Wax melter: types and how to make it yourself

What it is?

A wax melter is equipment designed to extract wax from honeycombs and melt it under high temperature pressure. There are several types of such equipment, but the principle of its operation is as follows:

The honeycombs are soaked and placed into the device.
The wax raw material is heated to its melting point.
The finished material is filtered and flows into a collecting container, after which the beekeeper packages it in containers that are convenient for use and sale.

GOST 21179-2000 defines the requirements for beeswax, its labeling and packaging.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of steam type equipment:

high percentage of finished material yield;
reduced water content in wax;
small dimensions and weight;
cleaning wax from impurities and debris during the smelting process.

Flaws:

increased energy consumption (applies to electrically heated equipment);
lack of a thermostat, leading to overheating of the wax with deterioration in the quality of the product.

Device types

The quality of the resulting product, as well as the nuances of the operation of the wax furnace, depend on exactly how the heating occurs. Without high temperatures, the device will not be able to work. So, depending on how heating occurs, several types of units are distinguished.

Steam

It is logical that the source of energy is water vapor, which can be supplied in two ways:

from a special compartment in the device itself;
from a special container connected to the raw material through a pipe that can withstand high temperatures.

In any case, the device works like this:

Water is poured into the lower compartment of the tank through an extension tube located in the funnel.
The raw materials are crushed and placed on grids or placed in mesh bags. In more modern devices you can install several frames.
When water boils, steam comes out at a temperature of 100 degrees, which freely penetrates the wax raw material and promotes its melting.
The wax flows through filters (mesh) into a receiving container, where it is cooled. After this procedure, a residue remains in the form of mortar.

Steam units can be made of stainless steel or aluminum. The former are more expensive than the latter because they are more reliable and safe - during operation the risk of getting burned is minimized.

Solar

Powered by solar energy, it does not require electricity costs and is an excellent option for regions with predominantly sunny weather. This type of wax refiner not only heats, but also brightens the resulting product.

The solar apparatus is a glass box with a glass lid. The container has a baking tray with holes on which the wax raw materials are placed. When the glass is heated, it melts and gradually flows through the hole into the receiving tank. To improve the heating capacity, the box is painted black and equipped with reflectors.

On average, in clear weather and an air temperature of 19 degrees Celsius, the wax melter heats up to 120 degrees. It must be gradually turned towards the sun's rays so that they pass through the glass and affect the wax. In order for the device to work at its maximum, the glass should be cleaned of any contaminants.

The solar type of equipment is considered the best, as the output is wax of the highest quality.

Framework

This device is a rectangular tank, which is made of alloy steel and equipped with a steam generator. In its upper part there are frames through which melted wax flows. It then passes through filters and lands on an inclined surface. Next, the product enters the receiving container through a special hole.

Electric

The design of this device is identical to the solar type, and the only difference is that electric heating is included in this wax furnace. In addition, many devices are equipped with a temperature control function. Heating elements are presented in the form of flat infrared heaters. As a rule, such a device is used on an industrial scale.

Centrifugal

It is equipped with a centrifuge and a steam generator. The raw material is placed in a bag and heated under steam pressure due to the rotation of the centrifuge. During kindling, the wax enters the receiving container through an extension tube.

Steam wax melter

Any novice beekeeper thinks about having the necessary equipment: a wax grinder and a honey extractor. You can’t do without them even with a small number of bees. A wax melter is a structure in which wax is melted for subsequent sale. The device can be purchased industrially, but it is quite expensive. The second option is to make it yourself, using improvised means. Considering the variety of types, you can choose the wax melter models that are right for you.

Description

Beeswax is actively used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. This is the case when demand creates supply. But it is impossible to obtain it in its pure form, without special equipment. A common model used by beekeepers is the steam wax melter. With its help, pure wax is quickly and efficiently produced without much effort.

The principle of operation of a steam wax furnace is to heat water, which forms hot steam. Under its influence, the wax reaches a melting point of about 70ºC and flows into a separate container. Sometimes a juice cooker converted into a wax melter is used for these purposes. They are often made independently, using a tank from an old washing machine or refrigerator body.

Features of the wax refiner model

Among the existing wax melter models, it is customary to distinguish four types. They differ in their operating principle and are divided into groups according to it:

steam - based on the use of steam as a heating factor, easy to operate, used for processing large volumes of raw materials;
solar - the sun's rays are used, under the influence of which melting occurs;
centrifugal - the design also contains steam, but the wax is also subjected to the action of a centrifuge;
electric – similar to solar, but does not depend on the presence/absence of the sun.

