Here's a video on how to use a very simple solar wax melter for beautiful results.
The plans for the solar wax melter can be found here. I built the solar wax melter last year and have been using it on every sunny day this June to melt the wax I've collected over these two seasons.
Pictures of how I put it together can be found here.
Using the solar wax melter is simple, fun, painless (it happens while I am at work during the day without any energy or supervision from me), and the results are gorgeous filtered wax. Try it, you'll love it. This is the most popular video on my site (#2 is the Crush and Strain video) and for some reason both are blacked out by Google today - so if you would like to watch a video about the solar wax melter, you can click here.
Do you sell your wax? If so, how much do you charge?
ReplyDeleteLinda,
ReplyDeleteI am so grateful for this video as I really did not know what to do with the wax cappings I was saving. Watching the video makes each step so simple and this is how I learn the best. Reading doesn't do it for me, but seeing the work in progress is extremely helpful.
Thank you for all of these videos, and I hope that one day you can perhaps sell your videos in a sort of package for new beekeepers.
I admire you and as I said before, you are my hero.
Annette from Placerville California
Thank you, Annette, you always make me feel good.
ReplyDeleteMark, I don't have enough wax to sell. I would like to make some candles or lip balm if I get brave enough, but selling it, no....with only a few hives I won't have enough. Most people who make candles from beeswax have to buy wax from other beekeepers to have enough.
Linda I see what you mean about not having enough wax.
ReplyDeleteAnette, that is a great idea. Linda have you condidered selling your videos as a package someday?
After melting the wax from this year's harvest so far (about 24 shallow frames) as well as one bag of wax from last year, I have a total of 45.8 ounces of filtered wax - it's precious!
ReplyDeletehi linda, i found you through beesource and just wanted to say thanks for the great videos. i'm also in my second season (one hive last year - "oh, maybe someday i'll have as many as three, but not for a long time..." - four this year, planning for eight next year... it's a disease, i tell you.) and will be using your how-tos for chunk honey and wax melting very soon!
ReplyDeleteHowdy, Linda,
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to post a link to your video, but everytime I click the hyperlink for the solar wax melter video, I get a popup for an Amazon page. When I click, I am routed to that page. Have you removed the video or am I missing something?
Your friend in beekeeping,
Gerry
Hi Linda,
ReplyDeleteI tried your idea and for the first time I had beautiful, clean bees wax. Thank you. You have one of the best websites offering a ton of valuable information.
Dave
Pottstown, PA
So I have been using this wax melter and I has worked like a charm. The beeswax comes out so beautiful and clean. I thank you Linda for this wonderful video.
ReplyDeleteAnnette from Placerville California
Thank you so much for your detailed information. I made the exact same solar wax melter, and even here in not so hot Connecticut (it was 85 F. today), the melter was perfect. You are a trailblazer for all of us beginning in this wonderful world of beekeeping.
ReplyDeleteBest regards, Beth in CT
Linda, Thank you again. This is what I needed to know. I appreciate your bee blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda,
ReplyDeleteI am an hour northeast of you. Thanks for your video's, they are truly helpful. Reading a how to is one thing, but to see it is another! I really appreciate the time you have taken to share what you have learned.
Bee happy,
--Cathy
I have always wondered how the honey and wax were rendered separately and now I know!
ReplyDeleteI can almost smell the wax! I was going to ask if you make candles but you answered that in the video.
I find watching your videos captivating! My sister-in-law home schools and I'm going to suggest your site for her kids.
Hi Linda, your video is captivating and informative, i would like to know whether swallowed wax has any side effects because i enjoy eating my honey with wax and sometimes i swallow the wax.
ReplyDeleteWhen I make cut comb honey (there's a video on that too), the idea is to eat the wax with the honey. There's actually some research out of Cuba saying that eating wax helps with cholesterol!
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome Linda and very helpful. I'm going to try this. I was just thinking that if it wasn't hot enough, I could maybe leave it in the car with the windows up. You know how hot cars can get in summer.
