Beeswax

[Robert Brandt2]

1) For a long time, I've heard that there are lots of uses for beeswax in the woodshop, but I hadn't gotten around to any of them.
2) A good source of beeswax is toilet bowl rings/seals.

Welcome to 2010!

Toilet bowl rings aren't beeswax anymore, they are a petroleum based wax. HD has them for about $1/6 oz. In contrast, Woodcraft gets $13/8 oz. for beeswax.:)

Does anyone have any experience using the "new" wax ring material as a finish or anything else?

Anybody know of a list of all the things beeswax is good for?

thanx

[Joe Chritz]

I suppose it is good for lots of things but $6 worth of Johnson's lasts a few years so I never bothered.

I suppose anything you would use any other wax for the beeswax would work as well. My understanding is it is softer than commercial waxes.

Joe

[Roger Newby]

I first used beeswax for a finish around 1964. Equal parts of beeswax, BLO, and turpentine, mixed in a double boiler and applied warm and rubbed in really well. You need multiple coats, but it doesn't really build like a film finish. It does not provide the hard film protection and gloss that poly does, but it does highlight the wood grain in a more natural way. Over time it attains a nice honey color especially on maple and pine. Smells good too.

[Prashun Patel]

Beeswax is a soft wax that is good for some applications. If you want a shinier surface, you'll be better off using a harder wax like paraffin or carnauba. 'Paste' wax is usually a blend of these harder waxes.

IMHO, if you are looking for cheap wax, you're probably better off going to Michaels or CVS and getting some candle wax. The paraffins will be harder and the soy or blend candles will be softer.