<It is important to appreciate the limitations of a solar
extractor, which is very good indeed on odd combs and wax scraps, and excellent
on dried cappings obtained when extracting. On the other hand it will not get
any worthwhile amount of wax out of old, black combs.>
 
I am afraid I must disagree with the last sentence. As I said in an earlier
letter I cut the combs into three inch strips and place them on edge
parallel to the sides of the extractor.  This allows all the wax, midrib and
cell walls to drain freely, leaving a mass of cocoons which fall apart and
appear quite dry.  In the past I have tried other methods of reclaiming old
combs and found it not worth the labour and expense.  The solar costs
nothing.  It takes a couple of minutes to slice the combs and load it. All
that's left is to wait for the sun to shine.  A long wait for me this year
because to date we have had only two days continuous sun.
        Every scrap of waste wax, cappings, scrapings, damaged and black
combs, all go into the solar.  As a result I always have a surplus, making
my own foundation and a sideline in candles.
        I have never made any weight tests, percentage of wax recovered.
Never found the necessity.  However, later this year I will try to do so and
report back.  Meanwhile  I am satisfied that this is the cheapest and labour
free method of dealing with old combs for the small beekeeper.
        Incidentally, to all those who do not yet have a solar and
contemplate making one, make it big enough to take excluders, as it makes an
excellent job of cleaning and sterilising them.         Sid P.
_________________________________________________________________
Sid Pullinger                    Email :  [log in to unmask]
36, Grange Rd                Compuserve:  [log in to unmask]
Alresford
Hants SO24 9HF
England