Brilliant idea! I have an ok solar wax extractor but I have a real backlog of boxes to process, I love how this can also clean up the box and everything all at once and the scraping can happen while the wax is still molten, so much easier and faster, and I thought I would need a whole insulated setup but I love the simplicity of just strapping the boxes together like that! I bet with all that slum gum, you could just burn that to melt out your next batch too.
fastest way of melting wax on the frame. You are a genius! Now, how to copy to build the steamer! I have thousands of frames to melt. This is it! 10 minutes for about 80 frames! Also, sterilize the box, too. You are a genius!
@@inharmonywithearth9982 The actual temperature of steam can of course vary. The actual temperature attained matters. AFB can and does wipe out hives. It was unconscionable and baseless for the government to have banned the use of sulfathiozole for AFB.
I used your idea, here it's an old steam wallpaper stripper with its hose put into a brood box. Covered with a crown boards top and bottom to clean up some used frames with drawn foundation to get some recovered wax. It worked very well and I'm very pleased, many thanks. Jim
You are the talk of my TH-cam Video today! Thank you for sharing your steam melting method! Have there been any drawbacks or have you made improvements since? Thanks so much!
Tim, this is the best way to melt wax that I have ever seen! The stuff that you come up amaze me! God has given you a good mind for getting things done! Thank you and your wife for all the wonderful videos. Phillip Hall
This is the best idea that I have heard of to clean the frames and get the wax at the same time !!! Also, I wonder if it will kill all germs and even American foulbrood? Thanks, Phillip Hall
wow i gotta say that is the best video i seen yet on melting wax from comb. it appears an easy set up and wood burning makes it very affordable. all one would need is a place to do this on their property and an old welding gas bottle. i imagine you would do a few rounds of refining in a pot or a solar wax melter to get a pure wax product. what a great idea you've come up with. very well done and thanks for sharing :)
I'm now doing this too... Using the hives. But at the bottom use empty boxes and between each box add finer mesh filters. So you melt and filter in one go and have already to use product at the end. Please talk. Love to hear your thoughts rather than read.
Tim thanks for sharing this, it is great, simple but effective you said hey :) It is the simplicity that is great ;) Does this kill any harmful spores on the wood too?
Hey I would like to know if the wood suffer in any way using hot steam. What I would like to know in particular is if in the long run the hives and frames could last less than usual. Thank you and amazing video btw!
2:02 Steam in the face haha..... But honestly I love your videos, your how to make thin sheets of wax is the best. Thank you for your time and knowledge. Ed from Sydney Australia
0:55 Can we see the sloped tray in the base in a closer look? Is it possible for you to create a youtube how to make sloped tray? Thanks in advance ~ 1) create two holes on the two adjacent sides of medium super, one for the steam-in, (the diameter should be for the hose to fit in), the other for wax-out 2) get a aluminum panel and make a tray to the path for the hole 3) get a pipe that will be from the steam to medium super The detail, please ~ Thanks in advance ~
@@WayOutWestx2 Of course not, right now. Some day when you have more time. It would be really appreciated. I hope you make a product out of it and sell. Then I will buy it.
Great idea! Is that "safety valve" really necessary... did it ever pop-out? Is there any science behind it like max possible pressure build-up etc? I would rather not spoil a propane tank... But I dont want to have a bomb either. Thanks! Also, did you ever regret drilling that hole for any reason?
My dear... now you have full hive and frames full of remains of the cells and you must clean it up + of course remains of the wax. I tryied to do this in steam chamber (maybe a bit more sophisticated as that yours), but I will not do it again. The frames were not clean :(
That's cool!...in a steamy way. Good knowledge to have when I finally get some hives going. How many hives do you have? Oh, and any suggestions on how to keep a stooopid dog out of the hives? He's not deterred by stings.
Usually we have about 100 hives - though I'm reducing numbers this year because the summers here are so unreliable.. That must be a really stoopid dog, alright! Honeybees have spent 150 million years refining their defense systems and it works perfectly against nearly all mammals. Except your dog. : - )
Can I ask you another question about this wonderful setup? Will the plastic type frames also work with this or is the heat to hot and possibly wart the plastic foundation? Thanks again, Phillip Hall
That's what I was thinking too. I don't use the plastic ones myself but ask me if I knew the best way to clean those. I thought of your video about steaming and sterilizing. Actually I am very happy that I learned from you that making my on foundation by the method that you use is a good way to go. I had wondered if it was necessary to buy foundation which is pre-formed with the wire and such and couldn't find an answer until I found your channel and you showed me, us viewers, how it is done !! I have been watching you and your wife's videos ever since. I live in America and have so many things in your videos that I can relate to . The farm animals . The horses etc. currently I am enjoying your bandsaw videos. Thank each of you and God Bless !! Sincerely, Phillip Hall
Non-pressurized steam like this will only have a temperature of 212F. A lot of bacteria spores will survive this. You need about 240F for 90 minutes to kill spores.
