Wax on Wax Off, Daniel San

[Prashun Patel]

I posted a related q on the previous thread:

I'm working on a project that follows an oil/varnish base top coat with "oil with a handful of grated beeswax thrown in".

I have some Minwax pastewax that I'd like to use in place of the beeswax. Any downside to this? The pastewax is a might softer than pure, hard beeswax, so I'll probably have to put more into the mix.

Is there a downside to using pastewax instead of beeswax?

[Howard Acheson]

I am not sure what you are doing. Could you supply some more info about the finish you are planning to use?

In general paste waxes are mixtures of multiple types of waxes like carnuba, paraffins and beeswax with a petroleum thinner added to make it into a paste.

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks Howard. I am attempting a walnut rocking chair, for which the designer recommends an oil varnish ("Maloof mix") as the top coat, followed by an oil/wax mix.

Instead of Maloof, I'm using a blend of Waterlox and BLO. The top mix recommended by the designer is about 70% oil + 30% beeswax. Since I have pastewax - which is pretty solid, I was thinking to just replace it one-for-one for the beeswax.

I'm guessing it should be ok.

[Casey Gooding]

It should work out OK. Just use less oil than normal. Add enough oil to make a consistency of softened butter.

[Scott Holmes]

I'm confused... "The top mix recommended by the designer is about 70% oil + 30% beeswax."

Where's the oil? Waterlox is varnish.

[Pete McMahon]

I'll second Scott's confusion. I found the designer request confusing. My question is where did he\she come up with that one? My guess is someone told them their "secret recipe" You could politely ask why not just use wax from the can? I'd love to hear that answer.
Is the designer a finisher?

[Prashun Patel]

I've explained it badly. The designer is following the Sam Maloof finish recipe.

There are TWO 'topcoats', actually.

I googled "maloof finish recipe", and found this:

http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/finishing.htm
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2004&filter=maloof%20finish

The first few coats are varnish + oil (1/3 varnish + 1/3 tung + 1/3 BLO).
These coats are followed by wax + oil (1/3 beeswax + 1/3 tung + 1/3 BLO).

I've already made my own conclusions about the validity of using BLO AND tung oil, and about using mineral spirits instead of such a heavy oil component, so I don't want to debate that (here), just whether the beeswax will sub out for other types of wax. I'm gonna try it.

[Conrad Fiore]

Shawn,
The beeswax smells better. ;)