Using Bee's Wax

[FabianRW]

Thanks! Going to get some turpentine today and give it a try.
And, Yes, definitely an outside project... that's why I can't do my encaustic painting in the mobile home - sets off the smoke alarms.

How long do you think it will it keep in the jar?

No problem, that'll keep well in an airtight jar (must be glass/metal lid because turps melts plastic) but yeah no reason why it'll dry out, what does happen if it is left for around a year or more is it starts to develop dry lumps within the thing which is the wax crystallizing because wax slowly clumps and dries, that's why the bees make it because it slowly dries and gets rid of water from the nectar to turn into honey, keeps it from going off.
That's why beeswax is so good but also why it will over time actually dry the wood if not maintained with more and more, essentially displacing the low moisture content in the wood with beeswax.

So in essence the wax never dries out beyond use, all you have to do is stir it a bit of it starts to conglomerate, boiled linseed also is ejected if mixed into beeswax after a very long time, it's pretty unique stuff and when used just right is really versatile but when used wrong, ie not maintained with more, can weaken the wood in time.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

You were asking me about firearms, and pictures of them. I didn't comment, then you pressed for an answer. I gave you an answer, and it seems that isn't good enough, either.

I don't give a crap about your "firearms" arsenal.
I was interested in seeing the stock you refinished.
If you had specifically said to begin with, "I don't want to post photos of my guns" I would have understood.
Your nebulous reply just led to more questions.

And, actually, YOU were the one who mentioned your gun stock first.
You could have just mentioned all those other things you made.

 

[pdqdl]

I don't give a crap about your "firearms" arsenal.
I was interested in seeing the stock you refinished.
If you had specifically said to begin with, "I don't want to post photos of my guns" I would have understood.
Your nebulous reply just led to more questions.

And, actually, YOU were the one who mentioned your gun stock first.
You could have just mentioned all those other things you made.

Read it again, and you will see that I never mentioned any possession.

"It used to be the treatment of preference for rifle stocks."​

​

NOTHING was nebulous about my reply, either. I said "Never took pictures of them. That was before there was a such thing as a digital camera, anyway."

To which you damn sure asked about my guns.

You got rid of the guns?

That was the last question you asked me, prior to your rant at me over the defense of my personal privacy.

There is no need to make a fight about all this. I have been perfectly clear in my answers and responses. I don't think you are entitled to regulate my answers, so kindly just take what I tell without trying to regulate it.

Just remember: I do a very poor job of interpreting what you think you asked/said. I will always read and understand the literal meaning of what you print. And very predictably not much of anything else.

​

 

[pdqdl]

... The wax needs to be quite thin to soak right in whereas boiled linseed just goes in and stays in better, so you'd ideally put that on first and maintain say once a year with that.

when melting the highly flammable wax and pouring thin into trays to make flakes for thinning

It occurs to me that you are working too hard to make "thin" strips of beeswax. Just get a block of beeswax and an old fashioned carpenters plane, set it for the depth of shavings you want, and just churn 'em out fast as you wish.




Not perhaps so easy if you don't have a hand planer, but doesn't everyone have one sitting in their basement? Maybe dad's workshop?

 

[TNTreeHugger]

If your goal is a natural finish of some sort, I'd consider linseed oil. Tung oil is more popular and a bit higher priced.

No, this was the question:
"Anyone else use wax to seal/preserve their wood carvings?"

Have you used any of those?

Linseed oil, yes. It used to be the treatment of preference for rifle stocks.

I would love to see photos of the wood gun stocks you made.

Never took pictures of them.

You got rid of the guns?

That was about 45 years ago.

And...?

I still have this oil (using boiled linseed oil) on distressed wood I made 55 years ago.

I never had any patience for carving, nor any desire, either.

I've never tried beeswax as a finish.

It occurs to me that you are working too hard to make "thin" strips of beeswax. Just get a block of beeswax and an old fashioned carpenters plane, set it for the depth of shavings you want, and just churn 'em out fast as you wish.

Advice from someone who never tried beeswax as a finish.


You know, it would have saved us all a lot of wasted time if you had led with this:
"I've never tried beeswax as a finish."
"I never had any patience for carving, nor any desire, either."
Why would you even bother to reply at all since this was the question I asked?:
"Anyone else use wax to seal/preserve their wood carvings?"


And that's all the time I'm going to waste here on your little derailment.


PS, in case you missed it earlier:
You're generous with producing helpful information to other members, but if you can't also produce evidence of personal practical experience of obtaining that information, it's no more useful, or verifiable, than a google search.

 

[pdqdl]

And it would have been a lot easier for all of us if you said "Don't bother answering my question unless you are willing to prove your merit to my satisfaction"

You've done a nice job of killing your own thread, by the way.

 

[SS396driver]

I have used Howard's Beeswax and orange oil on lots of items . Gives a nice finish

 

[pdqdl]

PS, in case you missed it earlier:
You're generous with producing helpful information to other members, but if you can't also produce evidence of personal practical experience of obtaining that information, it's no more useful, or verifiable, than a google search.

I don't expect to be questioned about the veracity of my statements, unless they seem outlandish to begin with. If you're not going to accept the freely given responses, you shouldn't bother asking.

I also noticed that you accepted FabianRW's comments without asking for any pictures or other proof. I see how this works...

 

[gggGary]

Beeswax is used on leather goods (horse saddles) So I swipe it from my wife and use it on vinyll motorcycle seats. It really seams to help old dry stiff vinyl. Much better than all those vinyl spritz bottles in the big box stores that are mostly water. It's a thick paste.

