Beeswax is a very valuable natural product that is given to people by nature. Before using a substance in different areas of life, it must be melted and cleaned of various impurities. However, not everyone knows how to melt wax at home. To achieve the desired results, it is permissible to use a variety of available devices.
Basic rules and temperature
Beeswax is a complex organic compound. Insects produce this substance using special glands. After which the bees distribute it with their paws to build honeycombs. In warm weather, insects can produce up to 5-6 kilograms of wax.
This product has a unique composition. In total, it contains more than 50 chemical components. Up to 75% of the composition is esters. Also in the wax there are 11-17% saturated hydrocarbons, 13-15% free fatty acids, 2.5% water.
Thanks to its unique composition, this bee product is widely used in various spheres of life. It is used in traditional and folk medicine, pharmacology, and cosmetology. The substance is also used to make household chemicals and candles.
Before using the wax, you need to melt it. For the procedure to be successful, it is important to follow some recommendations and become familiar with the melting point. At +35 degrees the wax material remains solid. At higher temperatures the mass becomes plastic.
The average melting temperature of wax is +69-72 degrees. Such differences are associated with the presence of various additives in the composition and the method of obtaining the starting raw materials. It is worth considering the following:
- The melting point of the plates produced by bees is +72 degrees.
- Wax made by pressing or melting melts at a temperature of +62-65 degrees.
- The mass obtained by extraction melts at a temperature of +69-71 degrees.
If you heat the wax raw material to +95-100 degrees, foam will appear on the surface of the mass. This is due to the presence of water in the composition.At +100 degrees it begins to boil, which leads to the appearance of foam. When heating a substance, the process must be carefully monitored. Wax containing a lot of water may boil away.
After the moisture evaporates, the foaming process stops. If the raw material is not contaminated with alkali or soap, it does not contain emulsified water. In this case, foam should not be expected to appear.
At parameters greater than +120 degrees, individual components in the raw material begin to decompose and evaporate. At a temperature of +250-300 degrees, complete decomposition of the wax occurs and combustion processes begin. It is important to consider that the substance is considered flammable, so it can cause a fire.
It is worth taking into account that natural beeswax has a higher melting point compared to synthetic wax. The second melts already at +45-60 degrees.
Melted wax has many uses. These include the following:
- The mass is widely used in medicine. Wax is often added to ointments that are used to treat skin burns and inflammation of the dermis. Due to its nutritional properties, the substance stimulates the positive effects of other medicinal products.
- Wax is often used in skin and nail care products. Applying the mixture to your hands will help protect them from the negative effects of household chemicals. Based on bee substances, various creams and balms are produced that provide sun protection. The product is also used for the production of other cosmetic substances.
- The mass is often used for depilation. With the help of this beekeeping product, it is possible to remove even the coarsest hairs from the body.
- Wax raw materials can be used as shoe polish.Natural material provides leather models with proper care.
- The substance is used by craftsmen who do Batik painting. They apply a fat-like substance to areas that need protection from pigment.
- The product can be used for painting Easter eggs. The melted product can be applied with a thin brush. They manage to embody a variety of patterns.
- Natural material provides reliable protection of garden tools from corrosion.
- Wax can be safely used for wood processing. Using this natural material, cracking of the surface can be avoided.
- The substance is often used as a furniture polish. The product helps to care for natural wood products.
Preparation of raw materials
First you need to prepare the raw materials from which the wax will then be extracted. To do this, you need to take old frames, foundation and timber. The frames must be cleaned of wax and placed in a separate container. The raw materials for wax must be ground to dust.
After preparation, the components need to be filled with water and left for several hours. This will cause debris to float to the surface. It can be easily removed. The mass filled with liquid must be shaken periodically. Thanks to this, unnecessary residues will rise to the surface. When you can separate the debris from the raw materials, you can start melting the wax.
Wax heating methods
Today, a variety of methods for melting wax are known. This allows each person to choose the option that is most suitable for them.
