Beeswax and Linseed oil

[eburgblue]

I heard about this and tried it but ended up with a mess. I mixed the oil with beeswax and heated to melting then painted it on. When the wax set up all I seemed to have was a hardened wax coating on my project. I was able to peel off the heavy stuff and it did polish up good after.

Is this what I should have ended up with or did I not put in enough oil?

It was very difficult to get out of the nooks and crannys. If this is the result I will need to find something else.

Help from anyone......?:(

[Finnr]

I use three parts beeswax, two parts boiled linseed oil and two parts turps. Warm it slowly over an electric burner in a double boiler. I either paint it on black hot metal and then cook it a bit in the forge or apply a very thin coating with a rag. It is also a good wood finish.
Finnr

[pete46]

paint it on black hot metal Finnr

HEAT THE STEEL.
THAT'S WHAT WORKS 4 ME!

[EdCaffreyMS]

This is certainly not something I would recommend doing to a knife blade. For knives the best thing I've found is just a good coat of caranuba automotive paste wax. Put it on just like you would a vehicle.

For ornamental ironwork, I use a mixture of canning wax, beeswax, japan drier, and turpentine. As has been mentioned, the key is to heat the object your coating, generally to a "black heat", then wipe the mixture on. The liquid portions of the mix will be evaporated, leave a fine, even coat of the solids to protect your work.

[skunkriv]

Not something you want to use on food related items either. For that I have been using spray on canola or olive oil from the grocery store.

I heat and mix my wax mixture on a hotplate right in the old dutch oven I keep it in, outdoors.

If you have a spot where the wax is too thick after your piece cools just pass that area over your coal forge, or in front of your gasser, and wipe it down again.

[eburgblue]

Thanks....... sounds like my biggest problem may have been not using enough oil to properly thin the mixtue. I will try again.

[JohnW]

Just in case you didn't notice this -- I've heard that raw linseed oil is a mess, use boiled linseed oil.

[metalmangeler]

If you put hot wax on cold iron it will act like dipping a candle the iron needs to be at least the melting temp of the wax a little less than 150 F.

[Hillbillysmith]

Where do you get beeswax anyway?? I know where to get it in the cylinders, but I was wondering where you get it in the raw, lump form like you see on old colonial t.v shows. Or is that where you would get it is at colonial re-enactments?

[ThomasPowers]

I get beeswax from a beekeeper. I even had one give me a nasty mess of cappings and trash that boiled out to be several pounds of great smelling clean wax---he just didn't want to take the time.

[BT]

Hillbillysmith

One of the members of this forum (Tinkertut) is a beekeeper and sells wax. I buy mine from him. Look up his profile which has a link to his beekeeping site.

[eburgblue]

I picked up a 1 pound block from a crafters store. They had 2 kinds. A real clean whitish type and a raw block that still has bee parts and such in it and is a yellow/brown color.

[Jacob]

I'm a beekeeper, and I'm not sure what they do to the white wax to make it that way. It's naturally that dark yellow. Last time I used some, I needed a small bit, and just put the warm metal on an unfiltered blob with all the cocoons, etc. still in. The cheapest way of cleaning the wax is a solar melter. There are plans online. You get much less beeswax than honey from the hives, so I don't have it to spare. Most of what you can find is imported.

If your metalwork is no longer warm from the forge, you can use a torch to warm it. If it's small enough, an oven or toaster oven works fine.

[Travis Covington]

I get mine from a craft store. A pound is about $15 . Sounds like alot but a pound goes a long way

[fat pete]

here in PA dutch (farms)country there are tons of beekeepers. never used it....i just use boiled linseed oil...i got some japan drier but havent played with it yet...I have been using butchers wax and am pleased with the satin typ finish it leaves.....too cold to fool around unless I am forgin'

[metalmangeler]

If you can not find a beekeeper near you who will sell wax at a good price you can buy it from the bee supply co. Mann Lake has deep brood foundation in their 2007 catalog for $140 for 25# this is after it has been made into foundaton which can easly be remelted for our purposes. A little less than $6.00 a pound. Direct from the keeper should be less. You might also try Dadant, Walter T. Kelley Co. or AI Root. These places sell in as small as 10 sheet increments. Which depending on the size of the foundaton would be about a pound. I also keep bees and have always kept all my wax which I mix 1:1 with parafin to finish iron work with but if someone started offering $15 for a # I might change my attitude.

[Quenchcrack]

Bees wax is popular with the woodworking group. Check out Woodcraft but be prepared for sticker shock....Also, the parafin wax they sell for canning works pretty good, too. You can get this stuff at any good grocery store that sells canning supplies. Failing all that, boiled lindseed oil can ge bought at Home Depot or Lowes. Heat your iron, wipe on the BLO with a cotton rag and let it smoke off. Works fine. Don't use BLO on cooking impliments, thats what wax is for.

[Glenn]

Be careful what you do with the rag used to oil the steel. They can generate enough heat after use to start their own fire. Play safe.

[Paragon]

I got my block from Michael's local store. It is in the candle making section. You can find small pieces at places like a quilt shop but the price is usually high. They use it to run the thread through or something.

Bees Wax

It is a large block around 9x4x1

[habu68]

Centaur forge has 1# blocks for $6.75 and smaller 2oz blocks. To make smaller blocks melt the wax in a double boiler and cast in a muffin tin. It helps to spray the pan with pam before casting. The wax is hard to completely remove, to keep the Domestic Goddess pleased, it may do you well to have your own pans. The lower you keep your melt temps the lighter color your wax will be.

Your best resource for farrier and blacksmith supplies Product Search "beeswax"

[Paragon]

:confused: Just cut the wax. If you have to, take a thin wire or better an old knife and heat it up to cut right through it.

[habu68]

Yes, but those little muffins are so cute....:p

[robnichols]

I have noticed that the ring seals to replace in the base of your toilet are made of beeswax. They are cheap and found in every Home Depot/lowe's- has anyone tried one of these?

Rob

[gerald]

I tried one.............it WAS NOT bee's wax. I don't know what it was, but the stuff gooped up on warm metal and stayed sticky for days until I put it back in the fire and burned it off so I could use something else (Minwax). Threw the rest of the wax ring in the trash.

[fritzdecat]

This place Jere Kirkpatrick's Valley Forge & Welding

Sells beeswax for smithin