I built all my hive boxes and frames myself( Langstroth dimensions) about 40 years ago. The boxes, 50 of them were painted with latex on the outside only. Some of the boxes have needed some repair over time as well as some repainting. Although my wooden equipment was not built for eternity it has served me fairly well at a very low cost.
I did try this at first but we found dipping before assembly prevents glue from adhering to the wood. Also, if you stack pieces the wax can't penetrate. Even when we put small spacers between them, we didn't get good coverage and penetration. It does take quite a bit of wax to fill the tank (300+lbs) but there is little to no waste in the process. The wood absorbs nearly 100% of the wax. It is time consuming (3 deeps,6 med) in 10 minutes but I incorporate other shop tasks while I'm dipping.
I dipped some old painted boxes for a friend once. It left some propolis and paint chips floating in my wax but it wasn't too bad. A good scraping would solve that. I thought it might blister the paint but it didn't. The burners are from Tejas Smokers. They are 30,000 BTU banjo style burners and have convenient little feet cast into them so the sit level on the ground. Can't say enough good things about Tejas Smokers. They are really great guys.
Thank you for a great video, mate! After watching it a few weeks ago I ordered some wax and had a dipping tab made. It is much better than just painting. It lasts longer and looks good as well.
In the terms of energy conservation, you might consider wrapping your tank in rock wool insulation and adding a second shell of stainless. Maybe a little overkill, but it would keep that wax warmer for a longer period of time with less energy while heating.
Tank was folded from 3x8 sheet of 18ga stainless. I use a 50/50 mix of paraffin ($1.70/lb) and micro-crystaline wax ($2.60/lb) from Strahl & Pitsch in NY. 220lbs total. I use 2 30,000BTU burners but one would be fine. Any thermometer will work. It doesn't stop foaming when done. The method was lifted from a research paper by the Australian Beekeepers Assoc. It can be found online. 300+ degrees seems to penetrate better than 250 for me but many use a lower temp with good results.
Reading through your comments I have a few of my own preconceived thoughts you may be able to confirm, and maybe clarify to your viewers. Main assets to wax dipping your wood ware - displace moisture,, paint can adversely trap moisture between the wood and the paint allowing for the paint to peel or reject. Mold and mildew are present due to moisture, wax is permeated into the wood so rejection and mold and mildew are not probable....the same waxed wood (would)--suffice to say could be considered a logical deterrent to rot and decay. BUT the main benefit would be when you get overly aggressive with your hive tool and compromise your paint. Wax is permeated, paint is superficial, booger it and paint will trap and even wick moisture. Negative factors - Adds weight by ????? ounces or pounds to each box, Time and equipment cost need to be considered as per individual scenario. Safety was a main issue in your comments. Darwin has his definitions of survival of the fittest .. did God not give everyone a brain?? IF you are not comfortable then Do NOT do it. If you can not modify this video to a point that makes you comfortable then Do NOT do the wax dipping. My best comment is THANK s to the both of you for the video and the INFORMATION I WILL use your information to get on with my BEE KEEPING ADVENTURE.//// Thanks Again LARRY Sitzman
All your points about the attributes of wax dipping are spot on. It does not add a significant amount of weight to the boxes. Maybe a couple of ounces. Time and equipment are a consideration. I have welding skills and access to metal working equipment so I didn't have to pay for that. The wax is a reasonable expense for what you get from it. The safety of this process seems to be a concern with a lot of people. Let me assure everyone. THIS IS PERFECTLY SAFE TO DO if you exercise even a minimal amount of common sense! It will not blow up or catch on fire. I have been doing this for years and if it was going to happen, it would have by now. If this is not something you feel comfortable with, go with your instinct first. But it is not inherently dangerous in and of itself Thanks for your comments Larry
And we were told it was bad form to use plastic hives. 5 mins to construct a super and done, no painting, no petroleum waxing, no chemicals at all and in fact cheaper to start.
