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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Lloyd Spear <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 9 Oct 1998 10:41:04 -0400
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"anyone have an efficient way of separating honey from wax, I removed a
colony from a wall and have all this comb I want to process, I don't have
all the fancy pants rendering equipment"
 
I lived on a farm during the Second World War, and in those days if you did
not have spare parts and could not make something yourself, you did without
for the duration.  While we did not keep bees, a neighbor did, and his
extractor broke.  I do not recall why he did not or could not borrow a
neighbor's, but I do recall how he proceeded to collect a small amount of
honey every year.
 
He cut the comb from the frames and put several frames of comb into a huge
cheesecloth bag.  Then he crushed the comb by kneading the bag.  He then
somehow hung the bag next to the wood burning stove we kept going all
winter, and the honey dripped into a large tin tub underneath.
 
I think something similar would work for the wild bee comb referenced.  The
large amount of cheesecloth can be obtained at any paint store (any type of
filter cloth will work well) and I notice that Home Depot (in this area)
sells what looks like the old tin tubs.  Depending on the temperature, 2-3
days should pretty much get you all the drainage you will get.
 
You will still have a huge amount of honey captured in the comb.  You can
keep that for feeding (if you are certain there is no disease), melt the
mixture and let it cool to separate the wax from the honey, or throw it
away.
 
I gather from your comment that you know how to melt the mixture to separate
wax from honey, so I will not go into that.
 
Lloyd
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Owner, Ross Rounds(tm)  the finest in comb honey production.

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