Question about Beeswax

[jklein_1968]

I am unable to find a local source of beeswax. Looking on ebay I have the option of getting nice pretty filtered beeswax or raw beeswax. The raw beeswax is ~$3.50 per pound while the filtered beeswax in pretty block is over $5.00 a pound.

Is there an advantage to the filtered. Or could I just run the melted wax through reusable screen type coffee filter?

Advice is much appreciated.

[sundog]

All depends on how many wings and legs you're willing to pick out of it. For the amount of effort and mess you could make, the filtered stuff is just a whole lot easier.

[Kraschenbirn]

I only mix my own boolit lube for BP and, then, pan lube everything but, in my opinion, your thought of screening it through a mesh-type coffee filter should work just fine. Unless you're getting wax in the form of raw honeycomb, it's already been melted one time for casting into blocks/slabs and the heavier trash has settled out and the lighter stuff, likely, skimmed off by the caster.

Bill

[imashooter2]

Place wax in discarded pantyhose. Tie a knot and place in a pot of water. Boil the water to melt the wax. Remove pantyhose full of crud. Let pot cool. Remove filtered wax from the surface.

[Swamprat1052]

I get mine from randyrat here on the site. Its good clean, filtered and he his prices are really reasonable. Check him out in Castpics.

Swamprat

[Lloyd Smale]

put it in a pan of water and the wax will come to the surface and dirt will fall to the bottom of the pot.

[randyrat]

It is a hell of a mess, stay out of the kitchen or else you'll have wax all over the place. I have a limited supply right now. i just don't have enought to advertise.

[nicholst55]

There isn't a Michael's craft store nearby? If not, there are any number of places that you can order online. Here's a link to a place that has beeswax, anhydrous lanolin, and other useful stuff for eminently reasonable prices:

http://www.thesage.com/index.html

[Blammer]

coffee filter won't work, too fine and the wax won't go through.

I'd use a panty hose or get some cheesecloth.

when you melt beeswax make sure you use a discarded pot to do it in. You'll never get it off of any pot with out a LOT of work, so much work you'd just as soon throw it away. And yes the dishwasher WON'T work.

ask me how I know these things....

[Junior1942]

>when you melt beeswax make sure you use a discarded pot to do it in.

I use a Wal-Mart coffee can.

[jklein_1968]

Thanks guys I appreciate the tips. I think I will go with randyrat for my first go around. I am going to try my hand at cooking up some lube for castboolits. I think I have crossed over to the cast side. :-D

[Ohio Rusty]

Many of the blackpowder vendors only sell beeswax for a dollar a pound. $3.50 or more is way too expensive. Lemme suggest you drop Jim Jacobs at Blue Heron Mercantile http://blueheronmercantile.com/ and ask Jim what he can get you beeswax for.
Ohio Rusty

[Ricochet]

Place wax in discarded pantyhose. Tie a knot and place in a pot of water. Boil the water to melt the wax. Remove pantyhose full of crud. Let pot cool. Remove filtered wax from the surface.I like that idea. Same way you strain seed lac. I've done it Lloyd's way, in a pot of hot water. Works well enough. Really, I don't think this stuff's got to be of pharmaceutical cleanliness to go into lube that's going to be shot down sooty bores.

[454PB]

Many of the blackpowder vendors only sell beeswax for a dollar a pound. $3.50 or more is way too expensive. Lemme suggest you drop Jim Jacobs at Blue Heron Mercantile http://blueheronmercantile.com/ and ask Jim what he can get you beeswax for.
Ohio Rusty

From what I see on his web site, his beeswax is way more expensive than randyrat's.

[blackthorn]

Try the yellow pages for your area thats how I got my beeswax. Cant recall how much I paid, anyway it was a few years ago. Have a great day.