ReplyDeletewow! you really made this easy and fun for me to follow. all the other instructions I have seen seemed very complicated. I must compliment you on your beautiful wax. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteGreat Video. I hope to try this next summer.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather prefer a section on how to first make the solar melter, then use it. However, I was able to decipher the setup from the video.
ReplyDeleteThe very last slideshow on the right sidebar is about how to make the solar wax melter - I actually made that slide show and posted it before this post.
ReplyDeleteIf you'll notice this is a post from 2007. On October 8, 2006, I posted about how to build the solar wax melter. Searching the labels on this blog using "solar wax melter" as a search term will take you to the posts I've done previously on this topic about building the melter.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your videos. Yesterday I stumbled upon your sight and today I have a solar wax melter set up in the sun. I live in Tucson, so it ought to melt fairly quickly.
ReplyDeleteLinda: How do you stop your honey from crystalizing. Customers dont like it when it goes hard??
ReplyDeleteMy honey rarely crystalizes - but when it does I think it is because of the type of flower from which it came or it's because the honey was stored at too low a temperature. The last honey that crystallized I made into creamed honey.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great educational video. Using the power of the sun to melt and strain the wax is a great idea. No doubt there are many ways to use the power mother earth provides to accomplish numerous other things, we only have to search them out. Thanks again
ReplyDeleteI beginner beekeeper and I'm very handy your video. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteGreat video, now no worries on my bee wax. Thanks for the easy step by step tutorial video. This will serve as a big help for my business venture.
ReplyDeleteUseful tool for my business venture for bees. No hard time at all. For my honey extractor and wax meter. It makes my work easy..
ReplyDeleteHey Linda great video and nice wax! I am definitely going to try and build a melter like that.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you didn't clump it up as much before putting the wax on the paper towel if you would get more uniform melting? i.e. carefully put the shredded/small pieces of dirty wax on the paper towel.
I also like storing the cleaned-up wax shredded in containers so its quick and easy to melt the quantity you'll need. Thanks!!
Hi Linda! You are a great teacher. I'm using the same dadent bucket and filters as you and I built a solar wax melter using different plans but it works pretty much the same. The audio was kind of poor at the beginning of your video - what is the purpose of washing the wax before melting it? I didn't wash mine and there is a lot of honey that didn't strain out this is melint ingt othe wax. Is that the reason?
ReplyDeleteRick
Hi Linda
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let you know that I watched your video and made the solar wax melter. It worked beautifully. I got two beautiful bars of yellow golden wax. They did crack and I was wondering how you prevent this from happening? Thank you for a great video.
Hi Maureen, Great that it worked for you. The blocks cracked possibly for a number of reasons - they cooled too fast, the cooling was uneven, etc. You don't use blocks like these for wax block entries into honey contests. That must be remelted and poured specifically to make a wax block. The solar wax melter is simply to melt and filter wax to ready the wax for its next iteration!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHi, I always enjoyed your blog. I have been looking at it for years, even though I'm experienced beekeeper, it's always super to see your take on things.
ReplyDeleteI have used a double boiler method to just melt the way, scoop out the big goop with a strainer and then use cheesecloth and paint strainers to filter out the fine stuff.
My problem which I hope you might have some idea on, is that my beeswax will not make a good candle. It burns down the middle leaving the rest of the candle unused. Since beeswax is famous for burning completely, I thought maybe I was using the wrong kind of wick. I was trying to just make some simple votive candles using metal cups......but they just would not burn easily or completely at all. I reasoned maybe the beeswax has too much honey left in the wax since I'm crushing and straining. I gave some of the wax to a candle maker with much more experience than I have, and the same issue arose.
Do you know if it is indeed honey in the wax causing the problem? I''m using a close version of your solar wax melter right now to see if that makes any difference but I don't see how it can as the wax still winds up in water, which of course separates.
I'm at a loss and I'd really love to get my wax to candle quality. Advice?
Musashi
Safety Harbor FL