As far as rendering beeswax from the old combs is concerned, a common problem lies in the amount of remaining wax in the slumgum. Even though it is quite easy to melt new cappings or comb, the older combs can be more frustrating and difficulty because of the cocoons and other similar debris found in the wax. In this case, a steam wax melter can come in handy.
It is easy to extract wax that you can recycle from the old brood frames, offcuts or cappings of brace comb gathered during the season. During hot sunny days, the solar wax extractors can work well but requires regular turning towards the sun for better efficiency.
These are also those days when bees will fly around and that inevitable smell of residual honey and hot wax might serve as a bee magnet. Some beekeepers prefer extracting the wax during winter or summer with the use of steam wax melters that can also sterilize the frames and prepare them for the following season. These pieces of equipment can be purchased and are composed of a modified floor or roof to add to the existing brood box. While these commercial melters are nicely made, they can also be a bit expensive. Good thing that it is very easy to create your own wax melter.
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Steps in Making a Steam Wax Melter
Steam wax melters are simple rendering systems separating majority of the wax even from those darkest combs. Steam is used inside an enclosed box and the wax is allowed to drip out to the bottom down to the pan of water.
It doesn’t matter of your frames are old because the steam will chase the wax out of the frames that are completely caked with propolis or those too old frames where you can no longer get anything from them with the use of other methods.
Instructions yto build a steam wax melter with the use of a wallpaper steamer
- Build the steamer box. You can use a deep brood box and make a bottom and top out of plywood scraps. Attach the plywood’s bottom piece securely to the lower part of the deep box.
- A hole should be drilled close to the center front portion of the plywood. It is this hole where melted wax is going to be drained out.
- Use an aluminum foil to line the box and cover the bottom completely up to the box’s interior sides. You should punch a hole through the aluminum foil at the drilled drain hole.
- Another hole must be dripped in the top plywood. This one must be big enough so that the steamer hose can fit snugly in it.
- Arrange your steamer box. Tip it forward with the drain hole right over the water-filled catch bucket. The water will prevent the wax from sticking to the inside part of the bucket.
After you finish making the steam wax melter, you can now start to fill the box with the frames. Once ready, turn the steamer on. Wait for around 40 minutes for the wax to start dropping out of the bottom.
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