70 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



We do not even keep a ball of wax 

 around for waxing- thread, as it gives 

 her that "queer feeling-" every time 

 she sees it. Then the most discourag-- 

 ing- part of it all was, when we emptied 

 out our slumgum, to see those puddles 

 of nice yellow wax trickle out throug-h 

 the grass, showing that, after all the 

 trouble, we got only a part of the wax. 

 I presume this is the kind of slumgum 

 the dealer likes to buy. Screw-pres- 

 sure is the most efficient and practical 

 method of removing all of the wax from 

 this slumgum, but it is not necessary 

 to pay a high price for a factory -made 

 press; a person of ordinary ability can 

 make a press, for 13.00 or $4.00, that is 

 the equal of any press. As I have 

 made and used such a press, I will pro- 

 ceed to describe it and its management. 



HOW TO MAKE AN EFFICIENT, HOME- 

 MADE, WAX PRESS. 



The press is so simple, and so clearly 

 shown in the frontispiece, that little 

 explanation is needed. With a little 

 assistance from his blacksmith, any- 

 one could make such a press. Procure 

 two tough pieces of 3x 4 oak, 24 inches 

 long (fig. 1). Twenty inches from 

 center to center, at equal distances 

 from each end, bore X-iiich holes 

 through the 3-inch way of both pieces. 

 These holes are for the ^4^ -inch rods to 

 pass through to form the main up- 

 rights. Then in the center of one 

 wooden piece, parellel with the other 

 holes, bore a l>^-inch hole. This is for 

 the bench-screw to work through. Have 

 your blacksmith cut two pieces 20 

 inches long, and one 30 inches long, 

 from a % -inch rod. The two, 20-inch 

 pieces are to have threads cut for a 

 distance of 5)4 inches on both ends, 

 and each piece is furnished with four 

 burrs and four washers. To assemble 

 the machine, turn a burr clear on at 

 each end of each rod. Next put on a 

 washer. Now we are ready for the 

 3x4 oak pieces mentioned above. After 

 the ends of the iron rods have been 



slipped through the holes in the ends 

 of the wooden pieces, a washer is put 

 on over the projecting end of each rod, 

 then a burr, and the parallel 3x4 pieces 

 adjusted a scant 13 inches apart. 



When the ^-inch bottom, or table is 

 on, there will be 12 inches space in 

 the clear, between the top of the press- 

 table and the underside of No. 1. The 

 screw is the same as the carpenter 

 uses in his work bench vise. Ours is 

 16 inches long and 1 1-16 in diameter. 

 The burr for the screw to work in, is 

 let up into the under side of No. 1, and 

 is held in place by a 3 x 12 steel plate 

 X inch thick, with al 1-16 inch hole in 

 the center for the bench screw to work 

 through. If you will turn to the cut 

 you will see two bolts, one each side 

 of the screw, that hold the plate in 

 place. Instead of round holes in the 

 ends of the plate, we have slots cross- 

 wise, which allows us to adjust the 

 screw so that it will stand perpendicu- 

 lar. There should be another similar 

 plate on top, only the slots in the end 

 should be the opposite way — length- 

 wise. There is a good deal of strain 

 here, and everything must be made 

 solid. 



The frame can be made to suit one's 

 fancy; ours is of 2 x 4, well braced, 24 

 inches high, the top 24x26 inches, the 

 long way parallel with the 2x4 piece. 

 Do not forget to brace well with a ^- 

 inch rod from the table to No. 1. (See 

 cut.) 



The 30-inch, ^-inch rod is for the 

 lever. The one coming with the screw, 

 is not sufficient. 



The galvanized pan is five inches 

 deep, and 18 inches square, with one 

 side left open and formed into a spout, 

 to carry off the wax. (See cut.) 



The racks, two in number, (No. 2) 

 are 16 inches square, made of one-inch 

 square pieces of pine, spaced ^ of an 

 inch apart, and cleated at each end. 

 The follower (No. 3) is the same size, 

 and is made of two thicknesses of %- 

 inch boards, with the grain running 



