baok Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 I've seen The Schwarz rub wax on the sole of his plane before using it. Do you suppose that was paraffin? I have a friend who keeps bees so I have easy access to beeswax but it feels a bit sticky. (it is allegedly clean And free of honey.) I guess I could use the beeswax to make some homemade finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisG Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Both work fine. I use paraffin. Go to the grocery stone and look for "canning wax". You can get pack of blocks for like $3-$5 that will last you FOREVER. Old white candles work too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 depends on what you want to use it for. i prefer bees wax for my wax finishes over using paraffin wax. bees wax is softer then paraffin so it soaks into the wood better. for puting on my metal i usualy just grab some minwax finishing wax. it works just as well as something you make yourself and unless you are realy hard on your metal surfaces it does the trick. if you can get the bees wax and mix up some wax finish. here are 3 mixes for finishes i use the mineral oil one because it is cheaper and i have used it for a while and it works. 1. Equal parts tung oil, boiled linseed oil and beeswax. Melt wax in a double saucepan for safety. 2. Two ounces beeswax, one pint turpentine, and linseed oil equal to the volume of the wax/turps mix. The wax will dissolve in the turps if shaved. 3. Mineral oil and beeswax mixed at 1:5 or 1:6 ratio. This is food safe i use it for sanding with on my lathe it gets a instant finish and sands smooth in one step so it can save quite a bit of time. plus different bees make there honey from different flowers so different wax can cause different smells and tastes. a perfect example is my mom used a wood bowl to eat a salid and the next day used one that i just finished and sanded with some wild bees wax rather then purified wax. she said the bowl left her food tasting different more sweet. since then i have given her a mixture of the mineral oil/bees wax that is thined down quite a bit but it leaves a flowery sent in the air and she uses it on her table tops. i have also mixed in some honey for my bowls at one time i could not tell a difference but some people have said that it taste sweeter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wilkins Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 In 'Hand Plane Essentials', Schwarz says he uses cubes of canning wax from the supermarket. IIRC that would be readily available form of paraffin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nateswoodworks Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 I had gotten some beeswax pellets (they were cheap and I thought I could make it the size I wanted) and melted it into a mold I made because I have heard some say that they prefer beeswax over paraffin. It ended up too hard so I added mineral spirits to dilute it down hoping to soften. Melt it down, add a little, let it cool and try it.Once I got it softened up so I could apply it to my plane it seemed smeary. I tried adding paaffin wax to the point that it was 1/2 paraffin and half beeswax/mineral spirits and still didn't work well. I bet I tried it a dozen times or so and finally just melted it down, added sawdust, and made firestarters with it. I HATE to admit defeat but it's not quite as bad when you can burn the evidence and make and make steaks in the proccess!! Now I am just keeping my eyes open for a beeswax candle to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CessnaPilotBarry Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 On my plane soles, I use canning wax. I've tried both, and ahve both on hand, but I honestly can't remember why I went with paraffin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyNoName Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 I use beeswax, because it was nex to the register at Woodcraft. :-) Jonathan ================================ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fransikaner Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 Rancid bear grease. Tried, true, and traditional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan S Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 if you live in a part of the country that has Hobby Lobby, grab one of these, and you will never run out. http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/crafty-candles-100-paraffin-wax/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 cheaper to buy parifin wax from a grocery store Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baok Posted June 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2012 Update: I searched the kitchen and found a brick of canning wax. Tried it on my plane sole and shooting board (a recent completed project) and tried it out. Can't detect much difference but I don't have much experience yet with my planes. I will try the beeswax finish when my friend brings some in to work for me. Look forward to trying it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted June 2, 2012 Report Share Posted June 2, 2012 the problem might be that even though the plane is waxed the wood still might be creating alot of friction as you push down on it. try puting some on your table saw, router table, jointer, planer bed ect..... any metal surface. then buff all the excess like waxing a a car. you will definatly see a difference on those. that way you can try the parifin, bees, and just a can of finishing wax. i like the finishing wax for that because its already mixed and in a can just grab and go. great example i had the other month my planer was not pushing wood through. so i took it apart cleaned the inside, cleaned the blades, checked the chain and the belt, had it in a million pieces. fianly someone told me on here to just wax the bed and see what happens. like butter the huge slab slid right through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMort847 Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 I have both bees and paraffin, but have only used paraffin on planes. Just picked up some mutton tallow from Lee Valley too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pro-staff Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 I recently was in a Rockler store and had this same question. The gentleman there said he liked paraffin wax better. His reason was that it had less buildup over time than the bees wax did. So it stayed smoother and there for more slippery. With less maitenince. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Rozaieski Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 Both work about the same for lubricating tools. The main difference is that beeswax is a natural product and paraffin is a petroleum based product (which I suppose one could stretch and say it is natural but heavily refined). Paraffin is typically easier to find but beeswax seems to stick to the tools a little longer and not rub off as quickly as paraffin. I like the beeswax just because it's not petroleum based. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoboMonk Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 I follow the Japanese custom of using vegetable oils on my planes, both wood and iron bodied Camellia Oil is a favorite. I use Kataneabura oil. A little dab'll do ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 i dont like using vegitable oils as it tends to go rancid even if it is over years and years it still tends to go bad just will be down the road later. ill only use walnut, linseed, and mineral oil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoboMonk Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 Awwwwwwwwwww, The great rancid myth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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