I agree with, well everybody so far. I really like the look of a wax finish, but it is not a finish for high wear surfaces. If you put it on a chair seat some of the wax will come off on the seat of your pants, every time, until there is no wax left. If you like the look, on something like a Xmas tree ornament, it should last a good long time and be easy to maintain every few years.
Couple pics of my saw till taken tonight. I finished the interior and drawer fronts with an oil, I think hemp, maybe tung, and then applied #31 from Don's barn dot com to the drawer fronts and perch rails- it's three parts beeswax and one part carnuba. The interior panels had the same whatever oil and Johnson's paste wax. Since 03-11-2022 all I have done is suck out the nooks and crannies with a shop vac every now and again, and then wipe down with a clean dry rag. A swiffer would probably work good. Just touching the drawer fronts tonight they are perfectly smooth still, but all I have done is clean them every few months for coming up on two years.
I honestly don't recall which wax I used on the figured beech French cleat at the top of the case, probably Johnson's.
There are I think 2 videos on youtube of Don's beeswax purification process. He is now retired after 30 some years as a furniture conservator at the Smithsonian. I weigh both my beeswax and #31 on a gram scale every time I use them. One of my goals for 2024 is to order a lifetime supply of each while Don is still selling product. Buffing out the #31 is a memorable cold hearted witch, probably a LOT easier on a lathe.
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