# Beeswax-what to do with it?



## Lady TS (May 28, 2003)

It's been awhile since I've been on here, and I am coming to this particular forum as a complete newbie to bees, other than loving the raw honey I get from our neighbor and dh and I toying with the idea of getting our own bees for our 30 acres in the near future.

My neighbor gave me a bucket of beeswax that I would like to make beeswax candles out of. She said that another lady tried it and got a *lot* of honey when she did it. 

So...to separate the honey from the wax from the impurities...do I just heat it on the stove at a low temp and skim it? How exactly is it done? I'm assuming I better use a pan I don't care too much for and am willing to sacrifice.

Does the honey rise to the top when heated, and the impurities rise to the top of that? 

And going on that assumption, I would guess that I let it cool after I've heated and skimmed it, pour off the honey, and am left with a clump of wax to do with as I wish...

Am I assuming correctly? :help:


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

First, just squeeze the honey out of it, a handful at a time. What you don't get that way, you won't get.

Second, use TWO pans. ALWAYS use a double boiler to melt wax. Heating wax directly on a burner is asking for a house fire.

The wax will float above the honey and water when melted. Let it cool and the wax will be one solid cake floating on top the honey and water. You can further refine it from there.


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## Lady TS (May 28, 2003)

Thanks for the tip as to the double boiler. 

Further refining--do you mean, after taking the wax off the top, heating the honey and skimming the junk off of the top?

Or do you mean heating the wax again and skimming again?

Or both?

Thanks again!


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Squeeze the honey out of the wax as much as you can before heating it. Use the double boiler and try to keep the heat as close to 145f as you can (wax melts at 140F.). Once you have it to a liquid state shut the heat off and allow it to cool. Remove the cake of wax. Strain the honey thru cheese cloth or an old clean pair of panty hose. Now you can clean the double boiler out.
Replace the wax heat it to liquid strain it thru some thing like a coffee filter. I use paper towels over metal house screen to hold the towel. That removes the trash. The paper towel I keep as a fire starter to carry in my emergency packs.

If it is capping wax it should look like this when your finished.










Even ratty comb from removals look better doing it this way.










 Al


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

Thanks, Al, that's a better description than I could have given.


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## Lady TS (May 28, 2003)

Thanks!

Now, if I can find some pans to do this, I'll be good to go. The thrift store had all of one pan and it was aluminum. Maybe next time...or maybe I can hunt one down around here somewhere....


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Check flea markets for pots or pans that fit inside each other. they don't have to be great lookers as you won't want to cook in them latter. Trust me no matter how hard you try some film of wax always remains.

 Al


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## stranger (Feb 24, 2008)

alleyyooper said:


> Squeeze the honey out of the wax as much as you can before heating it. Use the double boiler and try to keep the heat as close to 145f as you can (wax melts at 140F.). Once you have it to a liquid state shut the heat off and allow it to cool. Remove the cake of wax. Strain the honey thru cheese cloth or an old clean pair of panty hose. Now you can clean the double boiler out.
> Replace the wax heat it to liquid strain it thru some thing like a coffee filter. I use paper towels over metal house screen to hold the towel. That removes the trash. The paper towel I keep as a fire starter to carry in my emergency packs.
> 
> If it is capping wax it should look like this when your finished.
> Al


I spread all the capping wax out on old cookie sheets and put them about a 100 yds from the hives and let the bees clean them, they do a great job and all the honey goes back to the hive


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## Durandal (Aug 19, 2007)

I just made my first half pound block of the whitest wax I had (which might sound silly since a half pound is nothing). I used a batch of yellower wax...darker wax...to make some candles. Easiest thing in the world using molds. Cools quickly and releases so easy after a quick stint in the freezer.


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## Lady TS (May 28, 2003)

Durandal said:


> I just made my first half pound block of the whitest wax I had (which might sound silly since a half pound is nothing). I used a batch of yellower wax...darker wax...to make some candles. Easiest thing in the world using molds. Cools quickly and releases so easy after a quick stint in the freezer.


So you CAN use it in molds? What kind of molds do you use?

I had read somewhere online that pure beeswax wasn't good for using in molds, as it pretty much stuck to the mold and you couldn't get it out. It doesn't pull away from the mold like Paraffin does, I guess. 

Not doubting that you use molds--just making sure to get all the details! 

I saw stainless steel votive molds at Hobby Lobby the other day and almost got them.....I have a ton of votive holders and that size would be perfect, I think. I settled for those (expensive) little tealight cups with pre-set wicks instead for my first attempt. I like those, too.


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## no1cowboy (May 2, 2004)

I use a silicon type mold bought from a bee supply place, no problem getting candle out of the mold.


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

Lady TS said:


> So you CAN use it in molds?


Here's a link to the Mann Lake catalog, page 105. There are nearly 10 pages of candle molds and candle making supplies.
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/catalog/page105.html

Beeswax candles are far superior to paraffin since they burn longer and don't produce the soot that paraffin candles do.


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## Durandal (Aug 19, 2007)

I helped my wife a while back make candles using non-bee's wax.

Bee's wax, to me is FAR easier. Spray a releasing agent (probably do not even need to do that) and once cool, pop in the freezer for about 30 min and they pop out with just a tap.

Right now I am "casting" bread loaves and votives. Nothing easier and almost no shrinkage except against the wall of the mold. You fill once and let sit, no refilling as it cools and contracts.

I would purchase any candle making supplies from a second hand candle place rather than a bee company since it'll probably be cheaper...maybe not.


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## Mike in Ohio (Oct 29, 2002)

We have started using our wax in capping the spore plugs in our new (Started last year) mushroom growing operation. LAst year we started with 10 logs. This fall we are doing another 50 and next year I am looking at doing 200-300. 

This will use up a lot of wax that we would have otherwise sold.

Mike


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