When I was a splicer doing communications work, I would occasionally have to enter a lead sealed case. Some of these cases had tags on them going back to the early 1900's (1909, 1912 etc.). These cases needed to be completely rebuilt after chipping the lead away. When exposed, the wire was found to have been boiled out with wax. The reason for this was the same as for dipping bee hives here. The wax was brought well above the boiling point of water and poured into the splice. Thus eliminating any moisture or water. This very hot wax method has been used for many purposes such as this for years. Very effective. I didn't like going into these types of splices though. I felt as if I were disturbing a time capsule. They were perfectly preserved. I can only imagine having to work with molten lead and hot wax in a confined space back then. Your dipped boxes will last a long time. Thanks for the info. and method to reduce crystalysing. Regards. And work safe.
I just built a tank today and plan on starting to dip my new boxes for the year this winter. Can I ask you how big your tank is and how much wax did you start off with when you first got started? I'm getting ready to order some wax and was trying to get an idea of how much to start off with.
I have yet to start beekeeping, but have a good number of books and watched people's vids. I've seen that the bees tend to glue the boxes and lids together using propolis. Does treating the wood with Parafin / crystalline wax make it easier or harder for th propolis to stick the frames and boxes together where they meet as opposed to painting or varnishing as some people do. I've also noticed that the plastic manufactured boxes appear to be particularly prone to being glued up by propolis.
It is not like the bees paint everything together with propolis . The bees will glue the frames down to the boxes on the top edges . In the hot summers it is really not that bad it is just sticky . In the fall near the end of your inspection you need to NOT scrape it off where the boxes join that way it will help seal up the air gaps to keep the cold air out thru the winter because in the winter you DO NOT GO DEEP INTO YOUR HIVE anyway . Hope this helped a little
For everyone looking for a source for wax of all kinds, try Strahl & Pitsch at spwax.com. Ask for Alex Long and tell him what you're doing. He'll set you up with exactly what you need. The correct ratio is 4:1 paraffin to microcrystalline.
Two reasons: I glue my boxes and it won't adhere to waxed wood. More importantly, you can't stack the pieces because the hot wax needs to circulate between them. Otherwise it won't fully penetrate the wood.
I noticed a lot of run marks or excess wax buildup. Do you scrape the excess smooth and re-use that wax, or just leave the globs on the boxes. I like the idea of wax dipping for sure, but the time constraint does seem a bit much. Granted, one setup and do a bunch of boxes for sure. I guess as 10 minutes per three boxes for one dip, vs a coat of primer and two coats of paint, that time may be the same. So then setup is really the only big constraint. Do you have a thermostat to control the wax temp, or just a thermometer and adjust the gas?
The ratio of paraffin to microcrystaline is 4:1 There is more info if you scroll to the very first comments on the video. I address wax sources, pricing and ratios there.
I must ask when it comes to cost effective between wax dipping and painting? Add in the amount of time and labor and buying the two different type of wax products for dipping I wonder how this will allow the wooden products last in the harsh outdoors. For those who have under 100 hives we are already bombarded with the high cost of buying new equipment and maintaining the hives it comes down to a no profit situation.
Dude painting would just be so much quicker and safer. Safe being the bigger issue. A tank of 300 degree wax and propane burners has accident waiting to happen written all over it.
Awesome, thanks for sharing this video, ¿how much parafine do I need for 10 hives, or in order to know how much parafine do I have to buy, how mucho wax does a single box needs? thanks!! Best regards!
Good video - thank you for posting it! Question on the temperature - if the wax melts at 180 degrees, why does it need to be heated to 300? I'm assuming the heat causes the moisture in the wood to come out but does it need to be at 300? Would a lower temperature (low 200's) work as well? Thank you!
Hey Mathew, glad you like the vid. You are correct. The 300 degrees drives the moisture out of the wood and it gets replaced with wax. What I have found at lower temps is that you don't get good wax penetration and it tends to remain on the surface which ultimately makes your boxes slick and on very hot days that wax will bleed all over the place. But, by all means do some experimenting and see what works for you.
@@jorikphillips8131 Do you sell plans for this vat? Do you have an alternative plan for a larger vat? One with electric heat? kevin@carplaw.com. Thanks.
Wonder if you can use dyes to color the wax. I like a variety of color, nothing bold, too help break up the outline of a stack of boxes, or several stacks. I always worry they will get swiped or messed with and do a quick count every time I pull within sight of my hives.
Looks good. But I ve three questions. 1) doesnt the wax get damaged over time and is painting needed anyway? 2) doesnt the wax attract waxmoth or shb? 3) isn t it more expensive than painting?
