OT-Filter medium for bees wax

[challenger]

I've got a really bad azz steam generator/wax melter that I made from a C'List steam room unit and 55 gal drum. It melts wax as well as I will ever need it to. I would like to optimize the cleanliness of the wax. Currently I am filtering it inside the barrel as it melts and seeps through the filter system. I would like some input on what filter medium I could try. I have already used high count stainless screen mesh, cheese cloth, terry cloth and a few others. Any ideas are appreciated.

[Rich Carlstedt]

Centrifuge

Rich

[challenger]

Centrifuge

Rich

Nice word. How about you explain exactly how this would work in a world where engineers actually DID things? Don't pass me a print. Tell me what is required for "centrifuge" to actually be a practical solution.
I can already hear the wannabee crickets.

[Captain K]

Not really filter but an idea for clean wax. Take big stock pot and put a drain valve say 4" from the bottom. Put in 3 " of water to melt the wax on. Once you've got some wax melted you should be able to decant the clean wax from the drain. Floaters above and sinkers below with clean wax in the middle. I have made the pot but have not tried it out yet so this is theoretical also.

[challenger]

Not really filter but an idea for clean wax. Take big stock pot and put a drain valve say 4" from the bottom. Put in 3 " of water to melt the wax on. Once you've got some wax melted you should be able to decant the clean wax from the drain. Floaters above and sinkers below with clean wax in the middle. I have made the pot but have not tried it out yet so this is theoretical also.

Did you read my OP?

[lbender]

Challenger -- I have no idea how to build one, but I had a rolling mill coolant centrifuge that worked just like Captain K said.
Metal fines and dirt settled to the bottom and free oil floated to the top.
The clean coolant was tapped out of the middle.

[Captain K]

Did you read my OP?

Yes I did. I was offering another idea for cleaning wax. But I won't reply again.

[mochinist]

Maybe some bubble hash bags would work. They are used for the Cannabist industry to make hash and come in a variety of micron sized openings. https://www.unitgrow.com/product/bub...ag-micron-bag/

[The Artful Bodger]

A centrifuge is used to separate honey from the wax combs and would not appear to be what is required here. Farm raised boys know that a centrifuge is used to separate cream from milk but in that case it is separating liquids of different density which does not seem what is required either.

Brewers have a filtering system where a thin layer of 'something' is poured on the top of the liquid. This layer slowly sinks trapping all crud and taking it to the bottom. I think they might use egg whites and the process is called 'fining'.

Here we are!

https://beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/228er9hfoV/

[welderskelter]

I have found that wax is a lot like silver the more times you heat it up the purer it gets just leaving it cool in pot with some water in it. I have thought about the centrifuge too but couldnt figure out how to keep it hot enough for it to work. If you use a finer filter then it will cool before it gets thru it.I have a screen for cooking that I dip out the dregs after I get it to almost boil then pour it thru a paper towel laid across the screen. then pour into molds.

[welderskelter]

To turn out beautiful wax you will need a solar wax melter. One that holds enough wax at a time for the sun to bleach it out

[Rich Carlstedt]

Nice word. How about you explain exactly how this would work in a world where engineers actually DID things? Don't pass me a print. Tell me what is required for "centrifuge" to actually be a practical solution.. I can already hear the wannabee crickets.

As an engineer, I did things, but you have to do your own homework !
No one hands you an answer without parameters
This is a huge field, so you have to do some legwork as there is more info than this page will allow and I have no idea of what your requirements are
I don't know what your contaminants are, But you do
I don't know how far you want to filter, but you do
i don't know what your budget is , but you do

my suggestion was to help you on your path- Start with-
https://microbenotes.com/centrifuge-and-centrifugation

FYI,, I have used them to separate contaminants in a line doing 3,000 pounds an hour
Our screens went down to 25 micron and plugged easily, so we went to 50 and 100 micron but still had the problem
so we tried Centrifuges but 400 pounds ah hour was max FOR those machines., but they do work for some.
To solve "our" problem, I invented a filtering machine that worked ... and we have 15 patents on the line/machine ....so i do know what i am talking about .
Centrifuges are common in the food industry, and are used for Olive Oils, Sunflower Oils and other commodities
and it would not surprise me that honey vendors also use them ! Check it out !

Rich

[Dan_the_Chemist]

I use a series of stainless steel mesh screens to strain my wax.. 20 mesh, 50 mesh, and I think the finest is 80 mesh. These are stackable screens, so I stack them on top of a receiver, coarse on top, fine on the bottom, put wax in the top, and pop it in the kitchen oven at 220 F (lowest setting on my oven). In an hour or so I have lovely clean wax at the bottom.

BUT WAIT, I hear you say. How do you clean the filters after use? They are clogged with waxy bee parts, old pupae casings, and gods only knows what.

That's where the part about "stainless steel" comes in. I take them to the heat treating oven and burn 'em out. Then after they are cool a little gentle brushing and it's good to go again.

[Rich Carlstedt]

Dan, that's a great process you have, but he wants to filter the Wax, not the Honey , but I assume they both have some common contaminants ???

Another option may be to distill it, that would really be pure... ---We did that to coat steel for punch presses , but that was Paraffin Wax , NOT bees Wax

Rich

EDIT
Apology to Dan, Because I did mention Honey in "my" response, My brain was thinking liquid product
Now some will say Wax is a solid, but when using filtration, it must be a liquid form and Specific Gravity
becomes another factor with multiple liquids IMHO

[challenger]

As an engineer, I did things, but you have to do your own homework !
No one hands you an answer without parameters
This is a huge field, so you have to do some legwork as there is more info than this page will allow and I have no idea of what your requirements are
I don't know what your contaminants are, But you do
I don't know how far you want to filter, but you do
i don't know what your budget is , but you do

my suggestion was to help you on your path- Start with-
https://microbenotes.com/centrifuge-and-centrifugation

FYI,, I have used them to separate contaminants in a line doing 3,000 pounds an hour
Our screens went down to 25 micron and plugged easily, so we went to 50 and 100 micron but still had the problem
so we tried Centrifuges but 400 pounds ah hour was max FOR those machines., but they do work for some.
To solve "our" problem, I invented a filtering machine that worked ... and we have 15 patents on the line/machine ....so i do know what i am talking about .
Centrifuges are common in the food industry, and are used for Olive Oils, Sunflower Oils and other commodities
and it would not surprise me that honey vendors also use them ! Check it out !

Rich

Wow! It seems like it's always the way. I pose a question and the replies are space shuttle worthy.
I'm out.
Thanks for the help.
You engineers are a breed apart.
Seems to me like some are, doers,
and some are pretenders.
I hate to be harsh but damn if some people don't love them some them.
Practicality and engineers have a common disconnect IMO.