Middle Earth Ranger Forum

Okay, I got a little scared there. I saw this subforum and it was titled Wanted, Eric C. All right, I guess it's time to go to bed. But before I do, I have a question. Anybody know where I can get beeswax for a little money? I can get a pound of it from Centaur Forge for $14 plus shipping. I'm trying to find a local source, but I've had no luck so far.

I'm hoping to use it to start experimenting with bronze casting again.

Ha!

I buy it from Amazon.. With prime you can find a pound of pellets for around $11 shipped. I don't know if you'll find it cheaper than that locally, but good luck!

this is what I used:
http://www.amazon.com/Stakich-1-lb-Whit ... B001LQZOLW


edit: my memory is that modern carving wax for jewelry casting is significantly harder than beeswax. Do you have to do something to prepare natural beeswax, or is the difference just not worth bothering about?

I posted before I checked anywhere besides Centaur Forge. Amazon and Ebay both have it cheaper. Thanks for the link. I believe you are correct about the hardness of modern carving wax, but in the little research I've been able to do, nothing is done to harden beeswax. I do have a little around here I can experiment with and I'm hoping to get started soon. We'll see what the day brings.

Is there a Hobby Lobby near you? They sell the block for 14 and I think they have pellets as well. That is where I got mine.

Ken

There is one in Rocky Mount. I think they are building one in North Raleigh too. So I'll check the Rocky Mount store to see what they've got.

Look in the yellow pages for a local beehive!
Beekeepers always have plenty of beeswax that they are willing to sell.

Failing that, I have a crock-pot filled with leftover beeswax candles.
Tell me how much you need and I'll melt you a block and mail it out. It will be black but pure beeswax. well, as pure as wax can be with some wax-dye added<g>.

I save my beeswax candles, then melt them in my crockpot and pour the wax into plastic containers to cool and be cut up to wax my bowstring, sewing thread and anything else that needs a good waxing.

RikJohnson39 wrote:Look in the yellow pages for a local beehive!
Beekeepers always have plenty of beeswax that they are willing to sell.

Failing that, I have a crock-pot filled with leftover beeswax candles.
Tell me how much you need and I'll melt you a block and mail it out. It will be black but pure beeswax. well, as pure as wax can be with some wax-dye added<g>.

I save my beeswax candles, then melt them in my crockpot and pour the wax into plastic containers to cool and be cut up to wax my bowstring, sewing thread and anything else that needs a good waxing.

Sounds cleaner than what I have at the moment. I'm looking to get my hands on about a pound of it for starters. I've researched the Asanti lost wax casting method and they use, recollect and reuse beeswax for their casting.

As for my current supply, I got it from a blacksmith several years ago. He's dead now. but it was nasty with all sorts of impurities in it. This weekend, I found that if I make a mold out of wood, heat the wax and pour it into the mold, as it cools, most of the impurities collect at the bottom. I just cut off the really dirty part and discard it.

In a crockpot, you have a controlled temperature so can avoid burning the wax.
I turn the crockpot on before work and it is liquid and settled by the time I get home.
As the wax liquefies, the impurities settle to the bottom and what is on top is pure.
I use a ladle to scoop the top layer and pour into a mold to avoid mixing the wax and impurities.
Eventually, I will need to scoop off all them good wax and clean the junk from the bottom which has been bits of candle wick, gravel(?), bits of molten led nodules (probably from wicks) and the odd whatever.

Eric C wrote:
Sounds cleaner than what I have at the moment. I'm looking to get my hands on about a pound of it for starters. I've researched the Asanti lost wax casting method and they use, recollect and reuse beeswax for their casting.

I have a friend who makes church candles for a living. He confided that the yellow that you expect in beeswax is actually impurities, and when you burn it, the dark color is the impurities, not the wax, that is being roasted/discolored. He suggested that I filter the wax with a coffee filter. (Which will make the wax nearly white, and a lot harder/more suitable for shaping and casting. )

caedmon wrote:

Eric C wrote:
Sounds cleaner than what I have at the moment. I'm looking to get my hands on about a pound of it for starters. I've researched the Asanti lost wax casting method and they use, recollect and reuse beeswax for their casting.

I have a friend who makes church candles for a living. He confided that the yellow that you expect in beeswax is actually impurities, and when you burn it, the dark color is the impurities, not the wax, that is being roasted/discolored. He suggested that I filter the wax with a coffee filter. (Which will make the wax nearly white, and a lot harder/more suitable for shaping and casting. )

Now THAT is interesting! I will try to filter it through a coffee filter..... but I'll have to double up on some coffee to make up for the loss of filters. I've noticed more white showing through the wax as I have melted it somewhere around 4 or 5 times now.

Note to self. Do NOT let the wax mix with water then reheat it. The water will cause an explosion that will shower you with molten beeswax. Thankfully I have no serious burns, but it is rather unpleasant, It would have been very bad if it would have hit me in the eyes.