filtering bee's wax

[dbutch]

My grouse hunting buddy gave me a box of bees wax..I will use the double boiler method to turn it liquid..will be making boot sealer and patch lubes mixes ...what have you used to filter the rough wax with?....Thanks in advance....Dan

 

[rabjr]

Nylons work, chees cloth, an old T-Shirt will work, just be careful when pouring it onto whatever you use.

Some people will pour it into an old pan of water. The stuff you want out will settle to the bottom and your left with a cake of pretty much clean beeswax on top. May have to scrape the bottom of the cake but it'll be pretty clean and usable,

 

[410-er]

Poured mine thru a nylon streached over a funnel.

 

[dbutch]

Swampy..do you mean heat it up in a pan of water and the wax will come to the top when melted?....Thanks in advance...Dan

 

[dbutch]

"Ye-old Battle Axe" gave up nylons years ago--Ha-Ha

Hope knee highs will work!

Thanks for the tips...Dan

 

[rabjr]

Swampy..do you mean heat it up in a pan of water and the wax will come to the top when melted?....Thanks in advance...Dan

I always did the nylon/cheese cloth thing. I say always, I did 40lb about 4 years ago so I have more than enough and really only did it once. I have learned since theres other ways to do things. Unless I am wrong and someone will correct me, you double boiler the beeswax to melt it and then pour it in a pan with warm/hot water and let it sit. Cools down enough you can put in frig. After a while or over night you should get a cake of pretty clean wax with some crap on the bottom of the cake you can scrape off. Much like when doing Deer fat into Tallow.

 

[oletymepreacher]

The way I proceess the wax from my hives: First place wax into water, then heat up on the stove. Be careful that the water doesn't boil for two reasons.1) when wax is overheated it can become discolored, 160 degrees F is what you need. 2) if the water boils, the wax will spatter over the pot and could catch fire-you don't want to burn the house down. When the wax is melted, remove from heat to let wax solidify.

Second step: Heat wax in a double boiler, which is a pot partially filled with water in which a second smaller pot is inserted with the wax. When wax has melted, pour through an old t-shirt into your container.

Warning: never heat the wax on the stove directly in a pot. It WILL catch fire.

 

[dbutch]

Thank you for the safety reminder. I will be rendering the wax this afternoon.... A couple of my friends are heading West to Montana Elk hunting this Friday..I'll send a batch of boot seal with them...Thanks again...Dan

 

[paulvallandigham]

Melt the beeswax using a double boiler arrangement, so that the wax does not catch on fire. Then strain the liquid wax through an old, clean t-shirt, or woman's nylons, etc. The put the remains back in the boiler, heat it up again and pour it into a container of water. The first filtering will get rid of most of the solid bits of junk in beeswax, including parts of wings, legs, antennae, etc. The water will help the wax float, with the solids that are left but to small to filter with nylons or fabric, to sink to the bottom of the container. You can speed the process by putting the container of water and melted wax in your refrigerator or freezer.

Consider using coffee filters to do a final screening of the melted wax. It definitely will clean out the smallest of impurities, leaving behind only the wax.

ALWAYS melt the wax at a very low temperature- well below the boiling point of water, if you want it to work with oils to make a soft lube. You don't want to burn the wax. :thumbsup:

 

[dbutch]

Thanks Paul.... Mixed up a batch of boot sealer and 1 to 1 mix of patch lube-using bear grease and bee's wax.looking forward to testing the new lube...My wife thinks I'm half-baked!....Dan

 

[paulvallandigham]

That's alright, as long as she doesn't get the idea that you are HALF-BAKING! Then you might get drafted to do other kitchen duties! :rotf: :surrender: :thumbsup: