Cleaning Old Wax

[onehorse]

We got someold comb from the cutout that we did last summer. I have melted it down in a water bath and strained it a couple of times through a couple different types of cloth (cheese, rags, etc.), but I am still getting a dirty film on the top and the bottom of the cooled wax. What am I doing wrong or do you trim that off? Thank you!

[Hobie]

The man who taught the first class I took swore by old sweatshirt material. I've had good luck with old comb in my Rube Goldberg solar melter using a heavy-duty "shop" paper towel. Of course, it seems 95% of that old black comb stays on top of the towel, and not much passes through.

[BjornBee]

Use the old junk for firestarters....

[onehorse]

Now Bjorn! I can't do that, this is wax from our first ever cutout! I want to do something special with it, and, ummm, that wasn't exactly what I had in mind.

[Hobie]

I understand! Just don't expect much quantity. I was astounded, and very disappointed, with my first cut-out, that most of the black comb just seemed to vanish into crud, leaving very little wax. Makes you wonder how it keeps its structure.

[BjornBee]

Now Bjorn! I can't do that, this is wax from our first ever cutout! I want to do something special with it, and, ummm, that wasn't exactly what I had in mind.

Mold it into a ball, (optional: paint it), and then hang it as a Christmas tree ornament. You have it as a yearly reminder of that special day....

[G3farms]

G3

[BjornBee]

In all honesty...I've never understood the whole "Lets make Christmas tree ornaments with beeswax" thing.

[Hobie]

Maybe it harkens back to the days of having candles on the tree, and the smell of beeswax...?

[BjornBee]

Maybe it harkens back to the days of having candles on the tree, and the smell of beeswax...?

I bet all the way back to the last time someone used the word "harken"......

[fatbeeman]

I use a 20 qt kettle with half full of water boil then pour thru a strainer push out the wax with a hive tool. into a 5 gal bucket leave harden then wax will harden and dirt settles scrap off the excess dirt after you do this save all the pattys then put new water in kettle;e about 2 inches from bottom then add all the cakes to it. soon as all melts pour into a bucket then you will get very clean wax final scrap from bottom bingo clean wax.
I tried the shear curtains and coffee filters all the other messes this works and simple.
Don