From what I understood of this video, the wax is completely absorbed by the wood. There is no wax layer on the outside to get damaged by weather or wax moths. Sure, it might be more expensive, but that's a matter of opinion. Some might consider it worth the cost, and paint to be inferior.-- Which is understandable because paint is just an outer layer, but the wax actually goes into the wood. Paint will wear away due to the weather, but wax inside the wood grain will last as long as the wood itself.
crazy808ish All your points are spot on. There is only the slightest film of wax that is left on the surface which is a huge help when it comes time to scrape propolis out of your boxes. Because the wax is absorbed, it protects on a cellular level. With regard to wax moths, they are not attracted to wax, they are after the proteins left in the wax from larval cocoons and pollen. The cost is on par with high quality paint and primer with much less work, much better longevity and far better protection not to mention they look much better. Moisture is the enemy! It rots wood from the inside out. My boxes are ten years old, look better than new with a really nice patina. No crazy mismatched colors. Bees and gear are valuable. I want my outyards to disappear into the surrounding landscape as much as possible.
Late to the reply, but... This wax is not the type that would be bothered by wax moths or shb larva. Bees wax or what it contains, for those concerns, not the paraffin wax.
Thank you for very informative and well produced video. Much appreciated. I share your enthusiasm for dipping as opposed to painting. Would you be willing to share tank dimensions and burner setup? I don't weld so would have fabricator make up a tank. Many thanks.
What are the dimensions of your box please? How much of each wax is needed? What was the cost and who is the supplier? With that size of tank how many BTU do you need or feel is sufficient? Any reason one could not use a laser thermometer? Does it stop boiling/foaming when it is done? Microcrystalline wax will bind better into the wood, sounds cool. Where did you get that understanding? Your cooking temp is much higher than what I have heard from others (250ish) why? Thank you!
In theory I would say yes, but the chances of a fire are extremely slim compared to the chances of getting splashed with hot wax. I know people are concerned about fire with this method (and rightly so) but let me assure you that you would have to be very neglectful and let the temperature get extremely high for it to ignite and you would get all the normal signs prior to that happening. I can't stress enough how much safer this is than it looks.
Hi I love this Idea! I am just worried about the affects the paraffin wax may have on the bees long term. it is a carcinogen to humans, but what does it do to bees? any thoughts?
Hi Nick, There is no noticeable wax residue left on the boxes after dipping so the bees won't be ingesting it. I have used this method for a decade and consistently have very favorable numbers coming out of winter year after year. Not saying it's strictly due to the wax but I don't believe it's a detriment at all to the bees. Thanks
thanks for posting, the post is 5years old now; are your results as expected? What size burner(s) BTUs might be recommended? I have gotten my stainless steel vat completed; a friend welded it up for me and I will using a brick lifter to remove the hot boxes. After complete cool down of the wax tank how might it be restarted aka melting the solid block or does one drain the wax from the tank into smaller molds before cooling down in preparation for the next run? Thanks
I’m new to this method when it heats too 300 degrees and if ur soaking all day do u turn off burner too bring down temperature or does it cool when dipping boxes
awesome! This a fantastic video. Where do I get the microcrystalline junk? Also, I found a source for candle scrap wax (mixed colors and scent). Y'all think using some scented colored junk is a terrible idea? seems so...
Thanks for your comment Don. I'm honored! I understand your concern about moisture and I think more people need to understand how detrimental it can be to bees particularly in our harsh, upstate NY winters. Wax dipping allows metabolic moisture and condensation to bead up and roll off the surface rather than absorb into the wood where in stays until it evaporates.
Jorik Phillips Hi,Nice beehive boxes! I like your box hand holds. How do you cut them in your box sides? what type of tooling and fixtures do you use? They look more professional than typical table saw made hand holds. Thanks.
***** Great point! We use a compressed paper board product called Homasote between the inner cover and the insulation board. I consider both to be an essential part of winterization here in the northeast.
How so? The whole purpose of doing this is to eliminate any and all moisture by boiling that out of the wood. Boiling point of water at sea level is 212 F. He brings the wax up to 300F. This eliminates the moisture in the wood. Any precipitation gets boiled out. I think this is a pretty cool process. After boiling the boxes and removing them from the tank, that wood is so dried out that one can see the wood soaking up any excess wax to the point where these boxes don't even look like they have been dipped in wax after all is said and done. This might not be high tech, but is extremely effective and safe if properly done. He looks like he knows what he is doing. I would trust him to do this for me.