Each wax melter is effective and designed for a certain volume of wax raw materials. Solar has some disadvantages - the inability to adjust the temperature and dependence on weather conditions.

A frame steam wax melter is made by craftsmen from scrap materials. The work includes tanks from activator-type washing machines and the casings of old refrigerators. The device is based on the operating principle of a steam boiler, so the container for heating water is also made from a gas cylinder or from a flask and a milk can. Such designs are capable of processing a fairly large volume of wax in a short period of time without losing the quality of the product.

DIY making

You can do any type of wax grinding yourself, but not all are easy to do. Some require drawings and special equipment, others present virtually no difficulties in working.

Solar design is easy to implement and operate. It is a box with a glass lid, installed at an angle on a wooden base. Inside the box there is a special baking tray for placing wax and a container for collecting the melted product. Under the influence of sunlight, the temperature in the closed space of the box increases, as a result of which the wax melts and flows into the prepared container.

The solar wax melter is considered the most environmentally friendly. The result obtained comes out without impurities. The main advantage is that it does not require energy resources. But dependence on the presence of the sun and long heating times are significant disadvantages.

A DIY steam wax melter can be either round or rectangular. The second is preferable, as it allows you to place dry goods on the frames in it, further disinfecting them. But the form is chosen from those materials that are available. It is worth remembering that if you are going to make a stationary unit that allows you to carry out reheating work over an open fire, you need to select a container for the steam generator. When using such a device, follow safety precautions and control the level of heated water.

A homemade wax melter with a steam principle consists of the following parts:

steam generator;
container with lid;
mesh for arranging raw materials;
tray for collecting wax.

There are also options for compact devices designed for small volumes of raw materials. Here they use a ready-made juice cooker or an industrial steamer, whose operating principle is the same as that of a wax melter. Many DIY options can be found on the Internet. Beekeepers describe in detail not only the manufacturing process, but also the results of the device.

Materials and tools

The materials and tools required in the production process differ significantly depending on the type of wax melter chosen. For solar you will need woodworking tools and a wooden base: old floor boards, window frames or leftover furniture. From these, according to the drawing, it is necessary to make a wooden box with a sloped upper edge. There is a trick here - the angle of inclination depends on your geographical location and corresponds to the angle of incidence of the sun's rays. To accurately find out the most optimal value, you need to subtract 23.5ºC from the latitude indicator. Be sure to have a lid with glass that allows sunlight to pass through. It is better to paint the body black to increase the heating level.

A steam wax furnace requires the presence of a metal tank of various configurations. Additionally, grilles, connecting tubes, and pipes are required. The tools you will need are a grinder, self-tapping screws, a drill, a hammer, and a chisel. Heat-resistant sealant may also be useful.

Step-by-step instruction

The manufacturing process depends on the final model chosen and the materials available. It would be a good idea to look at the drawings of the future device, which are offered in an assortment by skilled beekeepers. If you have an old piece of evidence, and a steam wax melter will be produced based on it, then the process requires the following steps:

Clean the bottom of the hive. 4 holes are drilled for fastening under the grilles. Steam supply devices are also located here.
They cut out the slope on the side walls according to the principle of the pediment on houses; on one wall it is made larger to form a slope and a drain is formed there for the future product.
A galvanized sheet of iron is cut according to pre-established measurements for upholstering the inside of the hive body. When fixing the galvanization, do not forget to make a flag for draining the wax.
The body is reassembled and insulated with some material. It is worth remembering that the lid must fit tightly to the container to prevent loss of steam.
The steam generator is made from any container described above and connected using a hose.
A homemade steam wax melter for frames is ready for use.

Practical recommendations for choosing

To make a choice, it is worth comparing the listed models:

Comparison of advantages . The solar design will be cheaper, the steam one will produce higher-quality raw materials at the output, the electric one can work regardless of the time of day, and the centrifugal one allows you to obtain wax in a short period of time.
Comparison of cons . There is no way to regulate the heating temperature in a solar wax furnace, since it only heats up under the influence of sunlight. It is very difficult to make centrifugal and electric wax melters with your own hands, and if you buy a factory device, it will cost an order of magnitude higher. In this regard, a steam installation is the best option compared to other designs.

When choosing a wax melter, in addition to analyzing the pros and cons, you should also rely on the characteristics of your apiary. For example, if there are few sunny days in the region where the apiary is located, then the solar wax grinder will be completely useless.

