Question on Bees Wax demand

[chambers]

I have access to large amount of bees wax, do you think it would sell on the forum for $ 3.75-$4.00 per pound and in large blocks(16 #) or better in smaller blocks? Verified it fits in a large flat rate box.

[greywuuf]

At 4 bucks a pound I would take 5#, but size is a real killer for me Shipping to Alaska and all, it almost has to fit in a flat rate box or it is not worth the extra trouble/expense. ( if you have 16# blocks I guess I could take a 1/4 block #4 instead of 5 if that would be a convenient way for you to handle it)

[GRUMPA]

Check this link first.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=86774

He is a very highly respected person to buy from and has been for some time. You would be in for some competition.

[fryboy]

i have to second GRUMPA , randy is indeed much respected ( and i personally believe he has the packaging down to a art form ) he knows what we need and his product reflects this very heavily and is a "known" quality , people do offer and sell other beeswax however , it also makes a difference because beewax can be melted at a temperature that gets it too hot for our purpose or perhaps i should say less suitable ? the flat rate mail is the only way to economically send it , most people seem to buy it in smaller quantities from my casual observations ,1-5 #'s a time ,

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

This is America, I am all for competition.

But, with that said, Randyrat has a great line of products and he is a great guy...and very generous too.
PLUS, he has some of the hard to get items for boolit lube-at a very good price-like Fresh Lanolin and pure Carnuba flakes...He is a one stop shopping for boolit lube so a guy can save on shipping :) and did I say Generous ?

as to your question, I can't imagine that the average boolit caster would use much more than a pound or two per year, So a 16 lb block would last a while. But you are in luck, as most of us boolit caster's seem to be hoarders...and with that bee disappearing disease going around, who knows when they will all bee gone ?

[Bulldogger]

While I won't argue that Randy has some great stuff and is highly respected, I must disagree with those who speak (type) as though he has, or is entitled to, some sort of monopoly on the board.

I've seen lots of posts in the recent past about lead or other materials in bulk, usually one-off events as large as they may be, and no one jups in and says anything about Muddy Creek Sam or others for instance.

Come now.

Competition can be good for business, and freedom of choice is what America's all about.

Bulldogger

[Stick_man]

I don't believe anybody has said or even insinuated that Randyrat has a monopoly or is "the only place" to buy quality wax from. Randy has established himself as providing a very high quality product at a very reasonable price with excellent customer service. I think the message is more along the way of "it can be done, but you have some very tough competition." The bar has been set very high.

Good competition almost always ultimately benefits everybody... lowers prices, improves quality, stimulates innovation, etc.

I would recommend you go for it. Introduce your product and seek feedback. Listen to the feedback. I cannot think of a better test audience than you have right here. You will get honest feedback. If somebody finds a flaw with your product, they will let you know about it. Be willing to take some criticism, make adjustments, and offer again. Don't take the criticism personally, rather as an offer of help.

Good luck with your venture. Offer it at a reasonable price and it will sell.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Size your product to fit the cheapest way to send it to customers. Price it as you will. Join the vendor's group. Establish your own reputation here. The forum still is growing. Good luck !

BvT

[geargnasher]

+1 BvT!

Two great things about a Capitalist economy: Freedom of competition and freedom of buyer choice. This keeps prices down, and usually creates a wide range of price vs. quality choices for consumers. Randyrat has both high-quality product for our demanding purposes as a lube base, excellent prices, and superior customer service/shipping. He'll be a tough competitor indeed.

Gear

[41 mag fan]

2 Wisconsinites selling...hmmm

[Sonnypie]

I would say it would probably sell better in smaller blocks. But I'm a real tightwad about shipping charges. I HATE paying shipping!
Often it plays a factor in my ordering, in fact. I prefer to do business with someone who advertises: "$XX.xx Shipped."
Especially since I myself use the USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate shipping. And I like it's speed as well. (I even have an account, Click & Ship lables, seriously! I F--- not around.)
Outfits that charge a shipping and handling charge are saying to me, "Oh, and buy the guys in the back room lunch, too."
I have to buy my own lunch. Let them buy their own damned lunch! (You hear me Mr. Potterfield?)

Next comes practical usable portioning. I've come to hot dipping my boolits in batches. To my knowledge it is a newer way I've developed.
So having things in portions makes my work easier. Like the 1/4 pound cakes I recently went to my local market and bought off the shelf in a 1 pound box of wax. (Admittedly, paraffin. $3.95 Lb.) I added one cake to my "soup" mix as a stiffener.
With a gigantic tub sized hunk, I'd have to hack some off, go get my scale and weigh it out... oh, too much. Oh, too little, Oh, too.... :roll:
Lookie Here, (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=26524) notice the recipes call for weighed amounts, like 4 oz. or 8 oz. ?
So what about attractive packaging? I'm thinking butter cubes here. One pound boxes of 4 cubes. Or a one pound box of 4 cakes like paraffin.
I really don't need a ($64.00 + $14.95 (http://postcalc.usps.gov/Default.aspx)) $79 tub sized hunk of Bee's wax. It would likely melt every summer and solidify each winter for the next 100 years before I used it up.
That isn't $4 a pound, it is actually $5 a damned pound.

For you to sit on your butt and poke a chunk of wax you got from the Bee Farmer into a box, and print a label I pay for.
A chunk you probably pay... what? $1 - $2 for?
You aren't dealing with dummies out here. Many are Internet savvy shoppers that know what is going on. You are going to have to actually stand up to get me to reach in my pocket.
(Incidentally, my Son-In-Law's Uncle is a local bee keeper. I haven't tapped Clyde's business yet. Hummmm...)

One thing I want is cakes or cubes. And a price shipped. You want to be an American Business? Stand up.

Things for you to consider.... :wink:

[Alan in Vermont]

This has nothing to do with the size of the block. I just received a block of Chambers' beeswax and it is nice stuff! Clean as can be, beautiful colr and great smell. About 10 pounds of it is going into 50/50 lube in the next few days, I'm not sure yet just what the rest will be used for.

[Char-Gar]

I should think the bullet caster would want 1 lb or 2 lb blocks. I would not want to mess with cutting up a huge slab to get just a fraction of it for each melt.

[Springfield]

Personally I think you should find a mould that fits tightly in a Small Flat Rate Box and sell that size. If someone wanted a large amount just fit however many of that size fits in a large flat Rate box. I have bought 10-15 lb chunks and it does make a mess cutting it all up. I take all beeswax I get and melt it down into 10 oz ingots, works for my particular recipe. I use little loaf pans, works well. I hate paying shipping as much as the next guy, but it is a necessary evil. Just keep it down as much as possible. I was going to order some belt buckles from Tandy, 6 buckles for 12.00. But the shipping was going to be 8 bucks, so I cancelled the order. I know they could put it all in a SFRB, but they don't because they only ship UPS. So they lost a sale. Most of the guys here a savvy shoppers, and we look for the best deal. Supply that deal and you are in, if not you probably won't sell much. Pretty simple really.

[bryonbush]

i met a guy at a gun show that sells silencers/ magpul and other cool stuff. He sells it as a hobby and there for his prices are the best ive seen in a while. is this something your doing for a hobby and want to make some money on or turn it into a very profitable venture? time is money and to me, to make it as cheap and easy on myself i would say something like " X ammount that fits in this size package costs this much" have it cut up into cakes and slide it into the box and let it roll out your door for cheaper than the comp. imin the market for some so one you get it figured out make sure you post it.

[chambers]

I listened to everyone's great input. Sold some large 15 # blocks, just listed smalled 8oz blocks in a flat rate package.