« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Down

Author Topic: My take on the solar wax melter  (Read 12063 times)

0 Members and 3 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Zweefer

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1831
  • Thanked: 165 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Eau Claire WI
My take on the solar wax melter
« on: June 08, 2020, 06:19:24 pm »
I had leftover plexi glass from a project for my wife, so I knew exactly how to utilize it! 


All pieces are made from spare 2x4 and 2x10 I had in the shop.  The bottom was scrap OSB.
Each piece got 2 coats of exterior flat black paint to both weatherproof and increase solar gain.


The lid with the dual layer of plexi in it.  I spaced then about 1 inch apart...


Dry fitting bottom on it before painting...


Added wheels on the stand so I can roll it around the yard if need be.  When it sits on the ground, it has a 15* angle on level ground.


Used roofing tin for the interior metal to heat up and put wax on.  Two layer screens will be clothes pinned to the tin to hold them in place. I wanted to be able to remove and replace this easily.


Maiden voyage and she appears to be melting the wax with no issues!

I will replace the plastic receptacle with a metal bread pan when I get a chance to go buy one... this will do for now.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
« Last Edit: June 09, 2020, 09:34:21 am by Zweefer »
Logged
Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
Henry David Thoreau

Offline RAST

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 309
  • Thanked: 46 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: MASCOTTE AND CHASSAHOWITZKA FL.
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2020, 08:03:51 am »
I like it.
Logged

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6150
  • Thanked: 412 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2020, 08:07:22 am »
OK, pack it up. I'll pay shipping to get it here.    :yes: :yes: :yes:
Logged
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline neillsayers

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2175
  • Thanked: 198 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Arkansas Ozarks, U.S.A.
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2020, 11:25:22 pm »
Nicely done Zweef.
Logged
Neill Sayers
Herbhome Bees
USDA Zone 7a

Offline Zweefer

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1831
  • Thanked: 165 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Eau Claire WI
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2020, 11:28:55 pm »
Thanks! I’ll have to post the first harvest tomorrow...
Logged
Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
Henry David Thoreau

Offline Wandering Man

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1839
  • Thanked: 175 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Life Lessons from dogs, bees and others
  • Location: Victoria, Texas
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2020, 05:40:11 pm »
Nice.

I've found that bread pans don't hold enough wax and usually overflow.  Are you using anything to strain crud out of the wax?  I used to use my wife's old panty hose, the leg part, not the panty part.  These seem to have gone out of style, so I've switched to paint strainers.

2 deep frames, usually.
Logged
Never argue with drunks or crazy people

Offline Zweefer

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1831
  • Thanked: 165 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Eau Claire WI
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2020, 05:41:50 pm »
For first rendering, I am just relying on the dual screen right before the exit... for second round, I will most likely use a finer screen over the top of the bread pan... how much wax do you put in where a bread pan overflows?!?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Logged
Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
Henry David Thoreau

Offline LazyBkpr

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6842
  • Thanked: 205 times
  • Gender: Male
  • www.outyard.net
    • The Outyard
  • Location: Richland Iowa
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2020, 07:52:38 pm »
Looks good Zweef! How did it work?
Logged
Drinking RUM before noon makes you a PIRATE not an alcoholic!

*Sponsor*

Offline Zweefer

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1831
  • Thanked: 165 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Eau Claire WI
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2020, 08:46:31 pm »
really well, then we got to colder weather, low 70's, so available melting time has been drastically reduced. should pick up this coming week though.  I am hoping to get through most of my stores and a first rendering by the end of the week.  then it will be on to the second round and hopefully i wont have to to more than that...
Logged
Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
Henry David Thoreau

Offline Zweefer

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1831
  • Thanked: 165 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Eau Claire WI
My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #9 on: June 18, 2020, 12:47:33 am »
Had some slum gum sneak past, but all in all very happy with the results!



This is my 3rd brick this size in as many days...
Only one more batch of cappings and cut out comb to go then done with my backlog...