It would be too personal to show you pics of where my butt is placed. ;^)

 

[TNTreeHugger]

I have used Howard's Beeswax and orange oil on lots of items . Gives a nice finish

Very nice - Love the bread bowl! Did you make it from scratch, or did you salvage an antique?
How do you apply the Howards, and do you heat it at all?

I found the Howards:
https://www.menards.com/main/paint/...tioner-1-pt/feedwaxfw0016/p-1444433594852.htmAnd their MSDS:
https://hw.menardc.com/main/items/media/HOWAR019/SDS/Feed-N-Wax_SDS.pdfLooks like it's petroleum-based wax and turpentine?

Found this comparing the two waxes:

"depends on what you want to use it for. i prefer bees wax for my wax finishes over using paraffin wax. bees wax is softer then paraffin so it soaks into the wood better. for puting on my metal i usualy just grab some minwax finishing wax. it works just as well as something you make yourself and unless you are realy hard on your metal surfaces it does the trick. if you can get the bees wax and mix up some wax finish. here are 3 mixes for finishes i use the mineral oil one because it is cheaper and i have used it for a while and it works.
1. Equal parts tung oil, boiled linseed oil and beeswax. Melt wax in a double saucepan for safety.
2. Two ounces beeswax, one pint turpentine, and linseed oil equal to the volume of the wax/turps mix. The wax will dissolve in the turps if shaved.
3. Mineral oil and beeswax mixed at 1:5 or 1:6 ratio. This is food safe"
https://www.woodtalkonline.com/topic/7536-beeswax-or-paraffin/

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Beeswax is used on leather goods (horse saddles) So I swipe it from my wife and use it on vinyll motorcycle seats. It really seams to help old dry stiff vinyl. Much better than all those vinyl spritz bottles in the big box stores that are mostly water. It's a thick paste.
View attachment 983775
It would be too personal to show you pics of where my butt is placed. ;^)

Looks like Aussie is a combination of both waxes.
https://www.springfieldleather.com/sds-sheets/Fiebings/Fiebings Aussie Conditioner.pdf

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Picked up some turpentine today.
Going to try out the beeswax/terps mixture on the bamboo cane when I finish sanding it.

Wish I knew what was in the Master Paste. I'd like to thin it a little, but not sure what with. No ingredients on the container.

 

[SS396driver]

Very nice - Love the bread bowl! Did you make it from scratch, or did you salvage an antique?
How do you apply the Howards, and do you heat it at all?

I found the Howards:
https://www.menards.com/main/paint/...tioner-1-pt/feedwaxfw0016/p-1444433594852.htmAnd their MSDS:
https://hw.menardc.com/main/items/media/HOWAR019/SDS/Feed-N-Wax_SDS.pdfLooks like it's petroleum-based wax and turpentine?

Found this comparing the two waxes:

"depends on what you want to use it for. i prefer bees wax for my wax finishes over using paraffin wax. bees wax is softer then paraffin so it soaks into the wood better. for puting on my metal i usualy just grab some minwax finishing wax. it works just as well as something you make yourself and unless you are realy hard on your metal surfaces it does the trick. if you can get the bees wax and mix up some wax finish. here are 3 mixes for finishes i use the mineral oil one because it is cheaper and i have used it for a while and it works.
1. Equal parts tung oil, boiled linseed oil and beeswax. Melt wax in a double saucepan for safety.
2. Two ounces beeswax, one pint turpentine, and linseed oil equal to the volume of the wax/turps mix. The wax will dissolve in the turps if shaved.
3. Mineral oil and beeswax mixed at 1:5 or 1:6 ratio. This is food safe"
https://www.woodtalkonline.com/topic/7536-beeswax-or-paraffin/

Yes I made it from a piece of firewood . I only use it on non food preparation items . For food items just mineral oil

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Yes I made it from a piece of firewood . I only use it on non food preparation items . For food items just mineral oil

What tool did you use to carve out the bowl, a hook knife?
I bought one, but haven't really used it yet.

 

[SS396driver]

No I used an Arbortech planer

I have since made a adze to do it more traditionally

 

[wardog]

I use my beeswax to paint my new plastic foundations when I install them into my hives. I start to melt my beeswax in the microwave and then transfer it into one of those small crock pots. That keeps it hot enough to paint the beeswax onto the foundations. I just let it cool down after done with it in the crock pot and the next time take the liner out into the microwave to get started melting and then back to the heater part.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Worked some more on the bamboo cane today
Tried out my wood burning set I bought last year... finally have time to use it.
I used the beeswax technique I used on the other solid wood canes, but too much heat and it want's to split. Had to apply a much thinner coat of wax.

Not bad for a beginner.

Here's before...

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Here's another one from the barn, I made for my dad 34 years ago - brand new quarter, 1988
This one was stained and polyurethaned.

 

[FabianRW]

It occurs to me that you are working too hard to make "thin" strips of beeswax. Just get a block of beeswax and an old fashioned carpenters plane, set it for the depth of shavings you want, and just churn 'em out fast as you wish.

View attachment 983689


Not perhaps so easy if you don't have a hand planer, but doesn't everyone have one sitting in their basement? Maybe dad's workshop?

I do it on bulk, a large bucket of wax at a time, I found some blocks in a skip outside a woodturner's where the guy had died and his family were selling everything off. The wax turned out to be mostly beeswax, I already had a load and now I'm keeping bees so for me melting to reclaim wax is the way to go. It was grainy and dirty, always needs melting to filter or settle the debris out so I save effort by pouring it out and I use the energy from an outdoor fire when I have roots etc to burn, so very relaxing and enjoyable labour-free method.