Hey crew; What have you found as the "life" experienced doing the wax dipping. I am a new- BEE and started this past March with 2 hives. I have heard form some in my area that hive maintenance is a big effort. (rotting) due to our damp location.
Have you considered (or tried) dipping the wood before assembling it into boxes? Seems that you could use a smaller tank, using less wax (less leftover) and run the wood through in larger quantities making the preserving process faster and more efficient, if you were just doing individual pieces rather thank boxes..
Hi, thanks for the video! I was wondering, once you finished the dipping, is there a residue of wax? What do you do with it? Considering you used 220 lbs of wax, that was used for how many boxes and lids? What would be the proportion of wax per box?
Hi why no use bee wax instead ? lower heat needed and other greener issue how much wax per box"(which type do you use) well thx for the video and for the reply ! Tom
The beeswax would start to melt on a very hot day outside. It would leach out of the box and cool down on the outside of the box and it would be sticky.
I built all my hive boxes and frames myself( Langstroth dimensions) about 40 years ago. The boxes, 50 of them were painted with latex on the outside only. Some of the boxes have needed some repair over time as well as some repainting. Although my wooden equipment was not built for eternity it has served me fairly well at a very low cost.
I did try this at first but we found dipping before assembly prevents glue from adhering to the wood. Also, if you stack pieces the wax can't penetrate. Even when we put small spacers between them, we didn't get good coverage and penetration. It does take quite a bit of wax to fill the tank (300+lbs) but there is little to no waste in the process. The wood absorbs nearly 100% of the wax. It is time consuming (3 deeps,6 med) in 10 minutes but I incorporate other shop tasks while I'm dipping.
I dipped some old painted boxes for a friend once. It left some propolis and paint chips floating in my wax but it wasn't too bad. A good scraping would solve that. I thought it might blister the paint but it didn't. The burners are from Tejas Smokers. They are 30,000 BTU banjo style burners and have convenient little feet cast into them so the sit level on the ground. Can't say enough good things about Tejas Smokers. They are really great guys.
I used stainless because I happened to have a sheet of it and it welds very easy. Carbon steel will work just fine.
Thank you for a great video, mate! After watching it a few weeks ago I ordered some wax and had a dipping tab made. It is much better than just painting. It lasts longer and looks good as well.
Very beautiful and practical, a good example. Thank you very much! Sincerely, John (Ionel)
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
In the terms of energy conservation, you might consider wrapping your tank in rock wool insulation and adding a second shell of stainless. Maybe a little overkill, but it would keep that wax warmer for a longer period of time with less energy while heating.
nice, good system.
we use another way to protect the hives, burning them. Charred wood is impermeable.
greetings
BrescaAudiovisual tell us more about ur technique. Love to hear about it. Thanks
Burning them?
Tank was folded from 3x8 sheet of 18ga stainless.
I use a 50/50 mix of paraffin ($1.70/lb) and micro-crystaline wax ($2.60/lb) from Strahl & Pitsch in NY. 220lbs total.
I use 2 30,000BTU burners but one would be fine.
Any thermometer will work.
It doesn't stop foaming when done.
The method was lifted from a research paper by the Australian Beekeepers Assoc. It can be found online.
300+ degrees seems to penetrate better than 250 for me but many use a lower temp with good results.
Any chance you can share the wax source you mentioned?
Also, the foam bubbles will be bigger the higher the temperature. At 280°F, 15 minutes the foam will be small(like on a cheap tap beer).
