Beekeeping for Beginners, Make a Solar Wax Melter for Beeswax

Learn how to make a solar wax melter to melt beeswax that was comes from the beehive. The wax will be used to make encaustic paint for my art projects and I might also use the melted beeswax to make wood finishing oils for furniture. Learn all the tools and tips you'll need to build this solar melter box.
Follow me on Instagram: / jonpeters_
Subscribe to the Jon Peters Shop Talk: / jonpetersar. .
Facebook: / art-ho. .
Website: jonpeters.com/
The tools and products I use most frequently:
Woodworking Products:
Bosch 10-Inch Dual Bevel Axial-Glide Compact Miter Saw: amzn.to/2M7Pm7G
24" Sure-Foot Aluminum Bar Clamp: amzn.to/2JArKtL
48" Sure-Foot Aluminum Bar Clamp: amzn.to/2M3t4nr
Powermatic 10-inch 3 Horsepower Tablesaw: amzn.to/2JzZesk
Hitachi 10 inch Sliding Compound Dual Lever Miter: amzn.to/2LxLpZ1
Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2 Combo Kit: amzn.to/2JhwYeO
Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18-Volt 7 1/4 in. Circular Saw: amzn.to/2JzZNlW
DEWALT DW2567#6 Countersink 9/64-Inch Drill Bit: amzn.to/2sJqk5K
Jet Drum Sander: amzn.to/2Lt7FD6
BOSTITCH 1-Tool and Compressor Combo Kit: amzn.to/2Jhc9jr
Flexzilla Air Hose, 3/8 in. x 50 ft: amzn.to/2sN7L0F
3m(TM) Half Facepiece Respirator (Dust mask): amzn.to/2sF6Ekg
Titebond II Premium Wood Glue: amzn.to/2JIgF70
3M Paint Project Respirator: amzn.to/2M7gQdK
Milwaukee 18-volt Compound Miter Saw: amzn.to/2JoGybT
Home/ Garden Products:
Zero-G 50ft Hose: amzn.to/2sDaASS
Greenworks Hedge trimmer: amzn.to/2M4ZFcN
Greenworks 40-volt chain saw: amzn.to/2M0AjwB
Greenworks 80-volt blower: amzn.to/2M79Q0r
Video Production Products:
Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-Inch Laptop: amzn.to/2M8X7Kv
Cannon M50: amzn.to/2JeSr82
Cannon EOS 80D Digital SLR: amzn.to/2Jzk3Eu
Rode Compact Shotgun Microphone: amzn.to/2JAyFTL
Apparel Sponosor: Mountain Khakis
www.mountainkha...
/ mountain. .
/ mountainkhakis
/ mountainkhakis
/ mountainkha. .
Live Life Untucked, #WorkHardPlayHarder

[@howardmcewen]

Jon, beekeeper from Kentucky here. The casings that are left in the cheesecloth make for a wonderful fire starter. My daughter calls it nature's napalm. We set aside and the kids cut off chunks when they want to have a fire with friends.

[@clippedwing-bensmith1614]

These videos you make soothe my soul, I have no idea why!

[@gregmf9427]

lol “For beginners” Beginners with a fully equipped shop

[@BurkeMakesStuff]

Hi! I just wanted to send some good vibes, and thanks your way! Figured that on one of your lesser-watched videos, it might actually have a chance of being seen by you, so I posted it here. Your videos are outstanding, and I’ve been binge watching them for days now. Already used your log rack video as a template for the one I built for my house. No clue where in the US you are, but if you’re ever in NYC or the area, I’d love to buy you a beer! Be well. And thanks again for the inspiration!

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks Burke! That’s really nice 👍 I’m in Jersey so I my just take you up on that. Have a great day man!

[@BurkeMakesStuff]

Jon Peters literally any time! Be well!

[@AshleyK1ng]

The smell of bees wax is great :D

[@beefriendlychannel7965]

If you double pane the glass and seal the top, you can add/maintain an additional 30°F Probably too late?

[@stephendriscoll9668]

What about make a funnel shaped box with foil lining the inside. That might speed up the process.

