I've melted wax over the kitchen stove a couple times and the family (and myself) complain about the smell. Sure, beeswax smells good, but when you're melting old brood comb, the old cocoons can really give off a funky smell when they boil. So I recommend doing it outdoors. Or even better...in a solar oven.
The solar wax melter is completed and I finally had a day of sunshine when I had the time to test it out. The oil filter cone didn't work out as I hoped. I think it was just taking too long to get up to temperature. I also had to move the oven a couple times to chase the sunshine. But once I work out all the kinks I think it will simplify the process of melting and filtering wax. And keep the house from getting stinky.
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That was very clever :) I would love to have bees, but we can't have everything we want! I was wondering, while watching your video, whether adding a reflective surface in the bottom section of your solar oven (where the loaf pan was sitting) would help increase the heat. I look forward to reading more of your blogs.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea and something I'll definitely try this Summer. One major problem I have in my area is that after the Autumn honey harvest the days are cooler and shorter, making solar melting more difficult. So I'm still trying to work out some kinks in this oven design and make the best use of what sunlight we have available in September.
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