Help with Briwax

[Kevin Gregoire]

i bought a tub of briwax for my machines but when i popped the top it was not solid but liquidy. it had the look and consistency of apple sauce?

it was just a little warm out in the shop but not hot. i just figured it would be hard like a stick of cold butter?

is it a bad tub or is that the way it is??

[Andrew Gibson]

I have a can of briwax in my shop. last time I used it the temp was in the mid 80's I believe. the only time it seemed to start to melt was if it was sitting in the sun.

It's supposed to hit 96 here tomorrow, I will have to pop it open and see what it looks like.

My best recomendation would be to let it sit in the house over night and see if it sets up, if not I would probably bring it back.

[Trace Beard]

FYI: Briwax contains toluene, not sure how that would effect cast iron but you may want to check.

Trace

[Mark A Johnson]

I keep my junk wax, however I use regular high grade automotive wax. It would seem that the configuration of a wax for wood, would have a different chemical package. You might want to check before you apply anything.

[Steve Bracken]

i bought a tub of briwax for my machines but when i popped the top it was not solid but liquidy. it had the look and consistency of apple sauce?

it was just a little warm out in the shop but not hot. i just figured it would be hard like a stick of cold butter?

is it a bad tub or is that the way it is??

I use Crystal Paste Wax .... It's half the price, stays solid even in Oklahoma, and doesn't have unhelpful additives (that I know of).

[Clint Schlosser]

My can is like that, I just stir it up a little and its fine. I use it on machines and projects all the time.

[Kevin Gregoire]

i read a bunch of articles where people use briwax for there machine tops, everyone likes it.

[Darin Higginbotham]

I use it on all of my machines,seems to stick around longer than some of the other waxes.

[Kevin Gregoire]

i brought my can of wax in last night and put it in the fridge. i checked it today and it was
firm but not hard like i have seen other waxes?

i wonder if i have a bad can?

i did just wax my tablesaw last weekend but i should try the briwax and see what its like?

[Will Blick]

I just tried this for the first time...anyone else use it? Results? Looks good, but not a slippery as wax...

http://z.about.com/d/woodworking/1/G/Z/9/-/-/BoeshieldT9.jpg

[Neil Brooks]

however I use regular high grade automotive wax. It would seem that the configuration of a wax for wood, would have a different chemical package. You might want to check before you apply anything.

Careful.

Many (if not most) automotive waxes contain silicone. Silicone + wood = difficulty in getting finishes to take, properly.

If this doesn't apply to the wax YOU'RE using ... maybe it'll help somebody else :)

[Kevin Gregoire]

the first wax i got is Renaissance Wax (http://www.woodcraft.com/Search/search.aspx?SI=3a095187-b6f2-4cd3-a002-a9f1db67cbd1&Action=14&AXD=%2fCatalog%2fProductPage.aspx%3fprodid%3d462%2 6ss%3d3a095187-b6f2-4cd3-a002-a9f1db67cbd1%7e08G22%7eRenaissance+Wax%7e29.99) and i really liked that and it acted like what i think wax should (car wax anyway) and it left a nice slick finish.

i used the briwax on my DP last night and it didnt seem to harden up after i applied it and i let it sit a long time but the 'haze' never appeared, i then rubbed it out and the table was a little slick but not as much as with the Renaissance wax.

i might just take the briwax back and keep getting the spendy stuff!

[Kevin Gregoire]

can anyone tell me if Briwax is supposed to glaze over after its applied?
or does it just stay clear and then you rub it off?

[John Keeton]

Kevin, I have never used Briwax for machines, but Johnson's paste wax is probably the most mentioned wax for cast iron. It is silicone free, glazes over, and seems to do a great job. I have used it for a good while.

Cheap and readily available at the grocery store, Walmart, etc.

http://ace.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p1190483reg.jpg (javascript:showEnhanced();)

[Kevin Gregoire]

i will pick up a can next time im at walmart
what section is it in? furniture cleaners and stuff? or ???

thanks

[Mike Null]

I've been using Johnson's for years. No point in spending a lot of money.

I have Renaissance too, but only for furniture or boxes.

[george wilson]

Renaissance wax is what the conservation dept. of Williamsburg uses,and me also.

Someone wrote that car waxes may rust cast iron. I'd stick with the old Johnson's paste wax. You never want silicone loose around wood that will be finished. It will crater the finish down to the bare wax.

[brad bunkers]

I picked up a can of the johnsons paste wax at lowes a while back. Works good.

[Dan Chouinard]

Another thumbs-up for Johnson's from the Hampton judge.

[Roger Benton]

the briwax just does that, it even mentions on the can that the consistency can change with the temperature.

i have always had a hard time with briwax, while johnsons, and any bowling ally/butchers wax have been no brainers. weird.

[John Downey]

i brought my can of wax in last night and put it in the fridge. i checked it today and it was
firm but not hard like i have seen other waxes?

i wonder if i have a bad can?

i did just wax my tablesaw last weekend but i should try the briwax and see what its like?

Not a bad can, it can be a bit runny when new. The tolulene will slowly evaporate out leaving a firmer wax. No problem using on cast iron, works fine. I don't think you'll see a huge difference if any when waxing machines - once the wax is on it will be like any other product.

