Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Dealing with Cappings Wax
When the wax has melted it's ready to pour—but what do you pour it into? Storing wax
in your melting pans isn't a practical option. Suppliers sell special wax pans. After these
pans are partially filled with hot wax and the wax cools, the solid block of wax slips
right out. Empty, clean, paper or plastic milk containers work well, as does any contain-
er that can withstand the heat of melted wax. If in doubt, test the container with a small
amount of melted wax first.
Paper milk cartons work well for holding beeswax until it cools and is ready to be made
into candles, creams, or soap.
An old enamel coffee pot is perfect to catch wax in if you are going to pour it again. This
one has a paper towel filter. Note the color of the wax. This soft lemon yellow is the
highest quality, most sought-after color for beeswax. This is what melted cappings will
look like.
Avoid mixing waxes when melting—you'll end up losing any distinctive color. Left to
right: dark wax from old comb; fresh new comb removed from a swarm box; and lem-
ony cappings wax.
Properties of Beeswax
• Beeswax melts at about 145°F (62.8°C). This temperature will vary a bit de-
pending on air temperature and amount of debris in the wax.
• Density is about 0.96, whereas water is 1.0, so wax will float on water.
