Wax Dipping

[rail]

For my winter project I plan to fabricate and weld a wax dipping tank for hive bodies. Any ideas I should consider in the design of the tank and heating system?

[hankdog1]

Probably easiest thing would be to use a propane stand for a fryer. 

[BlueBee]

But propane flames are over 3000F and wax flashes over at much lower temps (200F-300F?) :(

[Hemlock]

Double walled with a splash guard!

On wheels to move it out to the yard then back again.

Dry rack.

Thermocouple or at least a temperature gauge.

Fire extinguisher mounting!  :-D

[Michael Bush]

Someday I'd like to build a double walled steam heated one.  It would take about 20 psi to get things hot enough and then you'd never discolor the wax or burn anything.

Figure your dimensions with a couple of inches around for it to boil without boiling over.  Figure it to come out even for your equipment, like at least two boxes tall and you can fit one in the middle on end (which you'll have to flip if you don't go for three boxes tall).  Remember bottom boards are often a couple of inches longer than a box as are telescopic covers.  Allow a little extra for the top level.  Adding and pulling boxes and adding wax and rosin will make the level vary, so you want a few inches to play with in height.  If you're not doing very much equipment then the amount it takes to fill it may be the big issue rather than how many you can do.  If so you could make it just a few inches deep and wide enough for the side of a deep and long enough for the length of a deep (in other words about 22 inches long by 12 inches wide) and boil one side at a time.

You definitely want it outside and have a fire extinguisher and a metal lid.  Mine is exactly the size that a metal piece from a telescopic cover fits for the cover.

[rail]

Gum rosin, not easy to find. Did not see any listing on the Mann Lake web site or other bee hardware suppliers.

My search on the web indicated overseas suppliers, any one know of suppliers in the states?

[Michael Bush]

Small quantities:
http://www.amberpinerosin.com

Bulk:
http://catalog.pcchem.com/item/paint-coatings-ink-adhesive-and-sealant-chemicals/resins-plasticizers/item-2303?

[CapnChkn]

Apparently the rosin is there to act as a binder.  Paraffin is a long chain molecule, and soaks into the wood, but wants to leave.  The rosin, and lately Microcrystalline waxes, have branching chains and act to hold the long chains in the wood so they don't sweat out in the heat sunshine would cook the wood with.

Other than that I can't tell you anything new.  I've been experimenting with beeswax and propolis I scraped from the hives.  I notice the wood is getting "grey" when it sets in the weather.

[rbinhood]

I saw one several years ago that only used about four gallons of wax, it was like a box inside a box.  The opening that held the hot wax was about 4 inches on all sides and 16 inches high the open center acted similar to a chimney only the steel that covered the top of the inside box had a hole that was only about 2 inches in the center.  The burner was placed in the bottom of the inside box and the flame came up into it.  The only drawback was you could not dip top covers or bottom boards. 

The gentleman who had it used pine rosin and bees wax to dip boxes in, not sure what proportions the mixture was but I still have 4 or 5 of the boxes and they are probley 9 or 10 years old and still is good condition.

[rail]

How much rosin should I purchase?

How long will the mixture keep?

[Michael Bush]

I dipped about 500 boxes, 250 bottoms, 250 lids, about 100 nucs, several long hives (one end at a time) and other odds and ends and I went through 100 pounds of rosin and 200 pounds of wax.  I say "went through" but I still have a full tank and I'm guessing that's about 100 pounds of material.

[Jim134]

Gum rosin, not easy to find. Did not see any listing on the Mann Lake web site or other bee hardware suppliers.

rail...........
 

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   BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)