boiling frames question.

[nonstandard]

Finman
How much lye (caustic soda) do you add to a gallon or litre if water?

.....of water

 

[Finman]

.

3-5%. Depends how much you have frames. Lye turn wax to soap and it goes to bottom.
Take the wax-soap foam off from surface. Frames will be cleaner.

If lye is too little, wax stays on surface and attach to frames as dirty.

.

 

[peterbees]

Sorry to bump this thread but I have had the offer of some old and manky supers and manley frames at a bargain price, I suspect the frames would be best used on the fire but was wondering about boiling the supers in washing soda or 'not' boiling them in caustic, (I have plenty of open space to do it in and the necessary equipment).

What strength solution would you use for each method?

I would blowlamp the supers and burn the frames.

 

[Finman]

I would blowlamp the supers and burn the frames.

I made that 40 years untill I heard how to boil frames. The Danish beekeepers told to Finish how to do that.

Boiling and burning are different things.

In burning you must clean the frames quite carefully for exemple after sun melter.

A week ago I soaked frames, which came directly from the sun melter.