WAX. 



469 



WAX. 



always a good deal better if the work can be 

 done in a basement or in a shed where it 

 does not make so much difference if a little 

 wax is spilled. If the work is done in a 

 kitchen, the floor should be well covered 

 with newspapers, which can afterward be 

 taken up and burned. ^Vhen boiling comb 

 in a boiler, great care should be exercised to 

 prevent the wax from boiiing over on the 

 stove and possibly causing a tire. 



When diseased combs are rendered, every 

 precaution should be taken to prevent bees 

 from robbing. If the building can not be 

 made bee-tight, the 

 work should be done 

 at night, and every 

 tool and utensil used 

 should be thoroughly 

 scalded again before 

 daylight. The refuse 

 from diseased combs 

 should be bur-ned or 

 buried immediately, 

 and the water that 

 was used should be 

 poured where the 

 bees can not possibly 

 get access to it. 



HOW TO KENUER 

 WAX WITH HOISIE- 

 MA1>E APPLI- 

 ANCES. 



The un heated press 

 is not dithcult to con- 

 struct, as there are 

 no materials used 

 that could not bo 

 obtained easily. If 

 one should have on 

 hand an old lard- 

 press he can make 

 few changes and get 

 along quite well by 



using it for rendering wax. See Fig. 18. 

 Usually, however, the threads of the screw 

 used in a laid-press are rather too coarse to 

 give the pressure needed without making it 

 necessary to exert a very great amount of 

 strength in turning the screw. There are 

 many erroneous ideas concerning the pres- 

 sure which can be exerted by a screw. For 

 instance, it is not the diameter of the screw 

 that determines the pressure, but the pitch 

 of the thread. Screws which can be lowered 

 as much as half an inch in a single complete 

 revolution will hardly be powerful enough 

 for pressing out wax to the best advantage. 

 It is better to have finer threads, so that less 

 exertion is needed to do the work properly. 



If one wishes to construct a good wax- 

 press with as little trouble as possiltle he 

 had better follow quite closely the design 

 shown in Fig. 19. There are many things 

 that must be taken into consideration in 

 designing a wax-press; and we know that 

 the (ine shown will be satisfactory, although, 

 of course, it will not be quite so convenient 

 as one made wheie the proper castings, etc , 

 can be obtained. 



A bench-vise screw will answer the pur- 

 pose if the thread is not too coarse. Two 

 half-inch rods threaded on each end 1 old 



Fig. 18.— A luid-press iiiodifled for pressing- wax. 



the framework rigid ; but it is ad\isableto 

 use very large washei s under the nuts, as 

 the strain tends to sink small wasliers into 

 the wood, even if oak is used. Thick iron 

 plates with half-inch holes drilled in the 

 centeis would answer the purpose better 

 than washers. 



In making a press be very careful to see 

 that every part is perfectly square and 

 plumb; for if the screw is not absolutely 

 vertical it is almost impossible to succeed. 

 The secret of doing good work is to manage 

 so that the cheese shall be the same thick- 

 ness all the way through; and if the screw- 

 is not perpendicular to the platform it is 

 impossible to do this. 



