# How to make polish from beeswax



## woodfarmer (7 Oct 2015)

I turn and like using beeswax polish but natural stuff is difficult to find. I do however have some big lumps of genuine beeswax so thought to grate it fine and mix it with medicinal paraffin. Would this work? Mostly bowls.


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## marcros (7 Oct 2015)

ideally mix it with real turpentine. add a bit of canubra wax (or whatever it is called!), which will harden it. http://www.honeyshop.co.uk/Polish1.htm

there are variations which add soap to make a furniture cream, and you can vary the mixture to make it harder or softer.


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## deema (7 Oct 2015)

I make it by warming the wax in a £1 pan until molten, and then take it very carefully outside and pour into final receptacle through a kitchen jay cloth or similar to filter out all the undesirable stuff which has also been warmed up avoiding at all cost spilling any as you won't clean it up very easily if at all and add an equal amount of natural turps, not mineral turps. Very combustible mixture so be v careful. Wait until solidified and keep in airtight jar. 

Do not boil the wax or over heat, use either a fixed temperature to heat or water warming method, I.e.container floating in water within the pan. 

You don't need to grater the wax using this method which is both messes and makes any grater unusable afterwards.


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## blackrodd (7 Oct 2015)

As I'm interested in this subject myself, I googled "How to make polish from bees wax", and it just seems 
to be beeswax and oil melted together, Simples!
There are several "Hits", and no doubt one will take you're fancy!
Regards Rodders

http://lovelygreens.com/2013/04/how-to- ... iture.html


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## [email protected] (7 Oct 2015)

adding carnauba is what gives hardness and longevity. Whenever I hear about beeswax polishes my heart sinks as invariably it means finished surface ending up with a sticky residue. Most wax polish suppliers go to great lengths to create products that work well so I am always puzzled as to why diy think they can produce a better product. That said, all wax polishes are not the same!


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## Sheffield Tony (7 Oct 2015)

2 parts beeswax to 2 parts natural turpentine to 1 raw linseed oil works for me. I use that blend for greenwood chairs, over Danish oil to reduce yellowing.


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## [email protected] (7 Oct 2015)

Sheffield Tony":1k29x064 said:


> 2 parts beeswax to 2 parts natural turpentine to 1 raw linseed oil works for me. I use that blend for greenwood chairs, over Danish oil to reduce yellowing.



this surely fingerprints badly due to oil content?


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## Phil Pascoe (7 Oct 2015)

Beeswax fingerprints badly anyway. Use microcrystalline and have done.


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## woodpig (7 Oct 2015)

phil.p":9uwyb2ex said:


> Beeswax fingerprints badly anyway. Use microcrystalline and have done.



Like Renwax?


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## [email protected] (7 Oct 2015)

phil.p":2i7ye2yg said:


> Beeswax fingerprints badly anyway. Use microcrystalline and have done.



yes true in that respect but then you lose other qualities like adding lustre and subtle depth of colour/ shine which MC wax definately doesnt do. I have a 2.5L tin, at huge expense! 25% used and hardly use it!


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## Phil Pascoe (7 Oct 2015)

woodpig":27heqth7 said:


> phil.p":27heqth7 said:
> 
> 
> > Beeswax fingerprints badly anyway. Use microcrystalline and have done.
> ...


Yes. I use Chestnut.


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## BearTricks (5 Nov 2015)

I finished some bowls with a beeswax and safflower oil mixture. I had both left over from oil painting as they are used in painting mediums it gives a satin finish. 

I just heated it in a pan and stirred in some of the oil. Be careful, the natural beeswax can give off some nasty fumes. I'm not sure if they're dangerous but I definitely found it hard to breathe. 

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk


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## mrpercysnodgrass (6 Nov 2015)

Woodfarmer, you can make a good beeswax polish yourself but do not use beeswax on its own, it is horrible sticky stuff. You need to add a lot of carnauba wax, this makes for quite an expensive wax but it is also what makes it better than commercial waxes as they tend to skimp on the carnauba and pad out with paraffin wax. Here is my recipe, which I have been making for over thirty years...

