Looking For Ideas As To How To Break Up Blocks Of Beeswax

[JackInCT]

My journey into beeswax candles needs a “better” idea (than what I’ve been using).  I’ve been breaking up the blocks of beeswax (to put into my double boiler) by DOUBLE bagging the blocks into the standard grocery store plastic bags.  Even with the use of a wooden mallet (& on a wooden floor with give in it), however, invariably results in tears in BOTH bags and unwanted spilling out of the wax.  Anyone found a better way to break up the blocks of wax?  Thank You.

[Kathyp]

i lay mine on newspaper on the floor.  then i picture someone who has ticked me off and slam a flat head screwdriver into the block.  i then finish them...ooops....it off with a solid slam of the hammer to the screwdriver.  works, improves my mood, makes no mess other than a few chips on the newspaper.

don't miss and hit your hand.  if you do, the emotional release will be negated by the pain.

[AllenF]

Get a thicker bag.   Those reuseable canvas shopping tote bags that we just have to get all the time will work great.  And at least they get used and don't take up too much room in the pantry.

[hardwood]

Two words...buck shot :-D

Scott

[Jim134]

Freeze the blocks first.  :lol:


    BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :)

[manfre]

I use a meat cleaver and chip away small pieces at a time.

[JackInCT]

There are some really great ideas here, and as soon as I complete the Spring garden setup, I will be trying some.  From a serendipity perspective, as a very amateur woodworker, this brainstorm needs to be evaluated: put the FROZEN block in the canvas bag idea, seal/close off the mouth of the bag with large spring binder clips (the kind sold in any office supply store) to keep everything inside the bag, and then take a C-Clamp and screw it down until the block breaks; might take a few tightenings to get ALL the pieces small enough to fit inside the double boiler, but you can apply a great deal of torque to the clamp as you turn the screw.

[Bee Happy]

I can tell you how I would shape or break concrete... 
-drill multiple holes along your cut line like a "cut along dotted line" concept. Melt the drill shavings later.
 Jim said freeze them, that probably wouldn't hurt either this way, maybe after you drill.
then use a chisel in the middle of the holes, it will break  right along where you drilled.

[G3farms]

bigger double boiler!!

hatchet or ax, put the wax on a large piece of fire wood and have at it.

G3

[Michael Bush]

I use a small ax and two piecies of wood and some newspaper.  Put the newspaper down.  Put the blocks of wood at each end of the block and the block on top.  Try to make a straight line down the center with the hatchet until it breaks.  If you get a good line on one side, flip it over and make one on the other side.  If you get that done, make one on the ends and then repeat on the flat sides.  Be prepared to pick up peices of wax from around wherever you do this.  I do it outside...

[JackInCT]

I took a few moments to experiment with some of the ideas posted in this topic.

First of all, congratulations are in order to all the members of the bee kingdom for evolving their wax into such a durable product that to an extent confounded the best laid plans of mice and men to break it up into pieces.

First the failures (conducted on 1 lb wax blocks frozen overnight at about 0 degrees F):

(1) My idea to use a C-clamp (the wax block inside of a canvas tote bag) flopped; I simply could not apply enough torque to the clamp’s spindle (with my hand) with sufficient force to break the block,

(2) I then took the block and tried to squeeze it with a heavy duty cast iron vise; same problem.

But WE have a clear cut winner.

Congratulations are in order to Bee Happy for his/her idea (with some minor adaptations); I continued using a frozen block.

I used an electric drill and a TAPERED punch (the kind found in a punch and chisel set).  I drilled 4 holes (eyeballed evenly spaced across an imaginary straight line; my beeswax is the common hexagon shaped one pound block); the drill bit I choose was slightly narrower, diameter wise, than the tip of the punch.  To prevent making any more drill holes in my woodworking bench, I elevated the block onto two pieces of scrap wood, and left a gap between the blocks so that when the drill broke through the bottom of the wax block, the drill wouldn’t mar the table.  Really easy to drill; the punch, hit with a steel hammer, broke each hole with one hit.  The wasted wax (both on the drill bit and what shattered into very small shards when I hit it with the hammer) was negligible.

