Discussion on beeswax

It will be the first time that I will make my own paste beeswax polish. From what I have heard it is a 5 to 1 ratio. That is one part beeswax for 5 parts of mineral oil. The first recipe I have is: 1 part beeswax for 5 parts of mineral oil. The second is : 1 part of beeswax for 3 parts of mineral oil and 2 parts of vegetable oil The third is : 1 part of beeswax for 4 1/2 parts of mineral oil and 1/2 part of carnauba wax. The fourth is: 1 part of beeswax for 2 part of turpentine and 3 parts of mineral oil. And it goes on and on with all kind of recipes. As for the preparation, some are using double boilers on the stove top. Other are using the microwaves and some simply place the recipient on a wood stove. The raw beeswax is either purchased from local beekeepers or some re-sellers that at time may get the wax from China. At this time, I do not have a procurement source for raw carnauba wax. The mineral oil I can either get it from the drugstore or the farm feed-store. It will be my first time and I would appreciate some feedback from the woodturners community. TIA

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Reply to
Denis Marier
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Reply to
Jim Pugh

Beeswax is a bit on the soft & sticky side, as waxes go, but this is fine if you are aware of that and want that.

Vegetable oil goes rancid, and is a Bad Idea as any part of a finish for that reason. People use it, and the people who use it have rancid-smelling salad bowls and cutting boards. Ick. Don't go there.

Carnauba is a harder wax, which will give this a bit more shine, and make it less sticky than the pure beeeswax.

Which will dry faster than the non-turpentine recipies.

Wax should be heated in a double boiler, never by direct heat. If the mixture is using turpentine, the hot wax should be removed from the area of the stove (preferably outside) before the turpentine is mixed in. Turpentine near a hot stove is a bad idea, and if the stove has open flame (a gas stove), it's a Very Bad Idea.

My personal preference is to avoid beeswax altogether, as I find it softer and stickier than I like a wax to be. It gathers fingerprints and dirt too easily, though it does smell nice. I use pure carnauba (straight on a buff, or mixed with turpentine for hand application), or a mixture of about 1/3 carnauba, 1/3 boiled linseed oil (BLO), and 1/3 turpentine. In actual fact, when I make the mixture I get the carnuba and turpentine premixed as clear (non-colored/untinted) bowling alley wax, and mix 2/3 that to 1/3 BLO; no heating needed, and much easier to find locally than pure carnauba (though it is easy enough to mail-order if you want it).

I would expect rather slow drying from the mineral oil (since it does not really dry), though I could see using it for a food contact application where turpentine or BLO might be objectionable.

Reply to
Ecnerwal

I've never heard of any beeswax polish anything like that.

Try this

(Search rec.knives for "beeswax" and my address)

1:3 beeswax and turpentine. Mineral oil is entirely the wrong thing to use.

Use local beeswax too, don't import the stuff !

Reply to
Andy Dingley

Denis I use 1 part beeswax to 3 parts mineral oil and 3 parts canola or corn oil. the vegetable oils do not go rancid. Where do people get those ideas? They have not gone rancid in the 9 years I have been using them.

Reply to
Darrell Feltmate

Sometimes, vegetable oils go rancid, sometimes they don't. The only explanation that I have heard that really made any sense was a reply by George when I asked that question. 'Salad Bowl Finishes', Jan. 11,

2005.

Darrell Feltmate wrote:

Reply to
robo hippy

Hi all

I use 1 part pure tung oil and 2 parts real turpentine, for penetration and faster drying, I also use Sunflower oil, it's a vegetable oil, it does NOT go rancid, animal fats and oils go rancid.

Carnauba wax mixed with beeswax, (the stuff bees make to keep their honey safe and fresh in) makes for a softer food safe wax, you can use more or less carnauba to make a harder or softer wax, just heat and mix.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

Ecnerwal wrote:

Reply to
Leo Van Der Loo

Shave the beeswax, or any wax, finely to help it along. If you shave it fine, it will dissolve over a couple of days on its own. Heat will do it faster, but it has to be low heat lest you ignite your brew.

After all the hassle, and results I was not particularly fond of - work that wept mineral oil when displayed in the sun - I went to walnut oil. Even with the wax in the way, it seems to cure, but now I just use the oil, and run some wax in later if I want it.

If you apply your nose to commercial products like

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B's Oil Wood Preserver, you'll recognize thefriendly odors of walnut and beeswax, and the mixing job's done for you.As mentioned before in another thread, SWMBO will like your beeswax/mineraloil mixture - it's cold cream, if she adds a scent and a bit of alcohol.

Reply to
George

From my nose, applied to products coated with vegetable oil (probably soy).

Reply to
Ecnerwal

Denis, People have a lot of personal preferences when it comes to finishes. Start by making up small batches to see what you prefer. I use ointment tins (you can use small candy tins) and one of those plug-in coffee cup warmers to melt beeswax and mineral oil or beeswax and walnut oil or beeswax and carnauba. I haven't bothered with exact ratios, just spoon a little out, let it cool and see if it is the consistency you want, and then adjust as necessary. I don't mix the beeswax with any solvents, that's my personal preference. And that's my opinion on beeswax. I find that the beeswax/mineral mixture is also good on shoes and smells better than shoe polish.

Martin Long Island, New York

Reply to
Martin Rost

i don't know a lot about wax finishes....but have been experimenting with them myself and found these observations:

  1. you can usually buy carnuba wax in candle making supply stores....don't know where you live, but if in the Seattle area, then i can tell you one.
  2. carnuba wax is hard and polishes great with the right application, you may have trouble applying and buffing it if you put too much into the mixture....it works particularly great on ink pens and briar pipes....other small, easily buffed wood objects.
  3. beeswax is available in apiary supply stores...again i know one. also available in candle supply stores.
  4. if you leave out turpentine and other dissolving/drying agents, then you essentially get salad bowl finish.
  5. opinion only...vegetable oils tend to go rancid when coming into contact with food over long periods of time and the right temperature...bacteria love food and that means almost anything you use will need cleaning. some chemicals are relatively easy to clean and others are not....anything soft or liquid is going to attract and hold food. anything hard will be easy to clean.
Reply to
res055a5

Hi,

You said that "I use 1 part pure tung oil and 2 parts real turpentine, for penetration

Is this for Tung oil mixture only or you are blending it with beeswax. TIA

Reply to
Denis Marier

Hi Denis

Yes that's right, only pure tung oil and real turpentine, if I want a wax, then I wait until the tung has hardened, if that is not shiny enough I use Carnauba wax, I find the bees wax just to soft, tung is much better in my opinion, it just takes longer to get a few coats on, but if you take your time it's a very nice finish and it is safe like bees wax, I never use mineral oil, it's like uncolored motor oil, and it never dries.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

Denis Marier wrote:

oil, it does NOT get rancid,

Reply to
Leo Van Der Loo

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