bees wax

[IRON FIST RICH]

hope this is in the right thread, if not mods please move. i need to know what should the oil to bees wax mix be thanks in advancve


RICH

[peacock]

I use 20 parts boiled linseed 1 0r 2 parts bees wax. I keep it in an old crockpot, heat it up to a slow boil paint it on.
Works great on wood or metal. It can be a little slow to dry but gives great protection & looks. By yhe way when
your done with it put the lid on the crockpot and the stuff you left on the edge of the pot will cool off and seal it up
keeping the oil from evaporating.

[Naz]

Rich,
You will find a lot of different ratios out there.
A good place to start for standard inside ironwork is 1/3 beeswax, 1/3 boiled linseed oil and 1/3 varsol (or mineral spirits).
I make it in small batches as it tends to dry up over time and is more difficult to work with.
I also recommend you keep it in a closed container. This is to retain the formula's humidity longer.

Good luck !
Naz

[K. Bryan Morgan]

I just use straight bees wax, no muss no fuss.

[Old N Rusty]

Bees wax can be found on the alter of any Catholic church all the candles must be be...ZAP!!

[Frank Turley]

I use Johnson's old fashioned paste floor wax with the doors and windows open. It's getting a little hard to find at the local grocers, however.

[ThomasPowers]

As I recall ecclesiastical candles are now a 51% beeswax mix nowadays and asking your church for the stubs to recycle is a good thing.

[lordcaradoc]

I have a formula a friend posted to You Tube about. Its 2 parts Beeswax, 2 parts turpentine and one part boiled linseed oil.

Here's the video: Beeswax Coating for Metalsmiths

I use an old crock pot myself as it is easily self contained and keep it in a tin I got from Goodwill.

Regards,
Tim

[Jacques]

Does it have to be beeswax?
I've got access to lots of scrap oil based wax.

[Nathan Hall]

I have been using a toilet bowl ring melted down, whatever wax that is lol!!!! dumped a quart of boiled linseed oil, 32 oz. of mineral spirits in an old fry daddy deep fryer and tossed in the toilet bowl ring, and a card deck size chunk of parrafin melted all together and have had no troubles with it yet, it goes on easy and the fryer keeps it liquid, and remelts it fast the next time.

[Pat Roy]

I've used plain parafin wax with good results. Currently I'm using the 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 formula and that is good. I think the next time I make a batch I will cut down the amount of beeswax slightly. I found beeswax alone remains sticky for a long time.

[Judson Yaggy]

I use beeswax/linseed oil/turpentine in equal measures as well. As a small time beekeeper I've never messed around with other waxes as the girls out in the hives make enough wax for my needs.

Some tips for dealing with wax: To get a good mix, small chunks are best. Freeze your wax, then use a fine cheese grater to dice it up into bits that the solvent (turpentine, etc.) can dissolve quickly. Do not use your wife's good grater, or if you do don't tell her that it was my idea. Alternatively, melt the wax (FIRE HAZARD-use a double boiler) and pour the oil, then the turpentine into the mix. DO NOT do your mixing on the stovetop or near open flames.

This stuff is for inside use only. For outside work, sandblast, then zinc primer, then primer, then 2 coats finish, then highlight paint. If near an ocean hot dip galvanize then primer, etc.

[ricejm01]

I use the 2 parts Bees wax, 2 parts turpentine, 1 part boiled linseed oil for finishing work for non-food applications. For food applications, straight bees wax, or canola oil (makes a nice shiny black finish).

If you go to the big box store you can purchase a new metal 1Qt paint can in the paint department. You can then use that can to as part of a double boiler. You should never heat wax directly, a high chance of a flash fire. I personally use a hot plate outside and an old pot I use for candle making, I fill pot with water and put the can in the water. I fill the can with chucks of wax. once the wax is melted I then pull it out and let it start to cool a little. I then add then add the turpentine and boiled linseed oil. stir well, and I put the lid on the can and let it cool until the next day. ( a trick for getting the wax volume correct. figure out your parts you will be using and fill the can with water with the 1 part then use a sharpie marker to mark a line in the inside of the can at the water level. pour out the water, then you can then melt the wax until you reach line you just marked).

A note on wax, Not all bees wax are the same. There are softer and harder bees waxes. I've used the softer bees wax from toilet floor flange seal. I have also used candle grade bees waxes. I prefer the candle grade waxes because it is harder and the mix goes a lot farther. The candle waxes can be pricey though. It all depends on what your budget and preferences are.

[teenylittlemetalguy]

Just for the record, toilet bowl rings are not beeswax.
Real beeswax is expensive and toilet bowl rings are cheap. Would be a shame if it was toxic and someone used it on a food grade item.

[Nathan Hall]

True, I do not use any wax on food items, I use cooking spray or vegetable oil.

[BTKS]

In my incredibly limited experience, I've really liked straight bees wax. I'll give this oil / wax / turpentine mix a try. I can see how it would coat easier and more evenly. I have a twisted handle fire poker that still has bits of wax in the double twist.

[pkrankow]

I mixed
1 part paraffin wax
1 part turpentine
1 part "boiled" linseed oil

It makes a nice paste at room temperature and is easy to work with. I have used it on wood and metal myself, but it is supposed to be good on leather and canvass too.

I like this mix on my garden tools since it seems to quickly wear off the surface yet still protect the wood against wet.

I melt the wax in a double boiler, then carry the whole thing outside. The heat from the water is enough to finish the mixing. I put mine in a new clean metal paint can to cool and store.

Phil

[IRON FIST RICH]

does the mixture stay liquid or do you reheat each time to use it??

[pkrankow]

I find it to be a soft solid and do not reheat. Sometimes it separates a little and I mix the container cold to stir it back in.

Phil

[Frosty]

Right now I have a nice chunk of beeswax and use it straight up. Before I used the formula in "Art Of Blacksmithing" but used paraphin and mixed it by eye. I melted the paraphin in a double boiler and added about 1pt in 3 turpentine, then I added lamp black and lastly added neatsfoot oil till it was the consistency of shoe polish when cool.

As I recall from AOB the lamp black, soot, graphite, etc. in the mix fills any pours in the iron when it's hot so water vapor can't enter. It also blackens the iron which is what I think is the real reason. You can buy different graphite based powders at an art supply, ranging from silver gray to dead black.

Plain bees wax tends to stay tacky unless I wipe it nearly clean.

Frosty the Lucky.

[Drewed]

I use straight up bees wax, unless I've hit the piece with a brass brush, then I use paraffin. I use heat from the metal to melt it right on to the piece, then "burnish" it on my apron when cold enough to hold, but still slightly warm. Then again, I mostly making indoor pieces.

[IRON FIST RICH]

Right now I have a nice chunk of beeswax and use it straight up. Before I used the formula in "Art Of Blacksmithing" but used paraphin and mixed it by eye. I melted the paraphin in a double boiler and added about 1pt in 3 turpentine, then I added lamp black and lastly added neatsfoot oil till it was the consistency of shoe polish when cool.

As I recall from AOB the lamp black, soot, graphite, etc. in the mix fills any pours in the iron when it's hot so water vapor can't enter. It also blackens the iron which is what I think is the real reason. You can buy different graphite based powders at an art supply, ranging from silver gray to dead black.

Plain bees wax tends to stay tacky unless I wipe it nearly clean.

Frosty the Lucky.

this is what has happened, i have to almost always heat my project up to rid the tacky bees wax