[@cheryldahl9192]

Is it just me or does this video have a scary movie feel to it? I feel like someone is going to jump out with a saw and attack me! Lol

[@lumberjackeric]

I adopted your technique for cutting miters a few months ago; I spend less time fussing around with alignment and get much cleaner results now. Thank you, great videos. Quick question, I think I missed it, did you end up using two pieces of glass on the lid?

[@spaminbox]

excellent directing and editing!

[@BruceAUlrich]

I know you end up with a lot of beeswax. Do you use all of it in different things as you have shown, or so you sell it?

[@theconsciousbeekeeper]

I love how we’re all ok with 6mins of watching & figuring it out & 14 seconds of talking 🤣

[@eberntson]

If you paint the inside of the box white it will heat up more. Black absorbs the light, white Mel’s it bounce around more and drives the heat up. I know it’s a little counter intuitive but it works.

[@LucasHartmann]

Nice project. Curiously enough glass it's the perfect material for the cover. Everything is radiating energy away as light, not so hot glows infrared (invisible), hotter goes red, insane hot goes ultraviolet (invisible, part of the sunlight). Glass allows UV from the sunlight in, black absorbs it and gets hot, but glas is "black" for deep IR radiation and blocks it from coming out.

[@Dibblah1900]

Not black so much as reflective. If you look at yourself in a piece of glass with a FLIR camera, you will see a reflection.

[@BlackDrag0n888]

Make the box out of metal as it is a conductor of temperature much better than wood keep the glass lid as mount to a metal box on an angle the results 100 percent better

[@ScrapwoodCity]

Really cool device, thanks for sharing

[@bclaus0]

Hey Jon! What a coincidence. I study product design and just had to hand in my bachelors project a few days ago. We had to design a solar wax melter.

[@stevecollins9450]

Well done video, Jon. An old 10 gallon aquarium might do the trick too.

[@lukebaker7389]

3:00 - you might want to throw out that mozzarella. It's not looking so "fresh" anymore...

[@timothyfagan5725]

🐝🐝 Excellent video Jon, I have sent the link of it to our bee club here in Melbourne I'am sure a few of our members would benefit from it 🐝🐝 we are preparing now for spring as our winter is now coming to a close and I am excitingly now waiting delivery of new Langstroth eight frame Flow hive to modify the one I have 🐝🐝 I only have one hive and don't sell the honey as I just give it to family and friends and there is certainly enough left over for our needs, 🐝🐝 putting aside the pros and cons The Flow hive makes sense in my situation 🐝🐝 once again excellent video Jon thank you,Tim. 🐝🐝

[@sprsquish]

Very cool. We were challenged to make something like this in school. Turned out the best version used about an inch sand as an insulator. It'd be much heavier, but might hold the heat better.

[@ashishpatel350]

you could add a mirrors on the inside to increase the heat. or better yet stick it in your attic, it's ussually hot as hell up there.

[@jjzhou01]

It'd be cool if the glass were convex and concentrated sunlight.

[@redmondworkshops5181]

I think your fresh mozzarella has gone bad, isn't it supposed to be white not black?

[@TobyGarcia]

I wonder if adding a fresnel lens to the top would speed the process. You can pick up an 8x10 inch rear-view lens for about $4 on ebay.

[@axelSixtySix]

Hey Jon. What a good idea ! Thank you. What about 3 legs (one adjustable) to get the perfect angle to the sun ? a pivoting frame inside could maintain both the cup and the bag level. Maybe some exterior insulation may help the temperature rise.

[@fannincharlie]

Beginner my ass. Nice work though.

[@Jknudsen0523]

Why two grooves in the frame if the glass only sits in one set of grooves?

[@pegdimarco5316]

With Avasva plans doing something like that was easy.

[@johnblack9038]

Jon, I know this is an older video, but if you are going to slant the top take your latitude and subtract 15 degrees. It's how people figure out the angle to tilt solar panels for maximum efficiency (in the summer). Then aim it south (if you are in the northern hemisphere).

[@eberntson]

John Black if you put an nail perpendicular to the glass on the face of the frame and it casts no shadow the angle is perfect. Max light enters the box. Since how high the sun travel in the sky according to the seasons you’ll want to make it a little adjustable.

