WB -
A friend gave me 3 gallons of unprocessed honeycomb cappings (packed into the bucket). It was outside and frozen. I have an oil-filled space heater. I set the (plastic) bucket with the cappings on a cake-cooling grate on top of the heater @ 600 watts. The heater at that setting is never hot enough for me to even make me remove my hand. This made the cappings loose enough that I could pry them out as a whole after about 4 hours.
Place this mass in a covered, heavy-duty turkey roaster (heavy aluminum or stainless - not enamel) in your oven at 250 degrees F - no hotter or it can catch on fire. (And in case of fire DO NOT use water - smother it and get it out of your home.) It required 3 hours to melt completely. Stir from time to time. This filled the roaster about 2/3 full.
For my first straining use metal mesh screening (like for a screen door). There will be debris in the mix. I fastened the screening with a pressure ring over a hoop. I used a pyrex quart-sized measuring cup to ladle the liquid into the ring. I used a metal spoon to agitate the liquid so that it flowed through the screen. This I did twice discarding the screen each time. The screen will become so badly caked at the end that they will not be usable hereafter no matter what you do.
These initial screenings were poured into stainless pots and kept warm on the stove. Again, this is a mixture of honey and wax, either of which can carmelize and/or start on fire - so keep the heat low/reasonable - DO NOT BOIL! The final pour was through a cheese-cloth bag (again, disposable). There was quite a bit of waste, but the product was pure.
Then place the refined mix in clean pots and let it set up. Slide a hot knife along the outside edge of the wax to loosen once cool enough to touch and lift off the wax cakes. The honey is left on the bottom and will be darker - you may reheat this and use it for 'Baker's Honey'. I got 2 quarts total off of mine.
Place the wax cakes in a cleaned cauldron and add 1 gallon of very pure water (no rusty/mineralized well water). Slowly bring up the heat until all is melted again. Let cool for the last time. When you remove your wax this time (after it is cooled to touch), the bottom of the wax will be very clean - rinse it under hot water.
I mix my wax at Paul Matthews' ratio of 45% Beeswax:55% Petroleum Jelly (I got the generic for $1.50/jar). This proportion is calculated by weight, not volume. I bought an unused paint can - and for a day's work I got a full gallon of beautiful, white lube. It cost me 2 pieces of screening, 4 jars of petroleum jelly, a piece of cheese-cloth, and a new paint can.
*** Caution!!! This is an extremely messy affair!!! To clean up the smaller pots I put them back in the covered roaster 1/2 filled with water on top of the stove at medium heat. This stuff will solidify and form a coating over everything. I can testify that it WILL COME CLEAN. But you need hot water, rubber gloves, and unless you have the money to replace your plumbing, DO NOT put the initial water down your sink! I poured my out outside in a seldom-tafficked area. Wipe liquid/soft wax with paper towels and discard. If you use LOTS of soap the residue will be cut...eventually. Also some steel-wool/SOS pads will be needed to scour the pots and roaster. My wife is pretty picky about her kitchen tools and she was pleased with the clean-up afterwards…couldn’t ask for a better wife who is willing to put up with my projects.
Here's a pic of my lube. It was a sweet, sticky, fun time. I have plans to get some more in another month.
Good Luck!
doc