How to do it yourself?

There are a number of quality models on the market. They are not very expensive and are manufactured in a factory, but some beekeepers prefer to make the device with their own hands, which is more economical and practical (for example, the solar type can always be upgraded to an electric one).

From the washing machine

If there is an unusable Soviet washing machine in the basement, then you can make a wax flow with your own hands in two ways, but you must comply with all the technical nuances of the operation of this device.

Instructions for the first method:

Use the drum of the washing machine as a container for raw materials, and for the steam generator use either a milk can or a kettle.
Remove all electronics from the design of the washing machine, because only two elements are needed - the body and the drum.
Place the raw material (wax) in a nylon mesh, and then throw it into the drum of the washing machine and close its lid.
Steam will be supplied from a can or kettle to the resulting structure for 20 minutes. As soon as its supply stops, you need to take the mesh out of the nylon and squeeze it out with your hands (be sure to wear gloves, otherwise you can get burned).

The second method requires a little more time and skill, but this design does not require manual squeezing and actually does not require any maintenance. It differs only in that it requires improvement of the washing machine tank in this way:

Cut off the bottom of the tank.
Instead of the bottom, weld a stainless steel grate.
Fix the resulting structure in the upper part of a large saucepan with a volume of 2 liters or more.
Secure an aluminum bowl in the middle of the pan, having previously drilled holes in it along the perimeter of the container.

Water is poured into the lower part of the pan, and the drum from the washing machine is filled with the raw materials from which wax will be obtained.

From a juicer or saucepan

The steam device can be organized by using a regular juice cooker made of food-grade aluminum or a large saucepan (you can even use a barrel). The procedure is as follows:

Place a stand at the bottom of a large container.
Place another vessel with a smaller diameter on the stand.
Using hooks, secure a metal mesh on top of the second vessel, which is first filled with wax raw materials.
Close the structure with a lid and place it on a heating source.

As soon as the melted wax begins to flow into the smaller vessel, you need to prevent it from overflowing.

Wax melter. Homemade wax melters, manufacturing options

All adults know about the benefits of beeswax.
It is used not only in medicine, but also in cosmetology. To obtain such a valuable product, many methods and devices have been invented. A wax melter is designed to extract wax from bees' honeycombs. Due to the design features, it can be of several types. The most commonly used is a solar or steam wax melter . For the first case, you need the scorching sun, which penetrates the glass and can melt the wax. In the case of using a steam design, the wax melts under the influence of steam. You can melt wax without using a special device, but this option is not suitable for large volumes.

Device

The main task of a wax refiner is to extract the largest possible amount of wax from the honeycomb. You can buy a device for melting wax or make it yourself, with the help of your skillful hands.

During operation of the machine, due to the steam supply, the wax is released from its original place.

If we consider the simplest frame steam wax furnace, we can identify its main components:

housing closed with a lid;
basket for frames;
trough;
a tray that is located inside and serves as a collection for wax
steam generator.

There are other details that cannot be ignored:

The device must have a tank connected to the body with a special hose or tube.
For a normal level of filtration, the lower part must be equipped with a mesh or gauze.
In order for steam to enter the interior of the structure, a tube is installed in the side compartment.
You can get the finished wax through a tap that needs to be installed.

Beekeepers use two main types of such devices: solar and steam wax melters. There are also other types that craftsmen make with their own hands.

the most popular and in demand among beekeepers , as it is more efficient. Thanks to it, more wax is obtained, and the product comes out much cleaner. And all thanks to the steam generator.

Principle of operation

Difficulties in work may arise for inexperienced beekeepers who have only recently started working with blankets and are seeing a wax grinder for the first time. But if you take your time to figure everything out, then there will be no difficulties, you just need to adhere to the order of doing the work :

the tank is filled with water;
the structure is installed on fire;
only after these two steps are completed, honeycombs are installed in the wax furnace;
the wax melts due to the high temperature of the steam, which penetrates inside through the tube;
passing through the mesh, the output is pure wax without impurities.

How to make a steam wax melter

Let's take a closer look at a frame steam wax refiner. You need to thoroughly study the design when you plan to make the same one yourself. Anyone understands that wax can be melted without special equipment . This is true for the case if there are very few honeycombs available, which means that you will get very little wax. Why spend money on a wax refiner?

