In a message dated 3/2/02 8:36:18 PM GMT Standard Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:


> .) In the second, let's assume there is a lot of good honey in the broken
> frames.  How can we best get the honey and wax separated and salvaged with
> the least damage?

Thomas in France, and I believe several other makers have similar devices, do
a thing called a 'fondoir'. It is a jacketed tank with multiple outlets, and
radiant elements in the closeable lid.

This allows you to set the body of the contents to be heated to a certain
level, which should be a good melt heat to allow the honey and partly melted
wax to seperate, and the extra heat from the top allows all the wax to
effectively melt at a higher heat, yet at the same time insulating the honey
below from the extremes of temperature above.

I have been thinking of buying one of these things to finish off our wax at
the end of the extracting day rather than doing the dry cappings and old
combs in the winter. There is little or no honey left in the compressed
cappings which come off the wax press (another French device which is
brilliant) and you hasve a load of stuff like dog biscuits.

A fondoir can be partly filled with water, the wax debris and pressings
tipped into the top, heat set to whatever level you want and let it settle
out. You end up with a slum/water slurry in the bottom and wax floating on
top. Each layer can be run off seperately.

Murray