Reheating with water
To melt wax using this method, it is recommended to grind the raw material, place it in an aluminum container and fill it with clean water. It is best to use melted, spring or distilled. These types of liquid are considered softer.Using hard water will cause the product to become fine-grained and brittle.
It is recommended to heat the wax over low heat for 30 minutes. Then you need to stand for 10 minutes. The pure mass will rise to the surface of the water as it cools.
To melt wax that is covered with rot or mold, you first need to soak it in warm water for 1-2 days. During the process, it is important to get rid of any debris that floats to the surface.
In the bank
In this way, you can heat a cleaned product that does not have mold or debris. Subsequently, pure wax can be used for cosmetic procedures. To get the desired effect, you need to grind the product or crumble it into pieces, place it in a 1-liter glass jar and place it in a pan of water.
The liquid must be gradually heated, and the wax must be stirred. When the product becomes soft, it can be poured into a storage container.
In a water bath
The easiest way is to melt the beeswax in a steam bath. This can be done in any kitchen. In this case, the finished product will not have defects. To obtain the required result, the crushed raw materials must be placed in a glass jar or metal container of small diameter and placed in a wide pan of water. After which the structure must be gradually heated on the stove.
Under the influence of steam, the wax will gradually melt. During the process, it is important to ensure that the liquid does not completely evaporate. If required, you can add a little boiling water to the composition.
In order for the mixture to heat evenly, it must be stirred constantly. The process takes a maximum of 10-15 minutes. After which the melted wax needs to be kept in a steam bath for another 5-10 minutes. When using a bowl instead of a jar, it is important to ensure that no water gets into the mixture.This will negatively affect the quality of the finished product.
When the composition acquires a homogeneous consistency, turn off the heat and strain the mixture. This will help get rid of debris and dirt. The finished product must be cooled gradually. This will help achieve a uniform ingot. Fine debris must be removed from the surface. This can be easily done with a knife.
It is important to remember that the melted product is very hot, so it is important to adhere to safety rules. This method allows you to control all stages of melting and, if necessary, adjust your actions. The disadvantage of the procedure is considered to be low productivity. In addition, it is important to ensure that the raw materials do not contain foreign impurities or mold.
Heating using enamel tanks
To melt the wax, you can use 2 enamel tanks. The volume of each of them should be no more than 20 liters. To do this, the washed and crushed raw materials must be placed in one tank and tied in one layer of gauze. The second tank should be half filled with clean distilled water. After this, the container with the liquid must be heated. This can be done on the stove or over a fire.
After the water boils, you need to place a tank with raw materials on top. To connect containers, you can tie their handles. The surface of the tank should be covered with an old thick cloth. The mixture should be kept on low heat for 2-2.5 hours. After which the stove must be turned off and the structure left overnight. In the morning you can get melted wax.
In the microwave
A microwave is often used to melt wax and paraffin. To do this, the crushed raw materials must be placed in a container of suitable size and placed in the microwave.At a power of 650 Watts, wax can be melted in 1 minute, at 850 Watts - in 45 seconds, at 1000 Watts - in 40.
It is important to consider that melting wax requires special containers that are resistant to elevated temperatures and microwaves. This method is convenient to use for small amounts of purified substance. If there are foreign impurities in the composition, it is better to give preference to another method.
At the stake
To melt wax using this method, it is recommended to take a metal container and place it over the fire. It is important that the container is quite large. It should hold about a bucket of water. Then you need to put the raw materials into the container. It is important to leave a reserve. The fact is that as the temperature increases, the wax frames will boil, and therefore the liquid will begin to boil.
After the mixture boils, it must be stirred systematically. After complete melting, the substance should be stirred, dirt removed and cooled. This can be done in the same container or pour the composition into another.
In a steamer
To melt the wax, you can use a double boiler. To achieve the desired results, you need to pour water into the bottom of the device. It is recommended to fill it approximately 2-5 centimeters.
