Microcrystalline or Paraffin wax ?wanted

[randyrat]

Is there any interest in Microcrystalline or Paraffin wax High melt point wax..1-2 lb or more quantities. I am thinking about carrying this and am testing the waters. This would be for higher melt point Lubes added to beeswax carrier lubes. For harder lubes, to stiffen some softer lubes up or mix with beeswax.
I think I would carry the Microcrystalline about 170 deg melt temp wax. I'm open for recommendations.

" Microcrystalline wax is a refined mixture of hydrocarbons and produced by de-oiling certain fractions from the petroleum refining process. Microcrystalline waxes are tougher, more flexible and generally higher in melting point than paraffin wax. The fine crystal structure also enables microcrystalline wax to bind solvents or oil, and thus prevent the sweating-out of compositions."

[Yodogsandman]

Microcrystalline waxes are much harder to find at a decent price than common paraffin wax.

[fryboy]

to be honest i'm guessing that it would be slower at sales than beeswax , using it as a main base hasnt worked so well for me , granted i've been tinkering more with the highest melt temp ones i could find ,had my best luck using it as a small additive , the 170 range is about where beeswax starts scorching ( 165 F iirc ) my journey has been interesting ( at least i get to shoot more :P ) but i'm far from reaching my holy grail of a good 200 F+ melt temp lube ( yeah i know some people lolz ) in the end i'd bet several will want to tinker with it and as you stated a pound or two would fit in well with an order of other stuff ;)

[randyrat]

I think the MC waxes would be better than the larger molecule Paraffin and it would have a 170 deg melt temp instead of 163 with high melt temp Paraffin wax..

I have always went with about 175 to 185 deg F scorch/ discoloration temp for beeswax (i've been wrong before), not much room to play with, but if you want a wax base lube to hold up in a hot environment it's gotta get done.

Fryboy, I'm not worried about selling tons of it , just having it on hand when people want it

[tja6435]

I'd be interested in picking up a lb or two of the microcrystalline wax

[bangerjim]

I would be interested in your micro offering. Not for lubes (I PC everything) but for my antique refinishing hobby interests.

Advise price when you have a handle on it by PM.

banger

[5Shot]

yes!!!

[runfiverun]

if you find some with a much higher melt point let me know would ya.
it takes 350-450f to break down the stearates we use for binding agents in many lubes if we could find a good long strand [or multi strand would be better] long molecular chain wax that would hold 450-f for a period of time it would be a boon to lube making for many of us.

[rhbrink]

I would be interested in a pound or two.

RB

[randyrat]

if you find some with a much higher melt point let me know would ya.
it takes 350-450f to break down the stearates we use for binding agents in many lubes if we could find a good long strand [or multi strand would be better] long molecular chain wax that would hold 450-f for a period of time it would be a boon to lube making for many of us.
I noticed
http://www.shopblendedwaxes.com/Microcrystalline-Wax/
Can customize wax blends mix and match,,,,BUT the cost is way out there...Just the #431 180 deg f melt temp is $4/lb before shipping.
The Micro wax with 170 Deg f melt temp that I'm planning on selling will have a price tag of about $3.50/lb for small amounts no Minimum order..But if I run into a super high temp melt wax I certainly will jump on it, providing I can get it at the right price.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have received several PM's asking where to buy MW after I posted about SL68B.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?288713-SL68B-the-quot-all-around-quot-boolit-lube-and-how-to-make-it

One member, who is local to me and who rarely posts, recently bought some MW to make SL68 and/or SL68B? I'm not sure which direction he has decided to go?, I think he bought a 10lb lot? He did ask me about how to go about selling the excess, if he decides he has excess? ...he wasn't sure yet :)

Anyway, I think the interest is out there. I'd think a MW with a 180ºF melt temp would be the one to go with.

Lastly, if you do start selling some, whatever it is, I would consider making a batch or two of SL68B with it, if you want, and share some samples, and run a few limited tests for myself, in my shooting conditions...let me know.
Jon

[runfiverun]

the SL/68-B is a good lube.
a higher melt point wax could help it along further and also allow a different soap matrix to be used.

[Elkins45]

I would be interested in some. I have been playing around with some multi wax lubes but have been unwilling to buy 10lbs of wax when I only need a few ounces to experiment with.

