Turpentine versus White Spirit in beeswax furniture polish

Chippymint · 15 Feb 2021

I have been reading articles on the above subject matter and would be very interested to learn from fellow cabinate makers of their view and experience with using their chosen beeswax polish. In particular to, the pros and cons of why it is preferred over a Turpentine variant versus a White Spirit or vice versa. It would also be good to hear as to whether one uses a pre sealer or applies to bare wood in terms of it being more successful in achieving the desired finish.

I'm hoping to receive comments on the subject matter and not about a preferred or hated product please.

Many thanks

Phil Pascoe · 15 Feb 2021

I use pure turps mainly because I much prefer the smell - I doubt it makes much difference. I don't use much beeswax now, I find carnauba and/or microcrystalline harder - it doesn't mark so quickly, having a higher melting point.
No wax works very well on bare wood, they're all better on top of other finishes.

Droogs · 15 Feb 2021

Turpentine, beeswax and carnuba mix.
Pros smell, ease of use once mixed, gives a nice matt or silk sheen, tactile feel to the wood.
cons time taken to make a mix up and the occasional mess

White spirit based mix
pros can be a little easier to rub in
cons smell smell smell smell, no matter how much you rub always leaves an oily paraffin feel to the surface oh and did i mention the smell

thetyreman · 16 Feb 2021

a purist finish would be to use pure turpentine only and solid beeswax, however as phil and droogs have said it's too soft, I like mixing in some pure tung oil as well, thesedays I just buy peacock wax or chestnut's version of microcrystalline wax, I prefer hardwaxes and they give a much nicer sheen and won't leave behind fingerprints, also usually much higher sheen, stay clear of white spirit, its nasty stuff, yes it's cheaper but not pleasant for a finish.

Phil Pascoe · 17 Feb 2021

If anyone fancies a crack at making their own microcrystalline wax PM me and I'll give you the email address of the guy I bought my wax from - it's no more difficult to make than carnauba, it just takes longer to disolve than beeswax. Even using pure turpentine a decent sized jar costs only about £3.