Then you need to take a bowl, place the ingredients in it and put it in a double boiler. Depending on the power of the device and the amount of substance, the process will take from several minutes to 1 hour. It is important to note that the device should not be left unattended. During the process, you need to pour liquid into the steamer. When the wax melts, it can be poured into molds.
In a wax melter from an old washing machine
If you have an old unnecessary washing machine, you can use it to make a device for melting wax. It is important that the case is empty.This means that all the parts need to be pulled out of it. As a result, you need to leave the body and drum inside.
The water that is poured into the drum must be heated. Therefore, it is necessary to provide appropriate wiring. It is recommended to provide a smoke vent in the housing. You will also need to construct a channel to drain the melted wax. Making such a device requires certain skills and effort. However, in any case, the design will be cheaper than a wax melter.
Solar wax toppers
To get a wax melter that operates from solar heat, you can make it yourself. The structure can easily be placed in an apiary or in the yard. Essentially, the device is a wooden or metal box, which is covered on top with a frame with double glass. A stainless steel baking tray is placed inside the structure. It needs to be placed at an angle of 40 degrees. The structure must also include a tin trough.
You need to fill the container with some water. This will make it easier to remove the finished product from the container. To achieve the desired results, the crushed ingredients for obtaining wax must be placed on a baking sheet, which is under glass. When it warms up, the substance will begin to melt. As a result, liquid wax will begin to flow through the grate into the trough. The substance obtained by this method is considered the most valuable. This is due to the fact that it melts naturally under the influence of sunlight.
Wax melter
Beekeepers who have many hives use a special device to melt the wax mass. It's called a wax grinder. Using this device, it is possible to carry out the procedure without any problems.It can be used to melt wax from honeycombs or frames. For the process to be successful, it is important to take into account certain features.
To melt low-grade raw materials, you can use a steam wax melter. To do this you need to do the following:
- Install a grill in the tank with a water jacket. You need to put raw materials on it.
- As the temperature increases, the raw material will begin to heat up.
- When water boils in the jacket, steam that penetrates the container affects the raw materials. As a result, wax begins to stand out.
- The mass gradually flows into the mold.
During operation, the raw materials must be mixed. Sometimes oppression is put on him. In any case, after using the steam device, a lot of wax remains in the combustion chambers - approximately 40%. That is why a wax melter was created, which is heated by electrical power sources. Such equipment makes it possible to process prepared raw materials and obtain wax from old frames.
To melt wax raw materials in this way, honeycomb trim and melting can be used for dry processing. To do this, it is recommended to use a high-temperature wax melter. The temperature should be +140-150 degrees. It will not take much time to melt the substance. In addition, this will help to obtain high-quality wax, which resembles Kapanets in its hardness coefficient.
Modern high-temperature devices are made in factories. They are designed for stationary operation. However, such products can also be moved, since the lid is securely attached to the body. The weight of such devices exceeds 10 kilograms.
Common Mistakes
When melting wax raw materials, many beginners make common mistakes:
- Do not keep the mass long enough in a heated state. This provokes incomplete reheating of the substance.
- Wax melters are chosen incorrectly. Wax can be diluted in gasoline, hydrogen sulfide, and alcohol. It is also permissible to use chloroform and turpentine for this purpose. These substances are considered excellent solvents. However, to dilute with alcohol, it is forbidden to boil the mass. In this case, it is important to do everything carefully and carefully.
Where can you use leftovers?
Once the wax is melted, by-products are usually left behind. They are called sludge. These are particles of debris that are glued together with a waxy mass. This remainder is often called merva. It can be crushed and applied to the soil. Merva makes the soil more fertile.
Melting wax is not a very complicated process. In this case, the procedure can be carried out even in the absence of a wax top. To do this, you can use improvised devices. Depending on the volume of raw materials and the availability of capabilities, the wax mass can be melted in a steam bath, fire or sun. It is also permissible to use a double boiler or microwave for this purpose.
