Good video Sam....a very old tried and true recipe....still being made and used in colonial Williamsburg and like sites. That's where I got the recipe, blended my own and been using it for about a year now. 👍
Thank you for the tutorial Sam. It certainly looks like a simple process to produce. And safe as the only part to be heated is the wax. What is the shelf life of the mixture? Thank you for sharing. Have a happy new year and stay safe.🙂🙂I have enjoyed watching your videos for the past several years. They are interesting, entertaining and educational. I look forward to another year of the same in 2023.
Very cool; I had no idea that soy wax existed, will have to look into that. Years ago, I shredded beeswax and dissolved it with turpentine before mixing with BLO. I didn't have a hot plate at the time and really didn't want to try melting the wax on the kitchen stove [my wife wouldn't have liked that 😉] so this was a recommended method for mixing beeswax. It did take a couple or so weeks before the wax was fully dissolved, so your method is quite a bit faster. At the time, I was using it for workbench finish.
Didn't realize you'd moved to Billings! I haven't been to Yellowstone Woodturners in quite a while. Anyway one of the beekeepers near Laurel sells wax in bulk, I'd have to find it again but as I recall it was fairly inexpensive for clean wax. Really good idea with testing the finish on glass. Has anyone tried a mix of wax and vaseline? (pretty much the same as lip balm) I've used straight vaseline as a finish and it came out rather nice.
One of the challenges I have had with beeswax mixtures that incorporate a drying oil is that they want to skin over and get hard. Have you had this problem with the BLO mixtures?
Yes, I have also had this happen. On one hand this indicates that it will dry. If you remember me putting this on a piece of glass in one of my videos that did harden after a while and that’s what I’m after. Maybe it’s a catch 22 that you have to live with.
Hi Sam -- this mixture looks interesting! I'm intrigued by the finishes on a piece of glass, am very curious on how they behave over time. Trying the four finishes on a piece of sanded wood, with perhaps a 5th "baseline" finish like wipe on poly, then watching how they look/behave over time could be instructive as well. Perhaps I'll try that in the future.
Nice hints. Especially around the safety of heating these hydrocarbons. Tried and True Wood Finish is linseed oil and beeswax mix off the shelf. No heating or blending required and is food safe. I use it for a lot of my work, especially where I need food safe for bowls and kids toys. I do not think BLO and turpentine would qualify as food safe.
I've T&T original finish with very good results. The store bought BLO contains chemical drying agents it is definitely not a food safe finish; it's not even recommended for skin contact. I use BLO in my friction polish but not on anything that requires a food safe finish.
Good to know Sam, very helpful. Interesting comments also? So is it much of an issue if that coat of first applied oil rubbed in doesn’t dry enough for the wax based finish you describe/make to properly adhere to the wood? I try and use lots of friction/heat to help dry that first oil application prior to applying a wax blend finish. I like the oil first because I really think it pops the grain! Your thoughts? Happy 2023and cheers from Clancy.
@@danb8082 According to the federal government, once BLO fully cures, it is safe for food contact. YOU might be uncomfortable using it, but that's NOT the same thing as being unsafe for food contact.
Is there any smell from the BLO? I've finished (flat projects) with it, and smelled it a year later. How is the shelf life on your concoction? Have you ever tried to add some abrasive to your blend?
Thank you for all your videos Sam. I do enjoy them. How do you dispose of the rags when your done finishing a project? I’m thinking of the BLO and it’s risk of catching fire on its own. Your videos are reaching me as a woodturner in Sweden. Keep up the good work🇸🇪
Hello Sweden!!!! Johan, I just through my oil or solvent soaked rags, spread out on the floor till they are dry. Then I discard them. The risk is when they are still wet Sam
Sam, I certainly enjoy watching and learning from you. I also do the same with Richard Raffen. He regularly uses Beeswax and BLO. As a finish and he says it will wash off. Is your method more permanent?
But I must ad this. I usually apply a seal coat and then a drying oil before I use my wax/oil formulation. Raffan believes that most of his pieces should be used, washed and reused. A good approach so it also has much to do with his finishing method. I watch ALL his videos... Sam
Tim I don't think this would be a very durable finish for a floor. One really important thing to keep in mind. Is.. if the finish is flamable, make sure it is safe for your home. You might check with a paint store. Sam
All those ingredients are flammable, and should be heated in a double boiler. I use double boiled linseed oil, beeswax, and Orange oil in proportions 16:4:1.
Sam -- I think you misspoke. You said that none of the things you heated in the video were flammable. They use beeswax in candle making because it burns. When melted, it catches fire very easily and, because it is a liquid, can help to spread a fire very quickly. Which is why we are taught to never melt wax over an open flame.
@@lancem5965 Beeswax has a flashpoint of approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If you heat above it's flashpoint, it will ignite -- no spark or flame needed. This temperature is easily within the range of a hot plate or a stove top. Which is why it is recommended to use a double boiler, which prevents the wax from reaching a temperature above the boiling point of water -- 212 degrees at sea level. Paraffin wax also has a flash point of about 400 degrees F. Few would say that it is not flammable. Are there things in a shop that are MORE flammable that beeswax? Yes, but no one has said that they are 'safe' to heat on a hot plate because they are inflammable, either.