I'm beginning to reach the conclusion that the larger the variety of waxes a lube contains, the more likely it is to perform well under varying conditions.

[Grump]

Mmyyeah, count me in for a pound or two. IIRC, my interest was more towards the 185°F microwax...don't remember the number but it was a Blended Waxes product.

One of our guys was using equal (?) parts of two microwaxes..so I might really be most interested in one pound of each of such a pair.

And Randy--I just put my last stick of TAC #1 into the Star sizer. I'm gonna have to do something by June anyway. If I can't buy 3-5 sticks of someone's SL-68 no mods, then it's off to buy the components myself and cook up some Ivory and such. OR...you could add SL-68 to your products list. I'm just not interested in the beeswax modified version, despite it being among the successful "Extreme" lubes. Original is more simple and easier to mix and not subject to interruption from biological disasters.

[rhbrink]

I was wanting to make up a batch of SL 68B for my own experiments and notice that the recipe calls for three different micro-waxes can a guy get buy with the same amount of one wax with the 185 degree melt point?

RB

[Bodean98]

I would have some interest as well.
I made a batch of SL-68B using the only micro crystalline wax I could find in small quantity. 145 F melt temp. very near the melt temp of the BW. I must say it has worked as stated in the temps I have used it at so far, but nothing over 65 F or under 30 F yet. I have not measured it but the melt temp of the lube is pretty high but it flows through the lube sizer even @ 40 F. The best thing about it that has been realized by shooting this lube is the absence of the cold barrel fliers! Pretty important in a hunting situation.

[randyrat]

I was wanting to make up a batch of SL 68B for my own experiments and notice that the recipe calls for three different micro-waxes can a guy get buy with the same amount of one wax with the 185 degree melt point?

RB
That is up for debate..Some say the combo of several different waxes is the cat's Meow..????
I don't want to turn this into a discussion on that subject, right now. I would rather talk about the types of waxes you guys want me to carry for your convenience.
I do like your curiosity though and it would make a good thread discussion.

I know Gear and runfiverun have many many hours of working on this subject, I think they could write a book on it.

I am leaning toward several different melt temp waxes on hand or maybe two different melt temp option. One high temp and a med melt temp wax. I'm leaning toward having at the minimum a 180 Deg F on hand

[SSGOldfart]

Randy are you going to carry it in block or flacks?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I think the 170 and the 180, that you mentioned above, would be the way to go for those who want to try to make a version of SL68.

THEN, If you happen to talk to a rep about a MW with a higher melt temp (around 200º or so), maybe you could arrange a group buy, so you don't end up stuck with some expensive wax in stock. I bet there would be several people willing to pay the price for a lb or two.

[rhbrink]

I would be more interested in the 180 degree melt temp or two different melt temps the main reason is to help eliminate the cold barrel fliers for hunting. Other than that there are plenty of great lubes out there for general shooting and serious paper punching.

RB

[randyrat]

Randy are you going to carry it in block or flacks?

they come in 10 lb slabs, i'd have to hot knife them down to size that is manageable.

[geargnasher]

There are two things to know about micro-crystalline wax: Number of carbon atoms per molecule, and oil content. Both affect the melt and congeal points, and both affect needle-penetration numbers.

If used as a supplement to beeswax, the exact composition and advertised melt point of a micro-crystalline wax is fairly inconsequential and can be anything from Vaseline-consistency to ice consistency. Without beeswax, as in some of the recipes which need to tolerate 460°F briefly, a full-spectrum micro- and macro-wax blend is more ideal.

Randy, if you were going to invest in any of it, I'd recommend BW 408 or 429.

Gear

[runfiverun]

i'll second those two also, and if only one then the 429 would be my choice.

[randyrat]

That has a melt point of Approx 164 Deg F Right?

[runfiverun]

bout that,,, it's nearly dead between b-wax and carnuba.

[rhbrink]

Still waiting patiently.:coffeecom

RB

[randyrat]

I am waiting for a couple stars to line up before I order any just yet. It could be a month wait yet..Then the plan is to have 3 different waxes/melt temps on hand for you..I believe you'll be able to order it in chunks of whatever quantity you choose, at least that is my goal.

