How to Pour a Wax Block for a Honey Contest

Beekeeping is a sweet hobby.

Honey contests are held all over the country. Local beekeepers compete for prizes and high grades on the quality of the honey produced and other honey-related products. The art of pouring an award-winning wax block for a honey competition is difficult and requires patience and practice. The key to an impeccable wax block is having good quality wax. Quality wax should be fairly lightweight and should smell earthy and like a hive. According to the Alabama Farmers Federation, 10 pounds of honey yields one pound of wax.

Things You'll Need

• Contest-regulation mold pan
• Mold release
• A double broiler or Solar wax melter
• A large brownie pan
• Pantyhose
• Large Pyrex measuring cup with spout
• Teapot
• Water heated to medium
• Large glass cutting board

Instructions

1. Melt your beeswax using a wax melter. If you do not have a commercial solar melter, try making one yourself. Simple and inexpensive to build, find patterns available online from such sites as Beesource.com. You may also use a double boiler to melt your wax.

2. Filter the melted wax by pouring it into another vessel where the opening has been covered by new pantyhose. At this time, time you should also start to heat your teapot to medium and begin heating up the water.

3. Place the mold in the center of a large brownie pan. Your regulation-sized mold should be at least an inch, but under two inches thick. Very slowly pour the freshly filtered wax into the mold.

4. Set a large glass cutting board on the top of the brownie pan. Close the oven and wipe your hands clean, as your work for the day is done. Let the mold rest overnight.

5. Remove the cutting board and then take out the mold after it sits overnight. Un-mold the block by slowly turning it over onto a flat surface.

6. Use the other foot from the pantyhose for polishing. Pull it over your hand like a mitten. Your objective is to softly smooth the wax block off and polish it up. You will need to soften sharp edges in the polishing process.

7. Your wax block is now complete and ready for competition!

Tips & Warnings

• You may find blemishes in your first few molding attempts. Divots can appear if the mold is on an uneven surface. If the pan was not completely covered in mold release, areas of the wax may get stuck to the side and cause a discoloration to appear on the sides. If your wax block cracks, the wax probably cooled too quickly.

• Wax is highly flammable and should never be left unattended while melting.

References

• Metro Atlanta Beekeepers: Honey Contest Rules and Regulations
• Beesource: Solar Wax Melters
• Alabama Farmer's Federation: Bee and Honey Producers