60% Beeswax
40% Carnauba wax
1 x desert spoon turmeric
Melt gently together in a pan. When melted, remove from heat and add turmeric then stir.
Double the quantity with pure turpentine, stir, then pour into jar or tin and leave several hour to cool.


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## Sheffield Tony (6 Nov 2015)

[email protected]":15uu7x5q said:


> Sheffield Tony":15uu7x5q said:
> 
> 
> > 2 parts beeswax to 2 parts natural turpentine to 1 raw linseed oil works for me. I use that blend for greenwood chairs, over Danish oil to reduce yellowing.
> ...



I suppose I am not looking for a high shine on greenwood chairs, just a more resiliant surface than bare wood. The oil soaks in/dries before too long.

But ... did that recipe above really say turmeric ??? Is it not bright yellow ? I have seen a lot of discussion about AVOIDING yellowing by oil based finishes, first time I've seen something with yellow in it deliberately !


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## Phil Pascoe (6 Nov 2015)

Why turmeric? Just for colour, I presume?
Incidentally, it's a coagulant and mildly antiseptic and good stuff for sticking on a cut that won't stop bleeding.


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## Phil Pascoe (6 Nov 2015)

Sheffield Tony":2743ysud said:


> [email protected]":2743ysud said:
> 
> 
> > Sheffield Tony":2743ysud said:
> ...


Would it not dry quicker with BLO?


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## mrpercysnodgrass (6 Nov 2015)

Turmeric is used for colour, I work with a lot of Cuban and Honduras mahogany, the yellow of the Turmeric subdues the red and brings out the gold tones. It also enhances the gold tones of Satinwood, Oak, Elm and Camphor. It is not an essential ingredient and can be left out.


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## Sheffield Tony (6 Nov 2015)

Ok, I see. Mostly I'm using mine on Ash, where yellowing is a thing to avoid.

I guess BLO would dry quicker. But I prefer an all-natural blend - it is to go on chairs made from a log, with no power tools, sandpaper, no nails, screws or glue, so it seems more fitting to me. I guess again, it depends on what you are looking for - I am applying a thin coat that is quite quickly absorbed, leaving the wood still feeling like natural wood, with a satin-ish finish, with a bit of resistance to water and dirty fingers. Agreed it might not be what you want on a fine mahogany piece !


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## condeesteso (18 Dec 2015)

I want to trial some home-made finish: carnauba, beeswax, tung oil (pure) - I've read the thread here and my first guess may be 50/50 carnauba / beeswax, and about 50/50 waxes to oil by volume. Just a starter position. The carnauba is obviously less marking, is it actually harder or is that just a thermal attribute? And why beeswax at all. Also if it ends up very thick I can thin with pure turpentine I suppose?


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## Nelsun (18 Dec 2015)

I've pretty much settled on a tung / carnauba concoction. Tried a beeswax and mineral spirits mix which was nice but not the hardiest, then tried a beeswax + BLO + turps which was similar finish but hardier and then settled on the tung + carnauba which gives a lovely warm tone and seams reasonably tough. 4 parts pure tung oil to 1 part wax by volume in a double boiler does the trick for me.


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## ED65 (18 Dec 2015)

condeesteso":2nr0p2ni said:


> I want to trial some home-made finish


Can I ask what for? I'm actually not a big fan of oil+wax finishes myself because they're sort of the worst of both. For furniture I think it's much preferable to oil, then wax, if you want to use the two things.



condeesteso":2nr0p2ni said:


> The carnauba is obviously less marking, is it actually harder


Much much harder yes, that's why it gives a finish much less prone to marking.



condeesteso":2nr0p2ni said:


> And why beeswax at all.


Good question. Traditionalists prefer it, but if it's not doing anything particularly useful I wouldn't bother myself. 

Ask yourself the same question about the tung oil, why that specifically rather than raw linseed oil, or walnut oil, or boiled linseed? For indoor use tung oil isn't doing anything useful.

And yes you can add turpentine, in fact I'm sure you'd want to as most oil+wax blends IME are not easy to apply evenly! You can use white spirit too by the way, does the same job. Pick the solvent based on what you like the smell of most, I know for me that would be turpentine rather than white spirit but some people apparently find the smell of turps objectionable.