Awesome Tim, thanks loads, best way to render old frame wax and partially sterilize most of the negative components in the hive box also. I used an old water tank , lots of those around , works great Tim . Am still wondering how well the final dip of bleach works against AFB.
I have watched this one more than once!! Tim let me ask you, what is the best way to separate the cocoons from the wax of the brood combs? Is this also the way to do this? It is nice visiting with you and your kind wife.... Thanks, Phillip Hall
Tim I have one more question concerning this wax melter. I live in America. There are many people here now going foundation-less. What The idea is, placing a strip beneath the top bar as a guide for bees to start drawing comb. Also , They are placing fishing line in an X pattern inside the frame. This allows the bees to draw the wax down from the starter Strip downward incorporating the new comb with the fishing line all the way to the bottom making the comb stronger with the reinforcement of the fishing line. My question is , Using your wax melter, I believe the fishing line could be salvaged when the comb is melted the fishing line should be left intact. Do you have any thoughts on this? I hope I was able to explain this in a clear way. Thank you so much, Phillip Hall
Hi Phillip, if you look through our beekeeping video playlist you'll find one I made about using starter strips. That's what I mostly do these days. But I never use wires/fishing line - I find the bees don't like them at all, and in my small frames they are not necessary.
Thank you Tim. I did watch those videos also. And each one I have learned very important things that will be of great benefit for the rest of my life. I thank you tremendously for that. This is my first year of Beekeeping. I acquired my first hives by doing cut out of bees in people's homes. A side note. My grandmother people came from Ireland. Her mother was McIntosh, Her Daddy was McWilliams.i don't know if it was way out west though. She has passed away and I have so many questions. Thank you again, Phillip Hall.
That's a great idea. Thanks for sharing. I guess that with a little modification you could make it solar powered too. It probably would take longer to heat up though.
Hi what do yu mean wih " I like to soak them in a bleach solution" ? Do you put floors and frames inside a bleach solution? or you simply wash them with bleach water?
Will this sterilize against American and European foul brood? Most people around here recommend burning any hives you discover foul brood in. It will clearly kill wax moths and hive beetles.
foul brood is highly contagions and the department of agriculture wants you to burn the whole hive. This steam has about 212F max and that is not enough heat to kill most spores and 10 minutes is not enough time to kill them.
Sorry I have read that you arleady answee it !. Verry smart and simple idea ! I could use some old fire estinguisher 6 Kg botle! I thing that they have incorporated a safety valve. The new low in my country, ask to renew them every 6 years.I can use for heating my propane botle and cooking instrumentsused for this
Awesome idea now i just need an old boiler. It´s aways easier to clean the frames (scrape them) when they are still hot. way easier than scrape 700 frames (in my case). Since at the moment I dont have a boiler I usually let the boxes in the sun but with a boiler its way faster and easier. I´ll try this for sure
He said it only takes 10 minutes to melt, the wax is absorbing most of the heat energy and moisture and then rapidly transferring it out as it pours out the bottom. That's not enough time for what little energy remains the steam to really penetrate the wood and induce warping. Not to mention that some of the liquid wax is penetrating the interior of the wood itself and coating the fibers and acting as a preservative. Making it harder for moisture to effect the fibers anyway
+WayOutWest Blowinblog Yeah, it might not be Grade 1 Propolis (likely Grade 2 or so), but there is still value to be had in collecting and refining it (to get rid of the dirt and garbage mostly).
Wax is hydrogenic and will absorb water that could spoil the wax and grow bacteria spores on/in it while in storage. Bad idea to do it this way, especially if your reuse the wax.
I'd remembered seeing this when it was new and appreciate seeing it again. My memory had a few gaps and needed refreshing. Thanks again for sharing
Perfect. Melts the wax and sterilized the boxes and frames all in one shot. Beautiful work. I love this channel!