Reading through your comments I have a few of my own preconceived thoughts you may be able to confirm, and maybe clarify to your viewers. Main assets to wax dipping your wood ware - displace moisture,, paint can adversely trap moisture between the wood and the paint allowing for the paint to peel or reject. Mold and mildew are present due to moisture, wax is permeated into the wood so rejection and mold and mildew are not probable....the same waxed wood (would)--suffice to say could be considered a logical deterrent to rot and decay. BUT the main benefit would be when you get overly aggressive with your hive tool and compromise your paint. Wax is permeated, paint is superficial, booger it and paint will trap and even wick moisture. Negative factors - Adds weight by ????? ounces or pounds to each box, Time and equipment cost need to be considered as per individual scenario. Safety was a main issue in your comments. Darwin has his definitions of survival of the fittest .. did God not give everyone a brain?? IF you are not comfortable then Do NOT do it. If you can not modify this video to a point that makes you comfortable then Do NOT do the wax dipping. My best comment is THANK s to the both of you for the video and the INFORMATION I WILL use your information to get on with my BEE KEEPING ADVENTURE.//// Thanks Again LARRY Sitzman
All your points about the attributes of wax dipping are spot on. It does not add a significant amount of weight to the boxes. Maybe a couple of ounces.
Time and equipment are a consideration. I have welding skills and access to metal working equipment so I didn't have to pay for that. The wax is a reasonable expense for what you get from it.
The safety of this process seems to be a concern with a lot of people. Let me assure everyone. THIS IS PERFECTLY SAFE TO DO if you exercise even a minimal amount of common sense! It will not blow up or catch on fire. I have been doing this for years and if it was going to happen, it would have by now. If this is not something you feel comfortable with, go with your instinct first. But it is not inherently dangerous in and of itself
Thanks for your comments Larry
*Common Sense* being the *Key* though Megan. Not everyone, or even a majority of people in the world have it. Not lately anyway. Sad to say.
And we were told it was bad form to use plastic hives. 5 mins to construct a super and done, no painting, no petroleum waxing, no chemicals at all and in fact cheaper to start.
Excellent video, packed with clear and useful information!
...JP
Thousands of boxes w/o incident but hey... one man's blow torch is another man's paint brush. You have to be comfortable to be safe.
When I was a splicer doing communications work, I would occasionally have to enter a lead sealed case. Some of these cases had tags on them going back to the early 1900's (1909, 1912 etc.). These cases needed to be completely rebuilt after chipping the lead away. When exposed, the wire was found to have been boiled out with wax. The reason for this was the same as for dipping bee hives here. The wax was brought well above the boiling point of water and poured into the splice. Thus eliminating any moisture or water. This very hot wax method has been used for many purposes such as this for years. Very effective. I didn't like going into these types of splices though. I felt as if I were disturbing a time capsule. They were perfectly preserved. I can only imagine having to work with molten lead and hot wax in a confined space back then. Your dipped boxes will last a long time. Thanks for the info. and method to reduce crystalysing. Regards. And work safe.
I just built a tank today and plan on starting to dip my new boxes for the year this winter. Can I ask you how big your tank is and how much wax did you start off with when you first got started? I'm getting ready to order some wax and was trying to get an idea of how much to start off with.
I have yet to start beekeeping, but have a good number of books and watched people's vids. I've seen that the bees tend to glue the boxes and lids together using propolis. Does treating the wood with Parafin / crystalline wax make it easier or harder for th propolis to stick the frames and boxes together where they meet as opposed to painting or varnishing as some people do. I've also noticed that the plastic manufactured boxes appear to be particularly prone to being glued up by propolis.
It is not like the bees paint everything together with propolis . The bees will glue the frames down to the boxes on the top edges . In the hot summers it is really not that bad it is just sticky . In the fall near the end of your inspection you need to NOT scrape it off where the boxes join that way it will help seal up the air gaps to keep the cold air out thru the winter because in the winter you DO NOT GO DEEP INTO YOUR HIVE anyway . Hope this helped a little
What is your source for the "micro crystalline wax and Paraffin wax"? Thanks!
For everyone looking for a source for wax of all kinds, try Strahl & Pitsch at spwax.com. Ask for Alex Long and tell him what you're doing. He'll set you up with exactly what you need. The correct ratio is 4:1 paraffin to microcrystalline.
Thank you. looked them up and sent an email. Thanks for the sourcing info, it's one of the most important parts of any DIY video.
Two reasons:
I glue my boxes and it won't adhere to waxed wood.
More importantly, you can't stack the pieces because the hot wax needs to circulate between them. Otherwise it won't fully penetrate the wood.
