Beeswax: How to Melt It Properly

Apiaries are being established in virtually every corner of the planet where optimal conditions for raising bees exist. This article will discuss how to melt beeswax and what can be made from it.

Processed products

Melting beeswax is a popular topic, not only among avid beekeepers but also among ordinary citizens. Melted beeswax is widely used for sale in a variety of industries:

• ointments and creams, face masks, balms;
• candles;
• household chemicals.

Only a small percentage of melted beeswax is used in apiary foundation; the rest is sold. Therefore, difficulties often arise in melting beeswax from old frames or using specialized equipment. Even seasoned beekeepers are searching for a more efficient method of processing.

[sc name=»info-hand» text=»First of all, it would not be superfluous to note that the process is divided into two stages: cleaning the so-called wax raw material and its direct combustion.» ]

Only by doing everything in this exact order will the result not only satisfy you, but also be beneficial.

Basic features and principles of cleaning

Cleaning raw wax from various impurities is a delicate and meticulous process, as the quality of its subsequent performance in the apiary depends on the purity of the wax. The cleaning process ensures the ease and speed of the burning process, so it's essential to pay close attention to this issue.

Basic principles of cleaning:

1. Before you begin cleaning, it's worth knowing that the most suitable raw material for this process is freshly built, light-colored wax caps, or so-called honeycombs.
2. To ensure the product is fit for sale, at a minimum, it must be ensured that it does not mix with propolis during frame cleaning. Otherwise, the quality of the bee raw material will be significantly lower than required.
3. Keep all equipment clean, as the quality of the final product depends on it.

This product is of great importance to beekeepers, as it helps in the production of special folk remedies and medicines. Interesting facts to know:

• each bee colony gives the beekeeper the opportunity to collect about 800-1000 grams of the substance;
• During processing (cleaning, combustion), at least 35% of the main amount is lost.

The product is produced in a variety of ways. Apiaries use compact units, and the following are considered the most common production methods:

• solar wax melter,
• steam wax melter,
• use a wax press.

We also recommend learning how to make bee bread – you can read about it here Here.

How to choose the best method?

Among the most common and sought-after melting technologies are solar and steam, as well as using a wax press. To clear up any confusion, it's worth discussing each method in more detail. Below, we'll discuss how to melt beeswax using mechanical devices.

Solar wax melter. This method is recommended for melting fresh, light-colored wax. This technique consists of a relatively small box (wood or steel) topped with two double-glazed frames to increase the sun's rays. It should be done in stages:

1. Inside the so-called box, it is necessary to place a baking tray at a 40-degree angle, as well as a tin container into which the product will drain over time.
2. Place the wax raw material inside the wax melter, on the trays previously placed in it; under the influence of direct sunlight, it will begin to heat up and melt.
3. The beekeeper only has to promptly replace the container already filled with melted product with an empty one.

Steam wax melter. Today, a more modern and much more convenient method for cleaning and melting is the steam melter, which comes in the form of a large structure, much like a large iron box. Besides its impressive appearance, melting wax with a steam melter is not only easy but also quick, offering a host of advantages:

• Based on the size of the steam structures for heating products of this type, they can accommodate either 3 frames or 25 frames, the processing of which with steam occurs very quickly, on average, within 20 minutes;
• In addition to melting wax thanks to the steam wax melter's functionality, you can also clean frames with steam, which kills bacteria and removes wax residue from the walls.

Below, we'll discuss how to melt beeswax in a wax melter using a new device. All steps should be performed only in a clean room with constant ventilation. After melting, the equipment must be sterilized and cleaned. Here's how:

1. You need to pour water into a special, so-called barrel.
2. Then you need to place a wax melter on the barrel, inside which, as a result of heating the water, steam will begin to be produced, which will begin to melt the raw material.
3. Due to the rapid influence of steam on it, it will begin to flow out through a special tap, so it is worth placing at least some kind of vessel under the tap.

Wax press. As for the latter, also very popular method by which you can melt wax quickly and easily, there is something to talk about, because the extraction technology is truly “crystal”, in other words, it requires attention and time.

First, it's worth noting what a wax press actually is. Simply put, a wax press is shaped like a barrel. Inside, there's a special screw that, when rotated, creates pressure on a bag of wax. This pressure also causes the resulting wax to flow downward. As a result, the entire process operates using mechanical energy and is collected in a convenient container.

All of the above methods are considered the mainstays of beeswax extraction. However, alongside this assertion, it is also believed that melting the raw material at home using other methods is also effective.

Once you've figured out how to melt beeswax without a wax melter or other equipment, you can confidently begin production. Processing it using other methods can affect the quality, leading to defects in the wax foundation and other products and goods made from this very bee product.

Using such sophisticated equipment will not cause you any discomfort. The product is heated automatically; you only need to monitor the process.

[sc name=»info-attention» text=»The only drawback of this technology is the loss of raw materials, as one kilogram of raw materials yields only 750 grams of purified wax. Regularly check the equipment to avoid damaging the entire finished product.»]