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Author Topic: Rendering bees wax  (Read 3778 times)

Offline melita

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Rendering bees wax
« on: October 30, 2012, 05:22:20 pm »
I rendered wax for the first time last night , had around 10 lb of cappings and old comb , left the wax and left overs in the bucket out doors.

It attracted loads of bees by mid morning and was pretty suprised as its a residential area.

What i would like to know is , is the water solution good for the bees or harmful ?

Offline Maryland Beekeeper

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2012, 10:03:22 pm »
I would think not. But it might spoil and smell. Dump downwind  :)
Cheers,
Drew

Offline splitrock

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2012, 10:12:06 pm »
Um, I think the honey water is a good thing for the bees. I haven't seen them load up on stuff they don't like or isn't good for them.

When we rinse our wax, the first time, we don't use a lot of water, and the bees are crazy about it.

Joel

Offline Finski

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2012, 01:46:42 am »
I rendered wax for the first time last night , had around 10 lb of cappings and old comb , left the wax and left overs in the bucket out doors.

It attracted loads of bees by mid morning and was pretty suprised as its a residential area.

What i would like to know is , is the water solution good for the bees or harmful ?

It is harmfull .  At least it has nothing good. Taste is awfull. It may have diseases.
It is better cover with soil.
.
Language barrier NOT included

Offline T Beek

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2012, 09:26:52 am »
I'm confused :?  What this 'water' that is being discussed?  What is it used for in the process of rendering wax and what is it besides...water?  Thanks for any explanation.

Our system is foundationless so we primarily harvest frames of whole honey comb.  When we need to render wax, such as when we crush and strain some, the left over honey-laden wax is always left for the bees who clean it up pretty quick.  Then we just melt the cleaned wax down in a slow cooker and pour it into molds for later use.  We don't add 'anything' else to the process, material wise, other than the wax.

Are we missing some important step?

"Trust those who seek the truth, doubt those who say they've found it."

Offline Maryland Beekeeper

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2012, 10:52:11 am »
I was a bit confused myself but here is what I think we are discussing :

You and I crush strain and then leave wax for B's to clean. They are cutting caps off with knife and spinning comb which is reused, then boiling caps in water. When cool they have wax on top and, "Thin" ,honey, which they feed back to B's. 
Cheers,
Drew

Offline melita

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2012, 12:35:24 pm »
Thanks for your comments .

T beek you are not missing anything .... Maryland beekeeper explained what i was doing correctly ... well i could be doing it wrong also as i am still learning.

Should i feed back the "thin" honey solution back to the bees ..... after all the water was boiled so any diseases should have been eliminated

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2012, 12:52:39 pm »
If you search for SKEP on this website there is a whole series on how beekeeping was done over in southern Europe. They distinctly say that they take the water used in melting the wax and feed it back to the bees.
Jim

That didn't work. Try:
http://youtu.be/VrehDfkazO0

This is just one in the series, don't know whic one is about melting the wax.
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Offline Maryland Beekeeper

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2012, 01:02:39 pm »
I agree. The boiling will pasteurize the water. But I would think one would want to use it immediately for fear of it spoiling. I wonder if giving cappings to B's to clean first might be more efficient all things considered.
Cheers,
Drew

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2012, 01:25:52 pm »
I bottled a couple of jars of wax water last year just to see what would happen and how long it would last. I looked at it about a month ago and opened it up to smell it. I was amazed it hasn't changed from when I put it in the bottles. I did have 1 jar that had mold on it within the first month and I tossed it. I really expected it to ferment real bad but so far it hasn't. Boiling may have helped.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Maryland Beekeeper

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #10 on: October 31, 2012, 02:48:43 pm »
Honey is one of natures most potent antibacterials. Bacteria will not grow in it. The Egyptians mummified their gods with it.  It will not spoil, the wax however can hold things that will.
Drew

Offline sterling

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #11 on: October 31, 2012, 08:16:12 pm »
I just put my cappings out on a peice of cardboard after I let them set in a filter bucket for a few days and let the bees clean it up before I put it in a solar waxmelter. Maybe I'm doing it wrong.

Offline splitrock

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #12 on: October 31, 2012, 08:27:53 pm »
I don't boil anything, just rinse the cappings with hot water a few times. The first rinse only, it is caught and fed back.

Offline T Beek

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #13 on: November 01, 2012, 06:25:22 am »
Seems like some of you folks are working too hard for your clean wax IMO.  I'm leaving the job to the bees, they are much better at it than I  ;) but thanks for all the explanations. 

I don't feel there is anything wrong w/ feeding the 'water' back to your bees as long as its done asap.  Bees sometimes consume some pretty nasty stuff (cat litter) and wax water must be at the bottom of any list of hazards.
"Trust those who seek the truth, doubt those who say they've found it."

Offline splitrock

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #14 on: November 01, 2012, 06:41:52 am »
"wax water must be at the bottom of any list of hazards."

Its actually just honey water. The water takes the honey off of the wax, and it's not hazardous at all.

Offline T Beek

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #15 on: November 01, 2012, 08:31:51 am »
That's also my conclusion, but what are we to do the assertion that "it is harmful" and the advise to "cover with soil" from Finski? 
"Trust those who seek the truth, doubt those who say they've found it."

Offline Maryland Beekeeper

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #16 on: November 01, 2012, 04:09:13 pm »
Possibly:
 
I rendered comb from cutouts this year, brood comb and all into the pot. What is left after you strain & remove wax is some very nasty stuff that next time I will bury.
Cheers,
Drew

Offline T Beek

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Re: Rendering bees wax
« Reply #17 on: November 01, 2012, 04:23:46 pm »
OK, now I understand......don't render comb w/ brood in it if you want to give the remains back to your bees. 

Finski's advise makes perfect sense now..... bury the water from rendered 'brood comb' that actually has brood in it, right?  :)  Thanks!
"Trust those who seek the truth, doubt those who say they've found it."