carnuba wax?

[doug young]

Just got finished using the beal buffing system and had a question. Is the carnuba supposed to be rock hard or is it old. It doesn't seem to color the buffing wheel but when i looked at the finished product(maple bowl) it shone and was glossy and looked great. Is this just a very hard wax? probably a dumb question but i seem to remember using carnuba wax on a car and it was more of a paste. Thanks ahead of time for the responses. doug

oh and merry christmas everyone!

[Roger Wilson]

I asked the same question on another forum and the response I got was that carnauba doesn't show on the wheel the way other waxes do. I too though would appreciate responses from more experience carnauba users. Someone else suggested Conservators Wax from Lee Valley (a paste wax).

[Steve Schlumpf]

Doug - hard as a brick! Make sure you don't charge the buffing wheel to much or it will melt the wax in streaks and then you have to work for a while to get the streaks off the finish. The Bealle system does make a huge difference in feel - as well as appearance!

[doug young]

I just needed reassurance. This was my first bowl and i had several layers of MW antique oil finish then did the beal buffing. It really makes the finish a high gloss and look rich. Thanks for how you keep all of us beginners informed. This forum prevents a lot of frustration and really speeds up the learning process. doug

[Andrew Derhammer]

As the carnuba goes on the wheel it turns white, no need to overload, it takes the finish to a higher level:D

Oh and the stuff is rock hard!

[Steve Schlumpf]

This forum prevents a lot of frustration and really speeds up the learning process.

Doug, we all learn every time someone asks a question. The only way I have managed to get where I am today, after 4 years of turning, is by posting what I do, get critiques and ask lots of questions! The cool thing is you make a lot of friends along the way! Have fun with it! Looking forward to seeing some of your work real soon!

[Reed Gray]

Carnuba wax is in a lot of things from the foods we eat to Kiwi shoe polish/wax. It is a lot harder than bees wax or parrafin. By itself, it is hard, but with solvents like turpentine or mineral spirits, it is softer. I haven't really buffed anything, but the solvent type can be applied and buffed with a soft cloth, just like your shoes.
robo hippy

[Bernie Weishapl]

Cindy Drozda and Bonnie Klien put me onto clear kiwi shoe polish. They said it was a blend of carnuba and bees wax. I use it on my small turnings and like Reed said polishes nicely with a old T-shirt. Yes carnuba is rock hard and takes lots of lathe speed to melt it on a turning. Then buff it with your old T-shirt.