@@lancem5965 Lance I am NOT saying it is unsafe to melt beeswax or paraffin in your shop. I've done it plenty of times. (I used to keep bees.) I simply pointed out to Sam that he misspoke when he said he'd not done anything unsafe because he'd not heated anything flammable when making the video. That's simply untrue. Beeswax is flammable. While it can be melted safely, it can also be melted unsafely. Sam demonstrated a safe method. But, in calling beeswax not flammable, he might have misled some of his viewers that can dispense with the double boiler.
After doing a little research on wax, I am sure you are correct, that it can catch fire. But if some of the comments indicate it might take quite an effort to make that happen. And I would say that there are lots of different formulations for wax candles, etc. but thank you for pointing this outSam.
I really don’t believe that wax will last very long on the surface of wood. I apply it sometimes on pieces to even out the surface’s appearance. I don’t think there is a correct answer to your question. I am a bit haphazard when it comes to wax. I just like to apply it on some pieces, unfortunately, I really don’t think it’ll be there in five years after the piece has been handled. Hope this isn’t too confusing. 🫤 regards, Sam
That’s really funny. You are exactly right I borrow that pan from the kitchen. But my wife didn’t know about it. It is safely back in the cupboard, huh?
@@WYOMINGWOODTURNER I was hoping you would think it was funny. I have been holding my breath. So glad you have a good sense of humor. Big THANKS for all you do!
No particular reason. I ran across a cannabis on a shelf and thought I would just use some of it. Back in the day I used a lot of turpentine as a solvent, thinks Donna
This finish is not food safe, regardless of what type of beeswax is used. I think someone could easily watch this video and get the impression that using food safe wax means this finish will be food safe. That's not accurate. This is NOT a food safe finish.
Thanks for sharing this mixture with us Sam 👍🤠
Nice finish and easy to use!
Thanks for sharing that!
Good video Sam....a very old tried and true recipe....still being made and used in colonial Williamsburg and like sites. That's where I got the recipe, blended my own and been using it for about a year now. 👍
Thanks for the insights Sam. Happy New Year.
Thank you for the tutorial Sam. It certainly looks like a simple process to produce. And safe as the only part to be heated is the wax. What is the shelf life of the mixture? Thank you for sharing. Have a happy new year and stay safe.🙂🙂I have enjoyed watching your videos for the past several years. They are interesting, entertaining and educational. I look forward to another year of the same in 2023.
I’d like to know too.
Very cool; I had no idea that soy wax existed, will have to look into that. Years ago, I shredded beeswax and dissolved it with turpentine before mixing with BLO. I didn't have a hot plate at the time and really didn't want to try melting the wax on the kitchen stove [my wife wouldn't have liked that 😉] so this was a recommended method for mixing beeswax. It did take a couple or so weeks before the wax was fully dissolved, so your method is quite a bit faster. At the time, I was using it for workbench finish.
Would carnauba wax be an option as well? Also, would any solvent work as well such as mineral spirits?
Didn't realize you'd moved to Billings! I haven't been to Yellowstone Woodturners in quite a while. Anyway one of the beekeepers near Laurel sells wax in bulk, I'd have to find it again but as I recall it was fairly inexpensive for clean wax. Really good idea with testing the finish on glass.
Has anyone tried a mix of wax and vaseline? (pretty much the same as lip balm) I've used straight vaseline as a finish and it came out rather nice.
Happy New Year.
One of the challenges I have had with beeswax mixtures that incorporate a drying oil is that they want to skin over and get hard. Have you had this problem with the BLO mixtures?
Yes, I have also had this happen. On one hand this indicates that it will dry. If you remember me putting this on a piece of glass in one of my videos that did harden after a while and that’s what I’m after. Maybe it’s a catch 22 that you have to live with.
Hi Sam -- this mixture looks interesting! I'm intrigued by the finishes on a piece of glass, am very curious on how they behave over time. Trying the four finishes on a piece of sanded wood, with perhaps a 5th "baseline" finish like wipe on poly, then watching how they look/behave over time could be instructive as well. Perhaps I'll try that in the future.
Nice hints. Especially around the safety of heating these hydrocarbons. Tried and True Wood Finish is linseed oil and beeswax mix off the shelf. No heating or blending required and is food safe. I use it for a lot of my work, especially where I need food safe for bowls and kids toys. I do not think BLO and turpentine would qualify as food safe.
I've T&T original finish with very good results. The store bought BLO contains chemical drying agents it is definitely not a food safe finish; it's not even recommended for skin contact. I use BLO in my friction polish but not on anything that requires a food safe finish.
Good to know Sam, very helpful. Interesting comments also? So is it much of an issue if that coat of first applied oil rubbed in doesn’t dry enough for the wax based finish you describe/make to properly adhere to the wood? I try and use lots of friction/heat to help dry that first oil application prior to applying a wax blend finish. I like the oil first because I really think it pops the grain! Your thoughts? Happy 2023and cheers from Clancy.