I’ll scrape the metal and get what I can off, then go one more time with those bricks to hopefully take the rest of the impurities out of the wax.   I’ll add another screen on top of the bread pan to hopefully catch that stuff that sneaks under the other two...

Unless anyone else had better suggestions?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
« Last Edit: June 18, 2020, 12:58:25 am by Zweefer »
Logged
Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
Henry David Thoreau

Offline Bakersdozen

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 4574
  • Thanked: 489 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Olathe, Kansas
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2020, 09:01:13 am »
An old sweatshirt will catch all that debri that is still in there.  The wax soaked pieces of sweatshirt make a good fire starter too.

Thanks for sharing your progress Zweefer.
Logged

Offline Zweefer

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1831
  • Thanked: 165 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Eau Claire WI
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2020, 09:06:42 am »
I used old t shirts when i first started wax rendering, but didn't like how quickly they clogged, and the amount of wax they absorbed.   I guess i need to start thinking in terms of volume... I can let a little go here or there.  Also, that was straight from the comb, so a lot more debris than would be in these...
Much like bees - when we first start (at least for me), every single one must be safe!  after a few years if one gets squished putting boxes back, its the cost of doing business  :yes:
Logged
Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
Henry David Thoreau

Offline RAST

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 309
  • Thanked: 46 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: MASCOTTE AND CHASSAHOWITZKA FL.
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2020, 09:44:29 am »
I used paper towels before but they will absorb some wax also.
 
Logged

Offline Zweefer

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1831
  • Thanked: 165 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Eau Claire WI
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2020, 09:59:50 am »
I think I may try wandering man’s suggestion with the pantyhose… Rain forecast for the next couple days so I might have to wait till next week to try it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Logged
Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
Henry David Thoreau

Offline Bakersdozen

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 4574
  • Thanked: 489 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Olathe, Kansas
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2020, 10:06:27 am »
Quote from: Zweefer on June 18, 2020, 09:59:50 am
I think I may try wandering man’s suggestion with the pantyhose…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Not to change the subject...I heard that someone uses panty hose for straining honey when they process.  I am going to give that a try this year.  I think the panty hose are in addition to the usual straining devices.
Logged

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6150
  • Thanked: 412 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #15 on: June 18, 2020, 12:19:38 pm »
I use paint strainer bags. They work for honey and I cut them up for wax.
Logged
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline Zweefer

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1831
  • Thanked: 165 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Eau Claire WI
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #16 on: June 18, 2020, 12:21:30 pm »
I do use paint strainer bags for wine making, so I have some on hand… Will just have to buy a replacement for my next batch, as the wax will ruin the bags I’m sure


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Logged
Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
Henry David Thoreau

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6150
  • Thanked: 412 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #17 on: June 18, 2020, 12:48:56 pm »
Definitely, as I don't use them as bags for wax. I cut them up and use single layer sections. I use the bags whole for honey.
Logged
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline Bakersdozen

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 4574
  • Thanked: 489 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Olathe, Kansas
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #18 on: June 19, 2020, 07:57:59 am »
Quote from: iddee on June 18, 2020, 12:19:38 pm
I use paint strainer bags. They work for honey and I cut them up for wax.

I suppose those are found at the paint stores?  Sherwin Williams?  or the big box stores?
I really want to try something other than what I have been doing.
Logged

Offline Wandering Man

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1839
  • Thanked: 175 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Life Lessons from dogs, bees and others
  • Location: Victoria, Texas
Re: My take on the solar wax melter
« Reply #19 on: June 19, 2020, 08:27:57 am »
Quote from: Bakersdozen on June 19, 2020, 07:57:59 am
Quote from: iddee on June 18, 2020, 12:19:38 pm
I use paint strainer bags. They work for honey and I cut them up for wax.

I suppose those are found at the paint stores?  Sherwin Williams?  or the big box stores?
I really want to try something other than what I have been doing.


https://www.lowes.com/pd/Trimaco-Trimaco-2-Pack-Plastic-Bucket-Paint-Strainer-Fits-Container-Size/1008385

Logged
Never argue with drunks or crazy people
Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Up
« previous next »