Content
Do-it-yourself voskopress is most often made by amateur beekeepers. Home and industrial refined wax is of high quality, varying in the amount of pure product in the output.
What is wax press and what is it for
A do-it-yourself voskopress is an economical and reliable mechanism. Voskopress is called a device for separating wax from frames. The device makes it possible to obtain a pure, practically pure substance by separating and compressing solid residues of raw materials.
The principle of operation of all wax presses is the same. The raw material is brought to the required temperature. Hot wax in a special bag is placed in the pressing compartment, where, under the influence of pressure or by centrifugation, the liquid fraction of the raw material is expelled. Pure wax is poured through a special chute or through the holes made into a prepared container. The remaining solid waste is recovered. All parts of the mechanism are thoroughly washed and dried.
When starting up the wax press, you need to make sure:
- in the absence of defects and damage to the mechanism;
- integrity and stability of the tank;
- the location of the device in places that exclude the possibility of a fire;
- the strength of the bag or fabric used for the molten raw material;
- the presence of protective equipment (tight clothing, gloves, glasses).
A homemade mechanism is an economical way to obtain a sufficiently purified substance. The operating time of different wax presses is practically the same. One complete squeezing cycle will take 3 to 4 hours. However, the amount of processed product varies:
- for an industrial mechanism - 10-12 kg;
- Kulakov's apparatus - 8 kg;
- manual wax press - 2 kg.
Each wax press has its own advantages and disadvantages. Before choosing a device, it is necessary to assess the expected production volumes, the purposes for which the wax is produced and the allowable amount of wax residues in solid waste. It is also necessary to determine where the pressing will take place. When using automatic mechanisms, a stable connection to power lines is required. Homemade wax press works by heating from a fire or a gas burner.
What types are there
Voskopressa are divided into the following types:
- Manual apiary. It is mainly used in small apiaries and is appreciated by amateur beekeepers. The volume of the device is usually small, no more than 30 - 40 liters. The advantage of the wax press is its compactness and relatively low cost. The disadvantages include the need for constant manual heating of raw materials and insufficient quality cleaning.
- Industrial. About the size of a small room, the tank is used to clean large quantities of wax in a specialized facility. Wax tape or liquid wax at the exit is clean and ready for further use. It is unlikely to make such a device at home.
- Kulakov. A device that is a compromise between a hand-made mechanism and an industrial assembly. Allows you to get high quality wax at home.
Voskopress Kulakov
The device, designed specifically for cleaning wax, is distinguished by its robust design and low power consumption. The apparatus consists of:
- from a metal tank;
- separator;
- coarse sieve;
- pressure handle.
Unbleached linen bags are used to place the merg in the separator. The device is equipped with a heating coil for melting the wax: this stage is fully automated. Separation separates clean wax from solid waste.
The tank, half filled with water, is heated, the water is brought almost to a boil. The wax in the linen bag starts to melt. The separator and sieve sink to the bottom of the tank. Raw materials mixed with water are boiled for about an hour, until a wax film appears on the surface of the water. Further, within half an hour, the cleaning process takes place. The wax is drained.
Is it possible to make a wax press with your own hands
For self-production of a wax press, it is necessary to have a sufficiently capacious container where water will be poured and raw materials will be placed.
For this purpose, a drum from a washing machine is often used. Some beekeepers prefer to use a wooden barrel, but this material will be unprofitable. A wooden barrel is difficult to clean from the inside. From constant changes in temperature and humidity, the tree will swell. There is a risk that the device will disintegrate into its component parts during operation.
In terms of durability and reliability, it is preferable to use a metal vessel. For the squeezing process, a steam piston and a screw are used. Water is poured into the container through small holes drilled in the body. The filter material is denser than flax. It is preferable to take burlap, thick gauze. It is almost impossible to repeat Kulakov's wax refinery at home, since a number of parts can be manufactured and put into operation only at the factory.
Voskopress from a gas cylinder
A gas cylinder, after a little alteration, can become a convenient and inexpensive wax press tank. To make a wax press from a gas cylinder, it is necessary to cut off the bottom of the cylinder for stability, and weld the end with a flat sheet of iron. It can be welded along the edges of the support so that the tank does not overturn during operation. To improve heat retention, the tank is sheathed with heat-insulating material (foam, wood, polyurethane foam, etc.).
As a screw, craftsmen who make a wax press with their own hands use a car jack. It must be fixed with a welded transverse steel strip. A hole is made in the wax outlet.
The manufacture of the mechanism is shown in the video:
How the manual wax press works
Manual wax press is used by both professional beekeepers and amateur beekeepers.
The melted raw material in a strong bag is placed in a pressing apparatus, where, under the influence of a screw, the liquid wax fraction is gradually squeezed out. The cleaned wax comes out through the holes into the prepared container, the waste remains in the bag.
In the operation of a manual wax press, the inconvenience may be the need to tightly twist the bag with the molten liquid. This must be done with caution, but the procedure is necessary: the tighter the bag with the raw material is twisted, the more refined wax the beekeeper will receive at the exit.
The manual wax press differs from the factory or from the Kulakov apparatus in less power and productivity. The wax is of decent quality, but it is not always possible to squeeze it dry. Between 15% and 40% of the wax remains in the waste. Some beekeepers sell the waste at a reduced price to the owners of automatic or industrial wax presses that squeeze the merva dry. However, for amateur purposes, manual mechanisms are the best choice in terms of price-quality ratio.
Conclusion
Do-it-yourself voskopress is easy to make if you have the skills to work with metal or wood.The necessary components can be purchased at thrift stores, in warehouses for decommissioned goods, or simply by hand.
