Beeswax

Rather lucky find over the weekend at a yard sale. Guy was selling 5lb blocks of beeswax that he had picked up at local place that made/sold Honey when it closed it doors.

This is a nice find being that most commercial beeswax you buy now comes from Asia and doesn't actually contain any wax made by bee's :)

It's more than a life time supply so I may be gifting some..

I'm going be using it for lube for the .58 conical I'll be shooting this summer. The best recipe, that sounds right, I have found so far is;

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"For conicals, I use a mixture of 1/4 bees wax, 1/4 Crisco and 1/2 olive oil. Put all the ingredients in a glass container in the microwave oven until everything melts. Stir it a little and pour into a container of your choice to cool and solidify".

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Any one have any others?







http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...pslfywqsgh.jpg

No Recipes... but for anyone who's looking, you can often find beeswax from local beekeepers.

I sell beeswax, shipping tends to double the cost though.

For my Snider enfields and P53 enfields I use a 75% Beeswax and 25% olive oil mix.

Beeswax and olive oil worked for me, I read that the crisco can turn rancid if left for a long time. I tried adding in Lees liquid Alox but did not see any difference in results.

After having said that, I switched back to patch and ball for cost savings.

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Originally Posted by Marker

After having said that, I switched back to patch and ball for cost savings.

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I was surprised looking at recipes, that there is a subtle difference between what you cut the beeswax with between using it for patch and ball and for conicals. Stiffer lube for the conicals, which I guess makes sense.

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Originally Posted by MikePal

I was surprised looking at recipes, that there is a subtle difference between what you cut the beeswax with between using it for patch and ball and for conicals. Stiffer lube for the conicals, which I guess makes sense.

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I used to just 60% soft bees wax and 40% bag balm. Start putting the animal junk in it gets a shelf life, and too many ingredients makes it harder to hit exact next time. Hows the PH doing?

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Originally Posted by MikePal

I was surprised looking at recipes, that there is a subtle difference between what you cut the beeswax with between using it for patch and ball and for conicals. Stiffer lube for the conicals, which I guess makes sense.

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Just straight BB was good on patch RB. I don't think you'll like the accuracy of a RB in the PH

I know this is hard, but. Trust me you want the lanolin in there

If you're near Carleton Place, I have bees and beeswax

My wife has signed us up with 'Gee's Bees'..we'll have our first hive here soon...so I may have my own wax soon..

http://www.geesbees.ca/

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Originally Posted by MikePal

My wife has signed us up with 'Gee's Bees'..we'll have our first hive here soon...so I may have my own wax soon..

http://www.geesbees.ca/

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I will have to pick your brain on this, you can learn first :)

I was told to get a hive or two but it is hard to find any information.

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Originally Posted by Fox

I will have to pick your brain on this, you can learn first :)

I was told to get a hive or two but it is hard to find any information.

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There is a course in the Winter at Algonquin College (contact Lacelle Apiaries in Carleton Place) and another in Apple Hill in the Spring. Check out the Ontario Beekeepers Assoc. Tech transfer Unit for more info. I'd suggest you get a copy of the Ontario Beekeepers Manual. There is a beekeeping store in Toledo that should carry it - www.busybeebeekeepingsupplies.ca . The sell very good starter hives. If you join a local beekeepers assoc. they may have an extractor you can borrow or rent once you're set up.

Just a small bit of advice - beekeeping is now a fad with the tree huggers so there is lots of info on the Internet that is total BS. Stick with the Ontario Beekeepers Manual and the OMAFRA recommendations for treating diseases and you will be fine.

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Originally Posted by Fox

I was told to get a hive or two but it is hard to find any information.

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There is a guy in East Oxford that has a 'Bee' building full of equipment etc. He used to keep bee's for many years. I plan to pick his brain once we get the intro course from Gee's Bee's and then hopefully get a bunch of used stuff off him.

I've been bartering my labour with him for years, so this project will be worked off with no hit to my wallet.

OddMott (ODD MBR) is tending Bees and making frames if I am not correct. He is local to Arnprior and has honey right now for sale and for bears. I am sure he has Beewax as well.

I've been at it for 7 years now... 30+ hives... Pretty much self-taught.

Not sure I like the whole "lease a hive" concept. It's a great money-maker (for the person who actually owns the hives), but it's targeted at the backyard beekeeper who lives in town, and there are clear rules about distances to property lines. Some exceptions can be made for those rules, where no buildings exist on the other side of the property line for a distance... but as I said, it's being marketed for people who live in town.

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Originally Posted by northernontario

... but as I said, it's being marketed for people who live in town.

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Oh yea...for the 'urban' goupies. My wife works with a few of them and she got a 'bee' in her bonnet...so no talking her out of it :)

It'll be a one shot deal for the training.

We are out on 100 acres in the middle of nowhere, so the bees will be happy to see the acres of wild meadow flowers and the vast flower gardens my wife has...should make great honey.

If OddMott comes Mike maybe you can chat with on the 17 Sept. Quite the little operation he has going right now.

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Originally Posted by MikePal

Oh yea...for the 'urban' goupies. My wife works with a few of them and she got a 'bee' in her bonnet...so no talking her out of it :)

It'll be a one shot deal for the training.

We are out on 100 acres in the middle of nowhere, so the bees will be happy to see the acres of wild meadow flowers and the vast flower gardens my wife has...should make great honey.

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Since you have a lifetime supply of bees wax you may be looking for other uses.
How about one for a wood finish

1 part melted bees wax

1 part boiled linseed oil (you buy it at the hardware store as BOILED...don't buy raw linseed oil and boil it yourself...it's not really boiled but has additives so it dries quicker)

1 part turpentine

Wipe on untreated wood and work it into the pores. Wait 10-15 minutes, wipe off excess
Put on multiple coats to get a good build up and the colour you like
I store mine in a glass mason jar
Great for workbenches, gunstocks etc

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Originally Posted by Tony Mo

Since you have a lifetime supply of bees wax you may be looking for other uses.
How about one for a wood finish

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Thanks Tony...I've heard of using it, but never knew what the recipe was. Sounds like it would be fluid enough to work in a nice peice of hardwood. I have some Cherry I was going to make into a mounting plaque. I'll give this a try. A small project first time out as it were. :)

excellent info !!

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Originally Posted by MikePal

Thanks Tony...I've heard of using it, but never knew what the recipe was. Sounds like it would be fluid enough to work in a nice peice of hardwood. I have some Cherry I was going to make into a mounting plague. I'll give this a try. A small project first time out as it were. :)

excellent info !!

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Ends up as a paste. I made up a mixture to fill a pint size mason jar. Screw the cap on tight to keep the solvents sealed in. Quick sand on the handles of outdoor tools to scuff it up, then rub the paste in... wait a minute, and rub it smooth.

Yes, it is a paste...I should have mentioned that....THANKS!

I just set the mason jar in the sun for an hour or so or set it on top of the heating vent. DON"T heat it on the stove.