@@danb8082 According to the federal government, once BLO fully cures, it is safe for food contact. YOU might be uncomfortable using it, but that's NOT the same thing as being unsafe for food contact.
Is there any smell from the BLO? I've finished (flat projects) with it, and smelled it a year later. How is the shelf life on your concoction? Have you ever tried to add some abrasive to your blend?
Do you ever use walnut oil as an alternative to BLO for a finish?
I have used walnut oil very little... Sam
Great info Sam! Been making this mix for years! Don't tell anyone I stole it from you years ago! Lol!
Take care, Dave
Thank you for all your videos Sam. I do enjoy them. How do you dispose of the rags when your done finishing a project? I’m thinking of the BLO and it’s risk of catching fire on its own.
Your videos are reaching me as a woodturner in Sweden. Keep up the good work🇸🇪
Hello Sweden!!!! Johan, I just through my oil or solvent soaked rags, spread out on the floor till they are dry. Then I discard them. The risk is when they are still wet
Sam
Sam, I certainly enjoy watching and learning from you. I also do the same with Richard Raffen. He regularly uses Beeswax and BLO. As a finish and he says it will wash off. Is your method more permanent?
I would say it's about the same as far as staying in the wood
But I must ad this. I usually apply a seal coat and then a drying oil before I use my wax/oil formulation. Raffan believes that most of his pieces should be used, washed and reused. A good approach so it also has much to do with his finishing method. I watch ALL his videos... Sam
Would that finish work on a wood floor ? If not is there a oil finish I could use on a wood floor
Tim I don't think this would be a very durable finish for a floor. One really important thing to keep in mind. Is.. if the finish is flamable, make sure it is safe for your home. You might check with a paint store. Sam
All those ingredients are flammable, and should be heated in a double boiler. I use double boiled linseed oil, beeswax, and Orange oil in proportions 16:4:1.
I bet an arc from that hot plate, is plenty strong enough to ignite flammable liquids.
Should check out brads tung paste that stuff is way awesome and food safe
Thanks, Sam! Question, with the addition of turpentine, is this a food safe finish?
Sure---when it has cured.... Sam
Hey Sam, are those numbers (oz.) weight or volume measurements? Thanks.
Sam -- I think you misspoke. You said that none of the things you heated in the video were flammable. They use beeswax in candle making because it burns. When melted, it catches fire very easily and, because it is a liquid, can help to spread a fire very quickly. Which is why we are taught to never melt wax over an open flame.
It takes a lot of effort for beeswax to catch fire. It’s not flammable like lacquer
@@lancem5965 Beeswax has a flashpoint of approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If you heat above it's flashpoint, it will ignite -- no spark or flame needed. This temperature is easily within the range of a hot plate or a stove top. Which is why it is recommended to use a double boiler, which prevents the wax from reaching a temperature above the boiling point of water -- 212 degrees at sea level.
Paraffin wax also has a flash point of about 400 degrees F. Few would say that it is not flammable.
Are there things in a shop that are MORE flammable that beeswax? Yes, but no one has said that they are 'safe' to heat on a hot plate because they are inflammable, either.
@@DKWalser I will take my chances. If you never hear from me again it is because I died in a firey accident melting beeswax
@@lancem5965 Lance I am NOT saying it is unsafe to melt beeswax or paraffin in your shop. I've done it plenty of times. (I used to keep bees.) I simply pointed out to Sam that he misspoke when he said he'd not done anything unsafe because he'd not heated anything flammable when making the video. That's simply untrue. Beeswax is flammable. While it can be melted safely, it can also be melted unsafely. Sam demonstrated a safe method. But, in calling beeswax not flammable, he might have misled some of his viewers that can dispense with the double boiler.
After doing a little research on wax, I am sure you are correct, that it can catch fire. But if some of the comments indicate it might take quite an effort to make that happen. And I would say that there are lots of different formulations for wax candles, etc. but thank you for pointing this outSam.
Which wood finishes would you use this wax on?
I really don’t believe that wax will last very long on the surface of wood. I apply it sometimes on pieces to even out the surface’s appearance. I don’t think there is a correct answer to your question. I am a bit haphazard when it comes to wax. I just like to apply it on some pieces, unfortunately, I really don’t think it’ll be there in five years after the piece has been handled. Hope this isn’t too confusing. 🫤 regards, Sam
That pan looks way too nice to use in the shop. Does your wife know you are using it?
That’s really funny. You are exactly right I borrow that pan from the kitchen. But my wife didn’t know about it. It is safely back in the cupboard, huh?
@@WYOMINGWOODTURNER I was hoping you would think it was funny. I have been holding my breath. So glad you have a good sense of humor. Big THANKS for all you do!
Why turpine?
No particular reason. I ran across a cannabis on a shelf and thought I would just use some of it. Back in the day I used a lot of turpentine as a solvent, thinks Donna
This finish is not food safe, regardless of what type of beeswax is used. I think someone could easily watch this video and get the impression that using food safe wax means this finish will be food safe. That's not accurate. This is NOT a food safe finish.
Great video thanks. Did anyone ever tell you that you sound just like Kermit the frog
Yes, as a matter of fact, many times. But I haven’t heard this for a while ha ha. 😃