I noticed a lot of run marks or excess wax buildup. Do you scrape the excess smooth and re-use that wax, or just leave the globs on the boxes. I like the idea of wax dipping for sure, but the time constraint does seem a bit much. Granted, one setup and do a bunch of boxes for sure. I guess as 10 minutes per three boxes for one dip, vs a coat of primer and two coats of paint, that time may be the same. So then setup is really the only big constraint. Do you have a thermostat to control the wax temp, or just a thermometer and adjust the gas?
The ratio of paraffin to microcrystaline is 4:1
There is more info if you scroll to the very first comments on the video. I address wax sources, pricing and ratios there.
I know this is an old post, but you said 1:1 ratio below, and here you're saying 4:1? I see 1:1 everywhere else. Thanks!
I must ask when it comes to cost effective between wax dipping and painting? Add in the amount of time and labor and buying the two different type of wax products for dipping I wonder how this will allow the wooden products last in the harsh outdoors. For those who have under 100 hives we are already bombarded with the high cost of buying new equipment and maintaining the hives it comes down to a no profit situation.
Thank you for video! best greetings from Ukraine!
very informative! What is the consumption of wax for one box?
Only waxed hive I tried the girls loved to eat it. They made holes, in corners, all over. Finally moved them to a ceder box.
Dude painting would just be so much quicker and safer. Safe being the bigger issue. A tank of 300 degree wax and propane burners has accident waiting to happen written all over it.
If u don’t have enough since to do this safely then keep painting and replacing ur bee houses. It’s just that simple.
Would have been nice if you would have provided links here for your wax supplier.
laserguy and the ratio mix
Try igiwax.com
I was always told paint em then dip em. Cypress gear always lasted fine, let some pine gear get wet, done in a year
Could you post an update on how these boxes look after a few years weathering?
1:29 Yeah always wear long sleeves, goggles, and of course a real nice pair of open-air sandals.
Yup, like I always say, safety third ;-)
Awesome, thanks for sharing this video, ¿how much parafine do I need for 10 hives, or in order to know how much parafine do I have to buy, how mucho wax does a single box needs? thanks!! Best regards!
Interesting. What's about a mix of wax and propoleo ,replacing para paraffin
Have you considered a lower temp bath to cool the cooked boxes in so more wax is sucked into the wood as it cools? OR do you think it is unnecessary?
Instead of it taking 12-15 minutes per box, it would take about 4 hours for it to cool down.
Why not use straight Micro crystalline instead of blending it with paraffin? Cost?
Wonder how induction cook tops would work as far as safety and heat source.
Same question
Sir, Could you give me an idea what the investment in making the tank and the cost to initially fill with wax. Thanks
What are the measurements of your dip tank an could u do a video on your burners
Good video - thank you for posting it! Question on the temperature - if the wax melts at 180 degrees, why does it need to be heated to 300? I'm assuming the heat causes the moisture in the wood to come out but does it need to be at 300? Would a lower temperature (low 200's) work as well? Thank you!
Hey Mathew, glad you like the vid. You are correct. The 300 degrees drives the moisture out of the wood and it gets replaced with wax. What I have found at lower temps is that you don't get good wax penetration and it tends to remain on the surface which ultimately makes your boxes slick and on very hot days that wax will bleed all over the place. But, by all means do some experimenting and see what works for you.
@@jorikphillips8131 Do you sell plans for this vat? Do you have an alternative plan for a larger vat? One with electric heat? kevin@carplaw.com. Thanks.
Wonder if you can use dyes to color the wax. I like a variety of color, nothing bold, too help break up the outline of a stack of boxes, or several stacks. I always worry they will get swiped or messed with and do a quick count every time I pull within sight of my hives.
Just to clarify, you are 4:1 paraffin:microcrystalline, correct? You also said 1:1 on another comment. Thanks!
Where did you order the wax from?
do you just dip once? not a second wet dip?
Where do you wax in bulk?
Thank you for sharing so much information. I appreciate it
Looks good. But I ve three questions. 1) doesnt the wax get damaged over time and is painting needed anyway? 2) doesnt the wax attract waxmoth or shb? 3) isn t it more expensive than painting?
