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Problems Filtering Wax

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PhilK:
So far when I have been rendering wax down I have a double boiler set up - pot on stove with boiling water and metal bowl on top with wax and water. I wait for the wax to melt then pour it through multiple layers of muslin cloth (cheese cloth) into a container, wait for the wac to harden on top of the water layer and remove it.

1. I find a lot of the wax is 'absorbed' into the muslin cloth, hardens, and therefore is wasted
2. I still get very fine particulate matter in the wax making it look dirty

Any recommendations how to improve my system? I want to make a solar wax melter (Australian sun shouldn't have too much trouble melting wax!) but that's a project for a quiet few days.

Cheers

Michael Bush:
Water in the wax helps get some of the dirt out both by solution and by causing it to end up at the bottom of the wax when it hardens.  Some of getting wax clean is by the layers it ends up in.  Using something more tall than wide for the container to pour it in makes each layer deeper allowing you to waste less wax.  Hence, a pint milk carton works better than something wide and shallow.  Then you can scrape a lot of it off of the bottom.  The waste is always frustrating.  Only a press can resolve that issue complete, but if you save all the waste (slumgum etc.) and occasionally put it in a muslim bag in the bottom of a pot of water with a brick on it, you can boil some of that wax out.

Rhino86:
The solar wax melter idea is interesting, some cooper pipe painted black would easily heat water in Queensland. Have a look at deriving the solution from solar hot water systems.
Also look at quality bee keeping supplies at Sumner Park, they have a solar wax melter for $54 aud.

http://www.qualitybeekeepingsupplies.com.au/index.php/catalogue-2/50-wax-melters-and-cappings-reducers

AUSSIE POM:

--- Quote from: Rhino86 on July 18, 2016, 11:49:28 pm ---The solar wax melter idea is interesting, some cooper pipe painted black would easily heat water in Queensland.

--- End quote ---

G'day,
As Pauline would say " Please explain"? What is hot water to do with the Solar Melter?
I am thinking of making a Wax Melter Boiler.  I normally melt all my capping's and strain the wax through a cooking sieve into 4 lt Ice-cream Container.  When I do that I end up with black gunk on the bottom.  I though about melting the wax in a water boiler. Have a outlet tap just above the water line. Pour the wax into containers.  That way all the gunk would stay in the water ( Right)?
Cheers Perry   

divemaster1963:
in doing that hope that you have enough wax each time to keep the level of good wax above the fuacet.


john

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