Brilliant idea! I have an ok solar wax extractor but I have a real backlog of boxes to process, I love how this can also clean up the box and everything all at once and the scraping can happen while the wax is still molten, so much easier and faster, and I thought I would need a whole insulated setup but I love the simplicity of just strapping the boxes together like that! I bet with all that slum gum, you could just burn that to melt out your next batch too.
fastest way of melting wax on the frame. You are a genius! Now, how to copy to build the steamer! I have thousands of frames to melt. This is it! 10 minutes for about 80 frames!
Also, sterilize the box, too. You are a genius!
I doubt that it sterilizes against foulbrood.
@@inharmonywithearth9982
The actual temperature of steam can of course vary. The actual temperature attained matters.
AFB can and does wipe out hives. It was unconscionable and baseless for the government to have banned the use of sulfathiozole for AFB.
I used your idea, here it's an old steam wallpaper stripper with its hose put into a brood box. Covered with a crown boards top and bottom to clean up some used frames with drawn foundation to get some recovered wax. It worked very well and I'm very pleased, many thanks. Jim
steam wallpaper stripper uses electricity a lot? It cost quite expensive, also, right?
You are the talk of my TH-cam Video today! Thank you for sharing your steam melting method! Have there been any drawbacks or have you made improvements since? Thanks so much!
Thanks, Frederick. The only thing I'd change is a neater way of containing the fire/heating the water.
@@WayOutWestx2 Thank you for the reply :)
Tim, this is the best way to melt wax that I have ever seen! The stuff that you come up amaze me! God has given you a good mind for getting things done! Thank you and your wife for all the wonderful videos. Phillip Hall
That's an ingenious way of doing it! Love it!
So satisfying!
I love this! Probably the best method of wax reclamation I have come across in 25 years as a beekeeper.
Creative. I like it. Lol.
This is absolutely ingenious and ranks amongst the best ideas I’ve seen on TH-cam.
At 3:21 It also lets the air out when you are filling the tank. What is IT? The hole for safety?
This is the best idea that I have heard of to clean the frames and get the wax at the same time !!! Also, I wonder if it will kill all germs and even American foulbrood? Thanks, Phillip Hall
wow i gotta say that is the best video i seen yet on melting wax from comb. it appears an easy set up and wood burning makes it very affordable. all one would need is a place to do this on their property and an old welding gas bottle. i imagine you would do a few rounds of refining in a pot or a solar wax melter to get a pure wax product. what a great idea you've come up with. very well done and thanks for sharing :)
Yes!!!! Awesome!
thanks for the idea! just tried it here but used a wallpaper steamer to create the steam and it worked really well.
I'm now doing this too... Using the hives. But at the bottom use empty boxes and between each box add finer mesh filters. So you melt and filter in one go and have already to use product at the end. Please talk. Love to hear your thoughts rather than read.
Tim thanks for sharing this, it is great, simple but effective you said hey :) It is the simplicity that is great ;)
Does this kill any harmful spores on the wood too?
Thanks David. Simple works best, right? Yes, I'm sure it must kill some pathogens, but these days I put all the frames into a bleach bath too.
Super!!!!!!
Didier Delecroix
: - )
+bushtuckaman Sorry for replying to an old comment, but what book is that? I'd be very interested to know.
Thanks man!
what is the advantage of steam compared to melting the Wax in hot water.
Молодец, спасибо.
Hey I would like to know if the wood suffer in any way using hot steam. What I would like to know in particular is if in the long run the hives and frames could last less than usual. Thank you and amazing video btw!
I didn't have any trouble with my hive timbers - but maybe some would warp (change shape) a little?
Beautifully simple
This is brilliant. SO cool.
2:02 Steam in the face haha..... But honestly I love your videos, your how to make thin sheets of wax is the best. Thank you for your time and knowledge. Ed from Sydney Australia
imhard 2please Cheers Ed! (Tim from steamy Ireland)
I don't see it as crude at all, formidable and wondrous :). Mrs. Tc
How did you insert water into tank? I have never seen the hole of the tank...
Is it big enough to pour in it?
I use a hose pipe through the small hole at the top
Thank you. I didnt want to buy a mashine pushed on me by beekeeping tools suplier. I prefere low-tech and this is it.
