Was working on a project the other day, and after doing the normal sanding sealer coat, it was time to apply the paste wax. Well its been a little hotter here of late, and on opening the tin, I found the wax was more liquid than solid. So what the heck, applied it.
The resulting finish was the best I have had with the wax. Has anyone else experienced this? Or used paste wax in this fashion?
Back in the old days, when I was in the (US) Army, we used to polish floors for one reason or another... whether we wanted to or not.
Johnson's Paste wax was the typical application(because it was inexpensive and available), and there was always a higher gloss if we heated it first to make it liquid before application. I've always assumed it's because the hot, fluid wax was able to flow deeper into the ancient floor tile, thus producing a better, shinier finish once we buffed it. (the hot wax treatment seemed to last at least twice as long as hand application of the solid/paste product). To make it fluid, we'd set the can on fire then choke off the flame by replacing the top briefly and then poured and spread the liquid wax, which would have significant issues today with safety, (potential for burns, setting off smoke and fire alarms and such), but back then if we had sprinklers in the barracks, we were in a "new" building...
Ah, the smell of fresh buffed, hot wax. Just the thought brings back memories.
--Rick
And then after the floor was waxed we walked on it only with our wool socks until the CO's inspection. After applying paste wax I use a hot air electric gun to make it fluid and I buff the piece after.
In colder weather (late fall through early spring) I heat my shop with a barrel stove. When I'm putting the wax on a piece I apply it as paste and then open the door to the stove and hold it in the high heat at the open door. I rotate it till the wax melts into the piece and the wood is warm enough the whole way through. Then I let it cool slowly. Before I buff it I take it out into the cold for a bit to harden the wax. It seems to give a more even coating and is easier to bring up a good shine. If I do a second coat of wax I do it normally without the heat.
I guess you'd have to use Johnson's now, with the friggin' safety laws..
Because they've stayed true to what works, and not added non-skid stuff, they can't call their product "floor wax" anymore, as I understand it..
mac
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Funny how we all do similar things, in the late fifties and sixties when I turned wood in Holland, I would get but ends of beeswax candles from a hunting friend of my Dad, (he did some of the church shores) I would hold the candle against the spinning wood and than at high speed I would press hard with a rag against it, the wax would melt under the friction heat and that was my finish in those day, looked good IMO. Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo
I used to do that with carnauba wax.. low tech buffing, before I got the Bealle setup..
Works pretty good if you don't burn your hand or get the rag hung up in the piece.. A rag flapping around at 3,000 rpm is not a fun thing.... DAMHIKT
mac
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