11-14-2011, 01:30 AM
freeradical wrote:
[quote=Winston]
You do know they make candles out of beeswax because it burns easily, right? :boink:
Good point. Now I feel dumb for even trying this.:banghead:
I was joking. Paper burns easily, and I use it all the time in the microwave to cover things. But I bet the ignition temperature of beeswax is really low.
Nope:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beeswax
Beeswax has a high melting point range, of 62 to 64 °C (144 to 147 °F). If beeswax is heated above 85 °C (185 °F) discoloration occurs. The flash point of beeswax is 204.4 °C (399.9 °F).
If I remember my Ray Bradbury correctly, paper starts burning at 451 °F. Not that much higher.
But that doesn't say anything about how easily beeswax absorbs microwave energy. There might also have been some local hot spots.
One source I found says honey boils at about 160 °F and the wax melts at 150 °F. Same source says not to boil honey, and keep it below 120 °F.
http://www.loraincountybeekeepers.org/PD...rvest1.pdf
So it sounds like warm water might be the best bet.
Good luck.
- Winston