[Kevin Gregoire]

im going to try and return my can of briwax but if they dont accept it i might leave the
lid off and see if that evaporates the tolulene and then try using it again.

[John Thompson]

I would just drain off the excessive toulene. Toulene has an odor that will linger for days as it doesn't gas off as soon as some other solvents. I used the Johnson for years with good results but now use Renaissance as it dries harder IMO cutting time between waxing. I am in the shop daily and wax down south in the humidity about every two weeks as friction from wood takes the wax off. The Johnson's would hold for about a week and a half under my conditions and Renaissane holds for an additional week for me. I use strickly Liberon on furniture as the Renaissance is very expensive and I reserve it for my cast iron. I have also used Butcher's which last about as long as the Johnson's.

Good luck...

[Kevin Gregoire]

http://i46.tinypic.com/2e3saqr.jpg hehehehehe he said 'wax down south'




sorry but couldnt resist

[Howard Acheson]

>>>>>> Someone wrote that car waxes may rust cast iron.

That is very true. Most car waxes contain water as an emulsion to make the wax easier to spread. Stay with a standard furniture wax to apply to cast iron surfaces.

[george wilson]

Wax down South where the cast iron's rotting,shiny there is soon forgotten,wax away! Wax away! Wax away,Dixie land!!!

[Andy Ryan]

Sorry this is so late in response . . . I just found this site while searching for something else!! I've found with my Briwax that when it gets loose or even liquid, I pop it into the refrigerator overnight and it will get hard again. I've done this many, many times with the same can of wax - I often store my wax in my garage, so in warm weather, it is always soft!! Sometimes when I use Briwax, I like it to be a more liquid consistency; however, for most uses it is best when it is a hard paste!!

[Jim Rimmer]

I use Minwax and it does a good job.

+1 on staying away from automotive wax in a woodshop.

[Jerome Hanby]

Johnson's is my best friend for shop use. Cast Iron, Miter slot runners, anything that needs to slide. I've even been known to actually use it on a finished piece.


Kevin, I have never used Briwax for machines, but Johnson's paste wax is probably the most mentioned wax for cast iron. It is silicone free, glazes over, and seems to do a great job. I have used it for a good while.

Cheap and readily available at the grocery store, Walmart, etc.

http://ace.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p1190483reg.jpg (javascript:showEnhanced();)

[Jim Matthews]

Renaissance wax is expensive.

I brush up castings with an ancient can of Waxilit, and dust off with Top Cote.
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/top-cote.aspx

[Kent A Bathurst]

....... Johnson's paste wax.......

+1

Or, corner hardware store - everybody carries it.

[Norman Hitt]

Kevin, I have never used Briwax for machines, but Johnson's paste wax is probably the most mentioned wax for cast iron. It is silicone free, glazes over, and seems to do a great job. I have used it for a good while.

Cheap and readily available at the grocery store, Walmart, etc.

http://ace.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p1190483reg.jpg (javascript:showEnhanced();)

I think there must be something going on with the wax making industry. I used Johnsons paste wax for years with good results, and then got two cans in a row, about 6 months apart that were almost runny in the can and would NOT glaze over at all. I started using Renassiance wax and it takes very little when rubbed in properly (compared to the Johnsons) and really works a lot better at protecting the CI from Sweat drops. Since this stuff is rather expensive, and everyone else seems to still be having good results from Johnsons, I bought a new can a few months ago to try again, but alas, it was just like the two previous bad cans I got.:mad: For the life of me, I cannot figure out why the wax in the last three cans look and act so differently from all the others I had used for years. I wonder if they have changed the formula or am I just Jinxed? Previous to those three cans, I had NEVER got a bad can before. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.:confused:

[Kent A Bathurst]

Norman - I bought a new can just 10 days ago. Mine is OK - "pasty" consistency. I think it is either (a) you personally or maybe (b) Texans in general? :D :D

Actually - beats me. Maybe there was an issue with a batch - and I bet they make great big honkin' batches - and your purchases are out of the same batch/distribution channel. May be it's time to switch allegiance to Boeshield.

[Norman Hitt]

Yeah Kent, I've used the Boeshield on SOME CI tables, but It just isn't slick enough to suit me, but it does do a great job protecting the metal from rust. I should have mentioned that there was a 5 or 6 year lapse between the first two bad cans and the third bad can of Johnsons, so I doubt they were from the same batch.

[John McBride]

I think there must be something going on with the wax making industry. I used Johnsons paste wax for years with good results, and then got two cans in a row, about 6 months apart that were almost runny in the can and would NOT glaze over at all. I started using Renassiance wax and it takes very little when rubbed in properly (compared to the Johnsons) and really works a lot better at protecting the CI from Sweat drops. Since this stuff is rather expensive, and everyone else seems to still be having good results from Johnsons, I bought a new can a few months ago to try again, but alas, it was just like the two previous bad cans I got.:mad: For the life of me, I cannot figure out why the wax in the last three cans look and act so differently from all the others I had used for years. I wonder if they have changed the formula or am I just Jinxed? Previous to those three cans, I had NEVER got a bad can before. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.:confused:
I know this thread is old, but I too am suffering from a runny and oddly colored can of JPW. Is this just a case of there being too much solvent in the wax? Should I open it up and let it flash off for a few days? Or pitch it and buy a can of Minwax or Butchers?