[@aserta]

Someone here on KZbin made a similar project (but it was for reclaiming wax from old used candles), the big difference was that the device was in two sections. One was the black box, no light passing through, otherwise almost identical, even with a dowel rod instead of the piece you have, and the other was a piece of aluminium (i think it was some left over heat sink material from some transformer or something) that passed inside the box. Above the other end of the metal was a fresnel lens. It would heat up the bar, which would then heat up the box. If someone knows the video hit it up, it was pretty effective.

[@dboysix26]

If you have a stainless steel bowl you can cut out the center let it drain into the bottom cup but hang the wax in the center top of the bowl. It will focus sunlight on the wax. Careful of fire though. Baked a muffin in school science project that way.

[@dboysix26]

Aluminum foil will suffice too

[@reiner0609]

Very good video but please add voice-overs. It is so much more useful if you explain what you are doing and why.

[@bradburyrobinson]

I'd agree with this. It could have done with some explanation at the start as to the problem and what is trying to be achieved. What is left behind in the bag if not wax?

[@KGeezydad1]

Maybe a better design is to build glazing half down on the sides with a clear top.

[@MexieMex]

How about using a fresnel lens on the front too?

[@disabledwoodworker]

Liked it a lot John,though I agree about the sun not getting it hot enough with the flat top. Perhaps an A-Frame top for catching more sun?

[@frontier884]

Awesome video. I agree cutting on an angle is a good idea. Maybe if you wanted to get fancy install an adrino controlled motorized sun tracker! But that would be over kill but I'd sure watch that video! Keep up the great videos.

[@natserog]

great video! i wish i could build stuff....wonder what is the best one to buy?

[@mehmethanaydn3113]

Güzel bir fikir tebrik ediyorum

[@TheOtherSideOfAlex]

what about adding a reflective collar to maximize the effects

[@jasonrasheed7670]

Really like your videos Jon P.

[@timaldred4937]

what would happen if you used a dome from a skylight?

[@MRrwmac]

Jon, May I ask why solar? Would another melting process not provide more resultant filtered wax?

[@gee8648]

It's cheap.

[@BK-vh3do]

I don't have all the tools u have but enough that I might try it to dry herbs in this coming summer in Georgia

[@BobDaniel]

You could make an inclined platform for it on a Lazy Susan bearing...

[@dessertman1181]

Very cool👍🐝🐝🐝🐝

[@stevejackson5062]

Respectfully disagree. My first solar box was lined with Mylar. I reached temps of just above 150F. Removed Mylar and painted the inside black not I reach 220F on the same full sun 95F days.

[@2k4k]

i like your work 👌💚

[@Robert.84-]

more word pls :)

[@AdamCraigOutdoors]

pretty good idea. Thanks Jon!

[@paulespinoza7172]

Black paint sometimes works but try lining the box with foil, HOT HOT HOT..

[@JonPetersArtHome]

got tip Paul..thanks

[@WemmZi]

Try to use a reflector above the glass in the top. It will intensify the heat. Have a look at solar ovens.

[@eberntson]

Paul Espinoza foil versus painting the inside white is only a 2% difference in reflectivity.

[@SpiderPain99]

Make it out of steel

[@inharmonywithearth9982]

The rain rotted mine in less than one year because of the wood , you were correct.

[@CharlieHamilton]

Sunny👌

[@bobbie318]

Always enjoy your videos. great job!

[@ragtie6177]

Nice video Jon

[@brothyr]

Why the bowl of water in the box?

[@sethbracken]

Catches the drips of wax and the water keeps it from sticking to the bowl completely.

[@66otnt]

Great idea Jon! Greetings from DownUnder!

[@hameggs4837]

Awesome

[@adamquincey4371]

Excellent... Cheers...

[@JonPetersArtHome]

Thanks Adam

[@Apostolis3486]

it would be better if you had painted the interior white

[@espen990]

2:29 How???

[@forge52100]

Finger gauge, he used his finger and pencil to act like a divider. Not super precision, but good enough for bracing.

[@espen990]

wow smart