0:55 Can we see the sloped tray in the base in a closer look? Is it possible for you to create a youtube how to make sloped tray? Thanks in advance ~
1) create two holes on the two adjacent sides of medium super, one for the steam-in, (the diameter should be for the hose to fit in), the other for wax-out
2) get a aluminum panel and make a tray to the path for the hole
3) get a pipe that will be from the steam to medium super
The detail, please ~ Thanks in advance ~
It takes days to make a video - I'm sorry, but I'm doing other things at the moment. But I'm sure you can work something out that works for you
@@WayOutWestx2 Of course not, right now. Some day when you have more time. It would be really appreciated. I hope you make a product out of it and sell. Then I will buy it.
Great idea! Is that "safety valve" really necessary... did it ever pop-out? Is there any science behind it like max possible pressure build-up etc? I would rather not spoil a propane tank... But I dont want to have a bomb either. Thanks! Also, did you ever regret drilling that hole for any reason?
I would think exposing a tank to extreme heat like that would spoil it anyway. I wouldn't try and reuse it for its original purpose.
Scandinavian bees consider this relaxing
My dear... now you have full hive and frames full of remains of the cells and you must clean it up + of course remains of the wax.
I tryied to do this in steam chamber (maybe a bit more sophisticated as that yours), but I will not do it again. The frames were not clean :(
Excellent. Thanks!
That's cool!...in a steamy way. Good knowledge to have when I finally get some hives going. How many hives do you have? Oh, and any suggestions on how to keep a stooopid dog out of the hives? He's not deterred by stings.
Usually we have about 100 hives - though I'm reducing numbers this year because the summers here are so unreliable.. That must be a really stoopid dog, alright! Honeybees have spent 150 million years refining their defense systems and it works perfectly against nearly all mammals. Except your dog. : - )
He likes to eat the bees...and seems to enjoy being stung...in the mouth. It seems like it's a challenge to him. He gets so happy!! The freak!
Can I ask you another question about this wonderful setup? Will the plastic type frames also work with this or is the heat to hot and possibly wart the plastic foundation? Thanks again, Phillip Hall
Well I haven't tried the plastic ones but I don't think they would work - sorry. If the don't actually melt they probably would distort..
That's what I was thinking too. I don't use the plastic ones myself but ask me if I knew the best way to clean those. I thought of your video about steaming and sterilizing. Actually I am very happy that I learned from you that making my on foundation by the method that you use is a good way to go. I had wondered if it was necessary to buy foundation which is pre-formed with the wire and such and couldn't find an answer until I found your channel and you showed me, us viewers, how it is done !! I have been watching you and your wife's videos ever since. I live in America and have so many things in your videos that I can relate to . The farm animals . The horses etc. currently I am enjoying your bandsaw videos. Thank each of you and God Bless !! Sincerely, Phillip Hall
What I meant to say
A friend ask me if I knew the best way
This is an excellent video! I am wanting to ask, will this kill foul brood? I am thinking that with that hot steam that it might?
Non-pressurized steam like this will only have a temperature of 212F. A lot of bacteria spores will survive this. You need about 240F for 90 minutes to kill spores.
The only 100% proven way is
"Burn, Baby Burn 🔥"
Seeing how AFB spores can remain viable for up 10yrs, do you want to chance it??
🤔
Awesome Tim, thanks loads, best way to render old frame wax and partially sterilize most of the negative components in the hive box also.
I used an old water tank , lots of those around , works great Tim .
Am still wondering how well the final dip of bleach works against AFB.
Impressive! Excellent hive cleaning work!
Thank you. It's kind of fun too!
very good Idea!!!
Ooh, I have so much to learn. Thank you for this video.
I have watched this one more than once!! Tim let me ask you, what is the best way to separate the cocoons from the wax of the brood combs? Is this also the way to do this? It is nice visiting with you and your kind wife.... Thanks, Phillip Hall
thanks, Phillip. Yes, the cocoons are just left high and dry(ish) as the wax melts away from them. Excellent on the garden..
Tim I have one more question concerning this wax melter. I live in America. There are many people here now going foundation-less. What The idea is, placing a strip beneath the top bar as a guide for bees to start drawing comb. Also , They are placing fishing line in an X pattern inside the frame. This allows the bees to draw the wax down from the starter Strip downward incorporating the new comb with the fishing line all the way to the bottom making the comb stronger with the reinforcement of the fishing line. My question is , Using your wax melter, I believe the fishing line could be salvaged when the comb is melted the fishing line should be left intact. Do you have any thoughts on this? I hope I was able to explain this in a clear way. Thank you so much, Phillip Hall
Hi Phillip, if you look through our beekeeping video playlist you'll find one I made about using starter strips. That's what I mostly do these days. But I never use wires/fishing line - I find the bees don't like them at all, and in my small frames they are not necessary.