Making a device is not difficult, you just need to find suitable structural elements. If a person maintains an apiary, then he definitely needs such a device to process large amounts of wax. If you are presented with a large selection of design elements, pay attention to the new details. The fact is that on old parts . And when such a part is in the apparatus, there may be a loss of raw materials due to this.

The following parts will be required:

Tank. It can be replaced by a gas cylinder, washing machine, juice cooker or kettle base.
Tubes There will be three of them - with a diameter of 60 mm, 110 mm and 140 mm. The first will be a chimney, the second will serve for reheating, and the third will be a water container.
Top of the structure. For the neck, you can use a threaded part of the pipe.
Fittings and elbows will be elements for generating steam.

The main elements without which a wax melter will not work . Further, the design can be improved by equipping it with a tap and filter. Wax melter from a washing machine - many options for making such a design can be found on the Internet.

Progress

Before starting, you need to make a drawing of the device.
You definitely need to consult a specialist who has already made a similar product . Having a drawing and a clear understanding of the principle of operation of the structure, you can begin assembling the parts. Check all connections and get to work. As an experiment, test your work on a small number of frames. During the work process, you may notice deviations or flaws in the design - refine and improve.

Solar wax refiner

Devices powered by the sun are organic. They are known not only among professionals, but also among amateurs.

The solar wax melter consists of a trough, a body and a baking tray. To make such a device yourself, you need wood, tinplate or box plywood. You will need glass for the lid.

Principle of operation

The sun's rays hit the glass, heat it, and it, in turn, heats the pan.
The sun's rays can heat the wax by more than 70°.
During melting, the wax flows into a special trough.
A special mesh is installed between the trough and the edge of the baking sheet, which serves as a filter for melting wax.

For this model of wax melter to work, it is necessary that the sun's rays hit its glass only in a perpendicular position.

Using a homemade model, you can process up to 5 kg of wax per day. This volume is considered large even for a professional beekeeper with a large apiary.

Manufacturing

The manufacturing process is quite simple, and the application is convenient and effective. Almost every beekeeper has such a wax melter model. First, a box is made, followed by a frame for which wood and screws were prepared. The baking tray is connected to the frame with a special holder , then the glass is inserted.
The top of the model can be painted. The advantages of a solar wax refiner include:

efficiency;
high quality of the resulting products;
no need to spend money on fuel;
Not only wax, but also its waste is useful;
very high temperatures melt propolis, which changes the quality.

The advantage of such a device is natural, environmentally friendly raw materials, which are obtained as a result of smelting. In addition, this design is considered very economical: there is no need to consume fuel or burn anything. The product obtained from such smelting is of high quality, so even its waste can be used if there are no moths in it.

Product value

Any beekeeping product is very valuable, each in its own way. The wax produced by hardworking bees is very beneficial for the human body. It contains micro and macroelements, vitamins and acids, plant pigment and hydrocarbons.
Using wax, you can get rid of the following diseases:

In cosmetology, wax is used as a base product for masks, creams and nourishing balms. In SPA salons and at home, you can use natural wax for paraffin therapy. Handicraftswomen who have a lot of wax in stock are engaged in making handicrafts and decorative candles, and even make dolls. To make money , all you have to do is sell all this beauty.

Beekeepers know that the condition of the bee hive affects the quality of future products. They must always be kept clean and tidy .

How to make an external steam generator?

You can also make an external steam generator for a wax melter yourself, which will make the device more functional. It includes three important elements in its design:

water container with filler neck;
stove;
chimney pipe.

Warming up is carried out twice (from the stove and pipe), so steam formation occurs faster and more efficiently.

Any container in which water can be heated at high temperatures is suitable for a steam generator. If we consider the simplest manufacturing option, then for the design it is best to use a modified gas cylinder, which adapts to the design of the potbelly stove. The cylinder is connected to a rectangular box, which is made according to the dimensions of standard frames.

You can prepare a steam generator from available materials following advice from a home craftsman:

Are there ways to melt wax without a wax melter?

You can melt wax without a wax melter. The work does not require special equipment, so every beekeeper can use this method, namely, melting wax in a steam bath. You need to do the following:

Take two pans: one larger and the other smaller.
Place a small saucepan on a large vessel and place wax in it.
Pour water into a large saucepan and set it to heat. It is very important to ensure that the water does not boil during the process. This can be controlled by making the fire more or less. The melt temperature should not be more than 70 degrees, so it is recommended to monitor the water temperature using a thermometer.

At a higher melting point, the wax will begin to darken, and this will directly affect the quality of the resulting product.