tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post4663080444017790943..comments2024-03-26T12:17:40.771-04:00Comments on Linda's Bees: Using the Solar Wax MelterUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-20853690588323319662010-07-01T16:07:23.100-04:002010-07-01T16:07:23.100-04:00Linda, just a note to let you know your suggestion...Linda, just a note to let you know your suggestion to first put the wax in hot water in the crock pot worked beautifully! I am hoping to create encaustic paint for my art. As always, you are my Virtual Mentor! Thank you again for all you do for the bees and for those of us who love them.Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02777513495995940724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-5828458390014070672010-06-27T03:08:23.546-04:002010-06-27T03:08:23.546-04:00Thank you so much, Linda! I've got another b...Thank you so much, Linda! I've got another batch to process & I'll do as you suggest. The wax smells so sweet! :)Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02777513495995940724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-1956114010029881252010-06-26T20:32:29.847-04:002010-06-26T20:32:29.847-04:00Jane, Since wax is only liquid when it is 125 F o...Jane, Since wax is only liquid when it is 125 F or higher, the liquid is not wax. I think maybe you need to add a step to your process to get rid of what is probably water. Let your first step be to put the wax into hot water in your crock pot and let it melt in the water. Then turn the crock pot off and let it cool. The wax will solidify on top of the water. Then you can take the solid wax out, dry out the crock pot, put the wax block into the crock pot and melt it - this time with no water, only the wax block. Then filter the liquid wax and pour it into the molds. Once in a mold, wax cools rather quickly and is fully hardened in a short time (minutes/hour--not days).Linda Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08089537760868691562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-67400775349555469422010-06-26T19:05:06.276-04:002010-06-26T19:05:06.276-04:00hi Linda! I've tried to render wax for the fi...hi Linda! I've tried to render wax for the first time. After freezing, washing multiple times and drying, I melted the wax in a small CrockPot I bought just for wax. When it was melted, I strained the liquid through an old T-shirt and poured the clear liquid into plastic containers to use as molds. Most the the wax has solidified after 3 days, but there is still some liquid in the bottom. Is this normal or did I do something wrong? Thanks for all your help.Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02777513495995940724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-37759263625513432032010-06-26T18:19:23.800-04:002010-06-26T18:19:23.800-04:00Actually, it's pretty amazing how nice the wax...Actually, it's pretty amazing how nice the wax looks, considering what you started with.<br /><br />We do Ukrainian Easter Eggs, and use bees' wax as a sort of batik resist. Nice, clean wax is almost too transparent to be useful, and so the people who sell the tools for this craft sell darkened wax. I'll bet that your strained brood wax would be perfect!<br /><br />http://howsrobb.blogspot.com/2008/03/easter-eggs.htmlLisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03932975112078606231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-6526953700487820612010-06-25T10:41:17.930-04:002010-06-25T10:41:17.930-04:00It's probably a good idea for the inside to be...It's probably a good idea for the inside to be black but I have no problem with its efficiency as it is - I fill it; leave for work; return at the end of the day and everything is melted....so I don't need it to go any faster, although if I did, I would paint the inside. Using aluminum foil on the inside appears to help with the heat, and I do do that.Linda Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08089537760868691562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-14947067426779357742010-06-25T10:13:45.995-04:002010-06-25T10:13:45.995-04:00If you paint the inside, make sure to use a water ...If you paint the inside, make sure to use a water based paint. The Cooler will melt if any solvents hit it. Rattle can paint definitely won't work.Whizbonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-54020096656337716302010-06-25T09:14:21.430-04:002010-06-25T09:14:21.430-04:00Linda you should definitely paint the inside of th...Linda you should definitely paint the inside of the coolers black. It helps to speed up the melting.Rob Deichert Jrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06678054546366450788noreply@blogger.com