Jeff it is getting all the propolis out - and I didn’t have wax cappings only old frames - the molds have to be perfect, as Celia says it is a pointless exercise but it is more difficult with old wax
I filtered the wax several times, I have no cracking it is getting the mold shinny and polishing that takes time - Chap from B’ham told me the cloth to use to get the polish up.
Also not having any faults in the mold - I found the mold I was sent from the Thornes had faults - It was suggested to go to a show and hand pick your molds.
Considering it was my first time I think I did OK - Most of it was “suck it and see” technology and a short class from Celia at the Apiary over the summer with a small group of us Novices.
I had more fun writing my book, sewing my dress and table cloth and designing my motifs.
And a Prize for my Flow Honey one judge at Solihull said my jars would have won if they were fuller and no “Suds” I did have a few bubbles on top - For a first timer I’m very proud to have done so well
2 Likes
Done splendidly well, now you’re hooked… 
1 Like
I have leather trimmings - a friends husband is the only hand maker of Cricket Gloved left in the UK so he gets glove from all around the world to make or repair - he has been saving the scrap for me - I have burned many famous names form the cricketing world’s glove scrapes - some even still have initials on them - but the leather smokes well
Well done Valli, I never heard of leather before, I’ll cut up my old beekeeping gloves.
On the subject of showing stuff, it looks like the key to it is knowing what the judges are looking for.
Well done on your entries & results.
You’ll find if you boil your wax with water, for example equal parts water to wax, the water will take the dirt out of the wax. If you pour the hot water/wax solution through a strainer, the propolis & other stuff will remain above the strainer. That’s called slumgum. Once it all cools down, the wax will naturally set on top of the water. Depending on how good the strainer is determines how much dirt sits on the bottom of the wax that can be easily removed. If you strain it through kitchen paper towels as @Rodderick does, the wax should be perfectly clean. After that I guess your wax will be ready to remelt to pour into molds for showing.
1 Like
No don’t
Tanned leather gives off dangerous fumes.
Mind you…the propolis might smell nice
That’s what I do. When I was doing the local Farmers’ market I used to make skep candles and they went down really well. The students liked rolled black candles and they were my best sellers.
3 Likes
That’s lovely looking wax.
Capping wax is the best…but I gather you can bleach frame wax
3 Likes
Hi Dee, thanks for that tip about the leather. There’s probably dangerous fumes in a lot of the natural stuff we burn anyway. Especially the paperbark I’m using. I’m not a fan of the smoker blowing into my face while it’s idle. I think the trick is to make sure we only use enough smoke to get the bees to do what we want them to do & that’s all.
It was too cold to go to the bees this morning, not so much the temp, but the cold wind. My gauge out the back was reading 21degC, the wind felt much colder than that.
1 Like
hey @JeffH Jeff- and @Valli don’t burn leather… that can’t be good smoke. I don’t know as a fact but my gut tells me it just can’t be good…
Surely there are so many other ‘smokables’ around that no one has to ‘burn leather’ except running from angry bees 
? We have been using old hessian and that smokes pretty well- but I plan to collect pine needles from the local golf course and give them a try.
1 Like
Pine needles produce a tarry smoke because of all the resin. Dry rotten resin free wood is brilliant and easy to find unless you live in he city. I agree with the hessian that’s good too. I top it up with herb leaves maybe bay or rosemary ( not mint) Lavender and dry orange peel. A pinch of church incense calms the beekeeper 
As for running from bees they can fly pretty fast
2 Likes
Unless they are married to an atheist… 
1 Like
I am an atheist and it calms me…can’t speak for the other half except to say he is calm if I am calm.
I must say though a nice malt inside is much nicer than smoke outside
1 Like
Nice image, as is the malt! The problem for my hubby is that he went to a very religious boarding school, where he repeatedly suffered beatings and bullying. Chapel every day, and 3 times on Sunday. Although he likes old architecture, he is allergic to the concept of organized religion! 
I do like frankincense essential oil though. Might try that some time in the smoker and see if he notices… 
1 Like
Hi Jack, I took @Dee’s advice on board, I wont be using any leather. I have a multitude of other stuff on hand to choose from. One thing that makes good smoke that I don’t take advantage of enough is dry banana leaves. I have lots of them. The center part burns for a while, however you need a sharp knife handy to cut it.
A lot of stuff I burn produces tar. My smoker needs a good clean out from time to time. It’d due for a good one now.
Hi Dawn, I love the architecture but not a fan of organized religion. I’m sorry to hear that your husband went through that ordeal.
2 Likes
Thanks @JeffH. I didn’t have such a hard time myself, and I love Wilma’s approach to life and spirituality. I am sure that David would too. I just don’t want to upset him when I need help lifting heavy bee boxes.
Hi Dawn, no, don’t upset him:) I found a hive with a full on laying worker yesterday. Lots of sealed drones above & below the QX. I developed a new strategy. I split it into 3 colonies with a frame of brood from that swarm that turned up a month ago into each one. Then I damaged all the drone larvae/pupae on every worker frame before spreading them out into strong hives to be quickly cleaned up. I cut all the actual drone comb out. That wont be needed in the splits.
Would you believe that some people today still believe the earth is only 6,000 years old.
3 Likes
It would be interesting to hear how that goes, if you have time. I am sure it will work, it sounds like it should. 
Hi Dawn, the split part works. I bought 2 of the splits home so the bees wouldn’t return to the original hive. I figured if I spread the frames with damaged brood around, it wouldn’t be a big challenge for the bees to clean the frames up. I put them mainly in hives without QX’s so the bees could drag the damaged larvae out. It’s similar to a hive being raided by a bear for example. After the bear leaves, the bees have to clean up & repair any damage. I had a look at one of the frames only a few minutes after I put it in & the bees were already at work cleaning it up. In every case, I only placed the frames with the damaged brood between frames that were completely covered with bees.
With the 3 splits, I figured that 2 of the 3 should successfully make new queens. At least the one with the laying worker wont be hard to deal with, being a smaller colony.
I was down to the bees again this afternoon, I took my camera this time because the previous 2 afternoons I had 6 kangaroos & 6 wood ducks grazing in the paddock not far from me. Four kangaroos showed up & 2 wood ducks. I’m about to see how the video turned out.
2 Likes
Can’t wait to see that video, Jeff - who needs church when you can look at bees, ducks & kangaroos??