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## Nelsun (18 Dec 2015)

ED65":1ntg34qc said:


> Ask yourself the same question about the tung oil, why that specifically rather than raw linseed oil, or walnut oil, or boiled linseed? For indoor use tung oil isn't doing anything useful.


I went with tung oil for the colour more than anything but that's purely subjective. The added moisture resistance (as I understand it has over BLO) was also a reason as we're right next to the sea and our main living space is open plan so steam from the kitchen isn't uncommon.


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## woodfarmer (18 Dec 2015)

A lot more feedback than I was expecting. thanks guys.


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## condeesteso (18 Dec 2015)

Thanks all, and ED - the answers to most points are kind of the same - I have an inquisitive mind 
I use linseeds a lot (BLO mainly) elsewhere but I too prefer tung when finishing - I find the viscosity of the stuff I have lower (I do thin blo), and it seems to me it hardens a little quicker and more fully, also it is a tads less brown. I know a lot of this depends on which supplier etc, I tend to be using Morrells stuff mainly.
As for why oil/wax, as I say I am interested. I will mix up some pure Carnauba wax/turps while I'm at it as that will be worth a look.
And my nose prefers turps, but I use ws in volume with the BLO. For this I shall use turpentine and I expect I'll be thinning the oil-wax mix as I do like to get finishes on thin - I feel as if it is good to get the first coat in (scrub, rub etc) then build as desired if at all.


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## ED65 (18 Dec 2015)

Nelsun":185iasjt said:


> The added moisture resistance (as I understand it has over BLO) was also a reason


This is often given as a reason to prefer it over linseed but it's my understanding you only get that when it's used the way it was used historically by the Chinese. Nobody applies it that way on their indoor items, at least not that I've seen 



Nelsun":185iasjt said:


> we're right next to the sea and our main living space is open plan so steam from the kitchen isn't uncommon.


Its greater water-resistance is against liquid water, not water vapour. 

Unfortunately only a film finish adds significant protection from water vapour going into and out of the wood.


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## ED65 (18 Dec 2015)

condeesteso":16jkmv5o said:


> Thanks all, and ED - the answers to most points are kind of the same - I have an inquisitive mind


Fair dinkum as they say on Neighbours. I'm the same, would prefer to try something firsthand than go only on what I've read. This is how I discovered I'm not a fan of oil+wax finishes, except for tool handles (gives a wonderful grip when applied to bare wood).



condeesteso":16jkmv5o said:


> I use linseeds a lot (BLO mainly) elsewhere but I too prefer tung when finishing - I find the viscosity of the stuff I have lower (I do thin blo), and it seems to me it hardens a little quicker and more fully


That's a good illustration of how much it varies, most versions of pure tung oil cure more slowly than BLO. Much faster than raw linseed though.


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## Phil Pascoe (18 Dec 2015)

"As for why oil/wax, as I say I am interested. I will mix up some pure Carnauba wax/turps while I'm at it as that will be worth a look."
You'll need a glue kettle/ bain marie or similar - cold turps won't dissolve carnauba.


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## Nelsun (18 Dec 2015)

ED65":1h4160p3 said:


> Nelsun":1h4160p3 said:
> 
> 
> > The added moisture resistance (as I understand it has over BLO) was also a reason
> ...


Thanks for explaining all that. At least I like the colour!

You mention the Chinese method. Is that applying numerous thin layers over a thinned couple of layers to start off? I did that for an oak worktop with one coat every night for a week followed by once a week for a month and now whenever I feel like it. It's a lovely finish but I went with Osmo after enduring all that.


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## condeesteso (18 Dec 2015)

I know that Phil


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## ED65 (19 Dec 2015)

Nelsun":zjh700x5 said:


> You mention the Chinese method. Is that applying numerous thin layers over a thinned couple of layers to start off?


From what I've seen in the flesh, it's applied very heavily (enough to build a surface film) but how exactly it's done you can't tell obviously. From what I've read it was slathered on and pretty much left to cure, but I don't know if that's gospel.


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