From what I understood of this video, the wax is completely absorbed by the wood. There is no wax layer on the outside to get damaged by weather or wax moths. Sure, it might be more expensive, but that's a matter of opinion. Some might consider it worth the cost, and paint to be inferior.-- Which is understandable because paint is just an outer layer, but the wax actually goes into the wood. Paint will wear away due to the weather, but wax inside the wood grain will last as long as the wood itself.
crazy808ish All your points are spot on. There is only the slightest film of wax that is left on the surface which is a huge help when it comes time to scrape propolis out of your boxes. Because the wax is absorbed, it protects on a cellular level. With regard to wax moths, they are not attracted to wax, they are after the proteins left in the wax from larval cocoons and pollen. The cost is on par with high quality paint and primer with much less work, much better longevity and far better protection not to mention they look much better. Moisture is the enemy! It rots wood from the inside out. My boxes are ten years old, look better than new with a really nice patina. No crazy mismatched colors. Bees and gear are valuable. I want my outyards to disappear into the surrounding landscape as much as possible.
Late to the reply, but...
This wax is not the type that would be bothered by wax moths or shb larva. Bees wax or what it contains, for those concerns, not the paraffin wax.
Just a question here...what kind of wax is already in the boiler when you start doing this vidoe? Thanks for sharing!
75% 140MP paraffin and 25% micro crystalline
@@jorikjustjorik4710 Thank you!
Great video, thanks! One question tho, I get that the wax be a barrier to weathering but will this method resist or prevent termites?
Thanks again!
Thank you for very informative and well produced video. Much appreciated. I share your enthusiasm for dipping as opposed to painting. Would you be willing to share tank dimensions and burner setup? I don't weld so would have fabricator make up a tank. Many thanks.
What are the dimensions of your box please?
How much of each wax is needed?
What was the cost and who is the supplier?
With that size of tank how many BTU do you need or feel is sufficient?
Any reason one could not use a laser thermometer?
Does it stop boiling/foaming when it is done?
Microcrystalline wax will bind better into the wood, sounds cool. Where did you get that understanding?
Your cooking temp is much higher than what I have heard from others (250ish) why?
Thank you!
Can you give us the dimensions of your wax supper and maybe explain with a video or pics how the burner is mounted?
Aren't long sleeves more capable of catching fire during an unintended fire of the heated wax?
In theory I would say yes, but the chances of a fire are extremely slim compared to the chances of getting splashed with hot wax. I know people are concerned about fire with this method (and rightly so) but let me assure you that you would have to be very neglectful and let the temperature get extremely high for it to ignite and you would get all the normal signs prior to that happening. I can't stress enough how much safer this is than it looks.
Do you know the model number of your Tejas Smokers burners?
HI THERE. I'M FROM MEXICO AND I WANT TO KNOW IF THE TEMPERATURE YOU SAY (300°) ARE IN A FAREHEIT OR A CELSIUS SCALE?
I agree, but that wouldn't be a very fun and interesting video.
Very informative thank you!
Hi I love this Idea! I am just worried about the affects the paraffin wax may have on the bees long term. it is a carcinogen to humans, but what does it do to bees? any thoughts?
Hi Nick,
There is no noticeable wax residue left on the boxes after dipping so the bees won't be ingesting it. I have used this method for a decade and consistently have very favorable numbers coming out of winter year after year. Not saying it's strictly due to the wax but I don't believe it's a detriment at all to the bees.
Thanks
thanks for posting, the post is 5years old now; are your results as expected? What size burner(s) BTUs might be recommended? I have gotten my stainless steel vat completed; a friend welded it up for me and I will using a brick lifter to remove the hot boxes. After complete cool down of the wax tank how might it be restarted aka melting the solid block or does one drain the wax from the tank into smaller molds before cooling down in preparation for the next run? Thanks
Must have been that left turn at Albuquerque.
Can you please tell me where you ordered the wax, and exactly what to order? I've got about 100 boxes that I need done ASAP!
Do you make boxes I need to purchase some
I’m new to this method when it heats too 300 degrees and if ur soaking all day do u turn off burner too bring down temperature or does it cool when dipping boxes
is there a reason other than the cost and / or value of it, that you don't use bees wax to coat your hives?
Have you dipped old painted boxes and if so what were the results? Where did you get your burners from?
awesome! This a fantastic video. Where do I get the microcrystalline junk? Also, I found a source for candle scrap wax (mixed colors and scent). Y'all think using some scented colored junk is a terrible idea? seems so...