The only drawback with this method was that, IF required, it didn’t break up the wax block into very small pieces (which would, I guess, only be necessary IF you were going to weigh out a precise amount to put into your double boiler).

[Bee Happy]

 :devilbanana:  :yippiechick:  I wasn't trying to win anything.  :piano:  :rainbowflower:
Like the punch idea.

[JackInCT]

Well Bee Happy, your idea turned what I consider a mundane, menial chore into a one minute long task.

In giving credit where credit is due, IF you’re familiar with the concept of attribution, your mention of the word “concrete” set off a long ago (not thought about) recall of a series of episodes of the PBS (Public Broadcast System) TV program “This Old House” [no idea if that program is shown outside of the USA] where one of their mainstay presenters demonstrated the use of feathers (AKA wedges) to break apart good size stone blocks (I think for use as outdoor stairs) using the technique that you described.

These forums are invaluable from the two heads are better than one perspective, and the kind of serendipity where one idea leads to another one.  And I sure it would come as no surprise if someone comes up with an even better, more efficient idea.

Thanks again, and for those of you who are motivated by the "I (and my gray cells) can do better than that" perspective, go to it!

[Hayesbo]

just saw this post, sorry for being so late.   How about a band saw? you can control the size of the pieces and you are lubricating/protecting the bandsaw blade.

Steve

[fish_stix]

Ding, Ding!! We have a winner! Use just about any type of saw. Band saw is best but a sabre (jig) saw or even a skilsaw will work. Very little wax is lost as the it's melted by friction and stays on the block. Ever wonder why they sell those little blocks of beeswax at Home Depot, etc. in the saw blade section? For lubricating blades, of course!

[irerob]

  Beat me to it I was going to say I use a coping saw when the wax in my catch pan gets to thick to break.

[beee farmer]

I use a hot wire I made long ago for cutting/shaping styrofoam used for homebuilt airplane. Really simple to make just takes an old transformer n some wire, simple handle made out of wood.  Wax blocks can be cut to any size you want. Like a knife throuhg warm butter. Best part besides getting exactly the size/amount of wax you want is no mess to clean up and the unneeded wax is still in one nice big block ready fro storage, instead of dozen or so chips n chuncks.

[hendro]

I use a hot wire I made long ago for cutting/shaping styrofoam used for homebuilt airplane. Really simple to make just takes an old transformer n some wire, simple handle made out of wood.  Wax blocks can be cut to any size you want. Like a knife throuhg warm butter. Best part besides getting exactly the size/amount of wax you want is no mess to clean up and the unneeded wax is still in one nice big block ready fro storage, instead of dozen or so chips n chuncks.

Wow, what a good idea, a Hot Wire.  I found a cool design of one at the RCUNIVERSE forum.  I did a search on Yahoo for Homemade Hotwire.  It uses a dimmer light switch to control how hot it gets.  Instead of wood it uses PVC tubing, so if you have some extra tubing hanging around from your sprinkler system that can save you some bucks. I don't have enough posts in this forum so they won't allow me to post a link.  Sorry.
 
It looks like it could easily be adapted to a smaller version that can easily glide through wax, and like you say, no shavings.  Originally I thought of a small sheetrock saw.  A coping saw may work too, but thought the blase may be too flimzy.  I still like the hotwire, I know what my next project will be.  I know I have an old transformer around here someplace! :lol:

[SamboRoberts]

I use my solar wax melter. As the wax drips through the paper towel into the water, it tends to solidify into smaller chunks that are easily broken apart. I've only been housing bees since November, so I don't have a lot of wax. I've got some in a large block, but it's going to have to go back into the melter to be easier to manage. I've found that for my lip balm and moisturiser bars, where I'm only using a couple of ounces at the most, the smaller bits straight from the solar wax melter are best.

[Bee-Haven]

Heated knife, or electric hot knife.