Source for Beeswax?

[Dusty Bannister]

Let's just give some thought to the use of capping wax before this thread gets too far along. Remember that any moisture you press under the surface of melted alloy will turn to steam very quickly. So use some care when adding this trashy wax with bee parts and whatever else the girls might have drug into the hive. If it is hissing and popping, you do not want to stir things up but step back and look away, quickly! I have had one experience with "caps" and there was a lot of living stuff still in the mix since it was fresh. At that point I was not using it for flux, but trying to refine it to use the beeswax for mixing as a bullet lube. It was a "learning experience", but worth the time and effort. Just stressing that you do need to use some caution when using caps as a flux in melted alloy. Dusty

[GregLaROCHE]

Beeswax is getting harder to find and more expensive. When I melt lead scrap to make ingots, I don’t add beeswax. Normally sawdust or anything that turns to carbon will work. Once when my sawdust got wet, I used Quaker Oats. I save beeswax for the casting pot or boolit lubes.

[brewer12345]

Bulk apothecary is about as cheap as I have seen: https://www.bulkapothecary.com/produ...ax%20-%20Broad

Find a local beekeeper. I am a hobbyist beekeeper and I can tell you that I don't usually get more than 3 or 4 pounds a year.

[sagebrush rebel]

Isn't the wax sealing ring you buy for setting toilets made of bees wax? Pretty cheap at Home Depot

[mehavey]

"Modern wax rings are made of vegetable and petroleum waxes, with polyurethane additives."
http://www.woodcentral.com/woodworki...x-toilet-ring/




BREAK BREAK
is RandyRat still available as a source of beeswax ?

[Rcmaveric]

I googled a local bee keeper. Apiary is what what a bee keeper is called. Gave them a call and un refined is 5 bucks a pound.

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[jonp]

RandyRat was where I got mine. I saved a few pounds out and gave the rest to the Mrs. for candles and homemade wood polish. Randy had great prices and was a good guy to deal with

[Beagle333]

I googled a local bee keeper. Apiary is what what a bee keeper is called. Gave them a call and un refined is 5 bucks a pound.

It depends on the area. Some folks will give it to you and some folks think a box of fresh cut cappings is worth $10/lb.

[jsizemore]

A handful of old candles can be had at the flea market or thrift store for a couple bucks. I use the real beeswax candles for getting rid of stink from rotting wood or critters. They're antiviral and antibacterial which makes the stink.

[GregLaROCHE]

RandyRat was where I got mine. I saved a few pounds out and gave the rest to the Mrs. for candles and homemade wood polish. Randy had great prices and was a good guy to deal with

If your Mrs. is making candles, she can add rendered fat. Lamb fat was considered the best, but all other fats were used in the past. Beeswax was added to harden the fat so it would stand up straight at normal temperatures. With the price of beeswax going up, it can help make candle making less expensive, just as it did centuries ago.

[ScotMc]

A good source of Beeswax for me has been local farmers Markets
My preference for fluxing has been dry sawdust.