[rhbrink]

Sounds good to me I have plenty of lube just like to experiment now and then. You know how that is!

RB

[vzerone]

There are two things to know about micro-crystalline wax: Number of carbon atoms per molecule, and oil content. Both affect the melt and congeal points, and both affect needle-penetration numbers.

If used as a supplement to beeswax, the exact composition and advertised melt point of a micro-crystalline wax is fairly inconsequential and can be anything from Vaseline-consistency to ice consistency. Without beeswax, as in some of the recipes which need to tolerate 460°F briefly, a full-spectrum micro- and macro-wax blend is more ideal.

Randy, if you were going to invest in any of it, I'd recommend BW 408 or 429.

Gear

I'm not sure that is quite accurate what you said about the oil content. Typically oil content is .5% to 3%. That's not much at all to really affect anything. I wouldn't worry about it.

[geargnasher]

Small percentage difference in content makes a dramatic difference in wax hardness. Standard needle penetration test numbers tell you that, as does actually cutting, breaking, and carving various known-quantity waxes. But you're right that we're going to be adding to it anyway, so in the end maybe it matters less to bullet lube than to, say, candle-making.

Gear

[vzerone]

Small percentage difference in content makes a dramatic difference in wax hardness. Standard needle penetration test numbers tell you that, as does actually cutting, breaking, and carving various known-quantity waxes. But you're right that we're going to be adding to it anyway, so in the end maybe it matters less to bullet lube than to, say, candle-making.

Gear

You can get a much harder wax by the narrow-cut wax method. But none of this is important to what we are doing.

[randyrat]

Bump this up..I thought I would visit this page again and see if there is any interest yet?

I have a full page of notes on this subject and have not looked at it in a few months.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

yes, I'll still interested.

[alamogunr]

There may be some here(me) that stick with the old NRA Alox lube. The recipe I received from Ken Mollohan used micro-crystalline wax to approximate Alox 2138F from Alox 350. Pointing that out might generate further interest. Per his recommendation, I got a free sample. Not really sure what it is until I go to the shop and read the label but I've got a gallon bucket of little pellets. I guess that would make it easier to melt into Alox 350 and beeswax. I've never had the wax in blocks.

[rhbrink]

I'm still interested.

RB

[Bodean98]

I am still interested as well.

[rwadley]

I would also be interested.

[Phlier]

A bit late to this party, but I'd sure be interested in all the microcrystalline waxes needed to make SL-68B.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Phlier,
I don't think you're late to the party. Randy has been talkin about this for quite some time(see date on the OP), I think it's one of his 'round tuit' projects, LOL ...I gave him my input, and want to get some, soon as he gets some in, to try with my SL68B recipe...and he knows that, so I suspect I may one of the first to know he's ordered some...and I haven't heard anything yet.

[randyrat]

Didn't forget about you guys, the wife threw a monkey wrench at me. Can't explain any more yet.

[Phlier]

Didn't forget about you guys, the wife threw a monkey wrench at me. Can't explain any more yet.

Understood, Randy. Life (and women) have a way of tossing monkey wrenches at ya just when you don't need 'em. I'm gonna be on my back for an extended period of time, with nothing better to do than cook boolit lube. So I'm looking to get some sooner rather than later. No pressure, though.. no pressure. ;)

[Shiloh]

Is there any interest in Microcrystalline or Paraffin wax High melt point wax..1-2 lb or more quantities. I am thinking about carrying this and am testing the waters. This would be for higher melt point Lubes added to beeswax carrier lubes. For harder lubes, to stiffen some softer lubes up or mix with beeswax.
I think I would carry the Microcrystalline about 170 deg melt temp wax. I'm open for recommendations.

" Microcrystalline wax is a refined mixture of hydrocarbons and produced by de-oiling certain fractions from the petroleum refining process. Microcrystalline waxes are tougher, more flexible and generally higher in melting point than paraffin wax. The fine crystal structure also enables microcrystalline wax to bind solvents or oil, and thus prevent the sweating-out of compositions."

I'd take a pound. I don't know why they won't sell apound of this. The vendors I looked at want a minimun of 10 lb.

Shiloh