----- Original Message -----
From: edward markus <[log in to unmask]>
To: BEE-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 1999 8:39 PM
Subject: Melting cappings and making candles


> Even here in the cloudy Pacific Northwest Washington state late summer
> provides us with enough sun to make a solar wax melter function quite
well.
> I built mine from an old  wooden tool chest some one had left at the
> transfer station (the dump, the land fill, the incinerator and so on, read
> discarded objects) lined it with foil -covered foam gleaned from a lady
who
> made round hot tub covers from rectangular and expensive foam insulation
> board.  It needed a liner to direct the flow of wax into a container at
the
> bottom of this chest.  I found some discarded sheets of metal from a tin
can
> factory and used their bright finish to enhance the reflective factor
inside
> this creation and control the flow of wax with some inventive bending.
The
> catch container is a two quart Pyrex measuring  cup  (big son-of-gun)
> purchased quite reasonably at a outlet mall!  The cover for the melter is
a double pane
> bathroom window discarded by a commercial glass installer which just
> happened to fit.  This apparatus is big and heavy enough to need lawn
mower
> wheels to move it around, several of which I happened to have.   It sits
> semi-upright on its wheels tipped back to match the angle of the sun here
> this time of year (  I have a nice barn and it is partly full of junk.
The
> idea is to run out of this stuff about the time they cart me to the rest
> home).  The point is,  get a container, insulate the thing, figure a way
to
> control the melting wax and toss a lid on that will permit the passage of
UV
> rays from Old Sol.  Aim it more or less at the sun and you are in
business.
> I hold cappngs in a tough, nylon one gallon paint straining bag from the
> hardware store.  I literally just hang it from a nail.  The result is
> reasonably clean wax in a useful container.    As to candles, melting and
> pouring ( all I have managed so far) a tip gleaned from a gentleman at a
candle making
> demonstration last winter eliminated a lot of fooling around..  This  true
> genius used an old microwave oven from a thrift store, a dandy idea.  And
it
> just holds a two quart Pyrex measuring cup nicely.  It asked my mother the
> garage sale maven (read jumble sale maven in Britain) to search out a
$10.00
> special which she soon did, and it had a meat probe for temperature
cooking.
> It sounds terrible but the whole thing works fine.  Plus the meat probe
will
> hold wax at the recommended temperatures to pour using plastic molds and
not
> melt the form with the candle wax.  If you can figure out how to run a
> microwave for which you do not have the instructions and do not burn the
> house down ( take it to the barn with the junk) you are in business!  I
had
> more fun putting the whole thing together than using it but that is
typical
> for me. To finish finally, this gentleman heated and poured first run wax
> (from your solar melter)into a two quart wax -coated milk container,
> through a double cheese cloth layer,  clothes pinned over the mouth of the
> container.  Store this as is and tear off the paper container when you are
> ready to remelt  in the Pyrex then pour from it's spout to  make candles.
> Check your temperatures before you pour.  If it doesn't go well start
again
> and try until it does work.  (Sounds like beekeeping)       Edward
Markus -
> Heart's Home Farm
>