Thank you Tim. I did watch those videos also. And each one I have learned very important things that will be of great benefit for the rest of my life. I thank you tremendously for that. This is my first year of Beekeeping. I acquired my first hives by doing cut out of bees in people's homes. A side note. My grandmother people came from Ireland. Her mother was McIntosh, Her Daddy was McWilliams.i don't know if it was way out west though. She has passed away and I have so many questions. Thank you again, Phillip Hall.
love it!
Just found your videos. They are charming. I'm going to try and steam my frames this season. (Well, now!)
Interesting and useful
That's a great idea. Thanks for sharing.
I guess that with a little modification you could make it solar powered too. It probably would take longer to heat up though.
Solar power may work where you are, but not here.
Great stuff!
does this work well with foundation or is it too hot and melts it?
It would melt it just like all the other wax
Hi what do yu mean wih " I like to soak them in a bleach solution" ?
Do you put floors and frames inside a bleach solution? or you simply wash them with bleach water?
Oh I do miss the spoken comments when you use subtitles... 😊
We started using voice overs when we worked out how to do them : - )
Will this sterilize against American and European foul brood? Most people around here recommend burning any hives you discover foul brood in. It will clearly kill wax moths and hive beetles.
You're right - I wouldn't trust it to sterilize against AFB.
foul brood is highly contagions and the department of agriculture wants you to burn the whole hive.
This steam has about 212F max and that is not enough heat to kill most spores and 10 minutes is not enough time to kill them.
I learn something new every day
Me too : - )
brilliant!
btw, love the fishbox stand (o; I'm from Killybegs but living in the US now, it's been years since I've seen one of those!
As you know, Pauric, they're everywhere here - and SO useful!
Sorry I have read that you arleady answee it !. Verry smart and simple idea ! I could use some old fire estinguisher 6 Kg botle! I thing that they have incorporated a safety valve. The new low in my country, ask to renew them every 6 years.I can use for heating my propane botle and cooking instrumentsused for this
how come the steam doesn't come out the bottom exit/spout? or does it?
Awesome idea now i just need an old boiler. It´s aways easier to clean the frames (scrape them) when they are still hot. way easier than scrape 700 frames (in my case). Since at the moment I dont have a boiler I usually let the boxes in the sun but with a boiler its way faster and easier. I´ll try this for sure
Nice use of steam and safer than getting it anywhere near a flame or boil over hot surface.
Surer.
Doesn't all that steam warp or bend the wood??
+crazy808ish I haven't found it a problem - but then I use the oldest boxes I have and then they go onto the wood stack..
He said it only takes 10 minutes to melt, the wax is absorbing most of the heat energy and moisture and then rapidly transferring it out as it pours out the bottom. That's not enough time for what little energy remains the steam to really penetrate the wood and induce warping. Not to mention that some of the liquid wax is penetrating the interior of the wood itself and coating the fibers and acting as a preservative. Making it harder for moisture to effect the fibers anyway
Genius...thank you!
Would a wallpaper stripper work?
yes, but only for a smaller container, I think
The electricity cost more than wood fire.
My next major project...Thanks!
and it's a nice way to recycle a heater tank that would go to waste anyway
isint there propolis in the slum gum, your towing out that many companies would be happy to buy
+Peter Gurba Is that true? I don't know any that would buy it but perhaps I haven't looked hard enough
+WayOutWest Blowinblog
keep that slum gum some pharma company buy this stuff for medicinal purpose and research.
there are method to refine it also
+WayOutWest Blowinblog Yeah, it might not be Grade 1 Propolis (likely Grade 2 or so), but there is still value to be had in collecting and refining it (to get rid of the dirt and garbage mostly).
Szuper!
V
Wax is hydrogenic and will absorb water that could spoil the wax and grow bacteria spores on/in it while in storage. Bad idea to do it this way, especially if your reuse the wax.
Ha! I'm afraid you're quite wrong guys. (Look up hydrogenic, btw.)
Se pierde multă ceara. Nu are randament.
nu este adevărat deloc!