutting/shaping styrofoam used for homebuilt airplane. Really simple to make just takes an old transformer n some wire, simple handle made out of wood.  Wax blocks can be cut to any size you want. Like a knife throuhg warm butter. Best part besides getting exactly the size/amount of wax you want is no mess to clean up and the unneeded wax is still in one nice big block ready fro storage, instead of dozen or so chips n chuncks.

Wow, what a good idea, a Hot Wire.  I found a cool design of one at the RCUNIVERSE forum.  I did a search on Yahoo for Homemade Hotwire.  It uses a dimmer light switch to control how hot it gets.  Instead of wood it uses PVC tubing, so if you have some extra tubing hanging around from your sprinkler system that can save you some bucks. I don't have enough posts in this forum so they won't allow me to post a link.  Sorry.

It looks like it could easily be adapted to a smaller version that can easily glide through wax, and like you say, no shavings.  Originally I thought of a small sheetrock saw.  A coping saw may work too, but thought the blase may be too flimzy.  I still like the hotwire, I know what my next project will be.  I know I have an old transformer around here someplace! :lol:

I have a 120 hot wire cutter. It looks like a hacksaw with the blade being replaced by a wire. I haven?t tried it yet but I bet it would work really well for wax.
Jim Altmiller

Many good ideas here. The hotwire method looks to be another really good idea...