I have boxes 25 yrs old they were just painted on out side,painting or wax on inside will cause too much moisture
Thanks for your comment Don. I'm honored! I understand your concern about moisture and I think more people need to understand how detrimental it can be to bees particularly in our harsh, upstate NY winters. Wax dipping allows metabolic moisture and condensation to bead up and roll off the surface rather than absorb into the wood where in stays until it evaporates.
Jorik Phillips Hi,Nice beehive boxes! I like your box hand holds. How do you cut them in your box sides? what type of tooling and fixtures do you use? They look more professional than typical table saw made hand holds. Thanks.
***** Great point! We use a compressed paper board product called Homasote between the inner cover and the insulation board. I consider both to be an essential part of winterization here in the northeast.
Rick Sullivan Thanks Rick.
The handholds are cut with a shaper head.
Rick Sullivan ceviri
Great Video mate. Very informative. Do you paint your box's after you dip them?
The walls are 18 gauge and the bottom is 3/16
were did you buy your wax were its blended i am building one now and having it blended would be cheaper i think thanks jon
Who is your wax provider? What do they charge for the custom made slabs? How much wax does it take?
Couldn't you just wax the parts of the boxes, then piece them together afterwards? Seems like you'd get a lot more done quickly that way.
Ah exposed feet, perfect for handling hot wax
Its much safer to make a wax and linseed oil salve and paint the outside of hive with it. Bees will propolise the inside anyway so why bother
Nice. Where are you located? Anywhere near the S.F. bay area? Would you be willing to dip a pine box for me?
are you an Iron Worker?
if you build your own boxes why not dip them before you assemble the sides?
what is your bottom plate thickness? is it the same as the sides?
Hey there,
What was the additive you added to the wax?
Jono
great video. thank you. what is the wax/microcrystalin ratio? thanks
I would love to have my new boxes dipped if possible, Where are you located?
does this process attract wax moths?
Hi there, sorry i miss the some comments, what are the tank dimensions? Thanks.
Do you do this dipping all year?
What Gauge Sheet metal did you use to make the tank?
good gob .. but you going to increase the harmful moisture inside the bee hive ,
How so? The whole purpose of doing this is to eliminate any and all moisture by boiling that out of the wood. Boiling point of water at sea level is 212 F. He brings the wax up to 300F. This eliminates the moisture in the wood. Any precipitation gets boiled out. I think this is a pretty cool process. After boiling the boxes and removing them from the tank, that wood is so dried out that one can see the wood soaking up any excess wax to the point where these boxes don't even look like they have been dipped in wax after all is said and done. This might not be high tech, but is extremely effective and safe if properly done. He looks like he knows what he is doing. I would trust him to do this for me.
I have never understood wax dipping? 10 minutes to dip three boxes? I can paint three boxes in about 3 minutes
Hey crew;
What have you found as the "life" experienced doing the wax dipping.
I am a new- BEE and started this past March with 2 hives. I have heard form some in my area that hive maintenance is a big effort. (rotting) due to our damp location.
Hi James,
My oldest dipped boxes are 7or 8 years old now and going strong. They do darken a bit with time but I really like that natural patina.
Good video but don't get wax on your welding gloves. They will flare up while you are welding.
Looks like it softens up the glue joints also
We use Titebond III and it only gets soft when it's hot. It hardens right back up as it cools down.
I got here from Skyrim.. Must have been the Mead..
Can the boxes be dipped after painted?
do you have a website? do you sell bees? i am interested in getting a colony from the 50 year old house genetics
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Have you considered (or tried) dipping the wood before assembling it into boxes? Seems that you could use a smaller tank, using less wax (less leftover) and run the wood through in larger quantities making the preserving process faster and more efficient, if you were just doing individual pieces rather thank boxes..
Hi, thanks for the video!
I was wondering, once you finished the dipping, is there a residue of wax? What do you do with it?
Considering you used 220 lbs of wax, that was used for how many boxes and lids? What would be the proportion of wax per box?
What was the total cost of every thing?
where did you get the wax!!!!!!
Isn't the touch feeling wax after deeping?
Where are you getting the wax
Hi
why no use bee wax instead ?
lower heat needed and other greener issue
how much wax per box"(which type do you use)
well thx for the video and for the reply !
Tom
The beeswax would start to melt on a very hot day outside. It would leach out of the box and cool down on the outside of the box and it would be sticky.