Natural beeswax by the ton, now with a price.

[MikeG.]

I had a visit this afternoon, straight after Tom (Wizer) had left my place, from an old friend who is a commercial bee-keeper. We got chatting, and it turns out he has many tons, literally, of natural beeswax kicking around.......and no plans for it.

Apparently he has it seperated out into a variety of colours, from very dark to almost clear.

Is any of this of use to anyone?

He will, of course, want paying for it, but it would be at trade rather than retail rates.

Mike

 

[head clansman]

hi mike


it might be nice if your friend place some pics here showing colours and sizes it to sold in and it would be nice to know costs as well . hc

 

[Grinding One]

People make candles from it ,they last a long time.Longer then store bought.
Also if you melt your bees wax,it is good for sealing the ends of boards so they do not check.(green wood)
Could also be used for lubricateing screws before installing them,makes them easier to remove.

 

[MikeG.]

HC,

the point is, he doesn't sell it. He just stores it away, with a view to doing something with it one day. It is in large barrels, but he'd put it into gallon buckets if anybody wanted any of it.

Mike

 

[wizer]

Yes, potentially, very interested Mike. Details of price needed. I'd probably only use a tiny amount for finishing, but have another use in mind

 

[salvage]

I'd also be interested - need to know some prices

 

[head clansman]

hi mike

It is in large barrels, but he'd put it into gallon buckets

:?:

never seen it like that, i have only used it in a large solid chucks break it off in small amounts usually enough to melt and fill an old tobacco tin when set hard use for filling when finishing work like pin holes small blemishes that sort of thing . hc

 

[Eddie]

I am also interested if the price is ok
Eddie

 

[maltrout512]

I'm interested, like the others price and size etc would be helpful.

 

[DaveL]

Barrels of bees wax :shock:

I would be interested in maybe a pint at most, may be we could share a bucket between us? :-k I have some small plastic pots that I could decant it into to pass on.

Can you get a price Mike.

 

[Digit]

I was hoping someone would save me the embarrassment of having to ask.
What does a man do with tons of Beeswax, aside from a hell of a lot of polishing that is?

Roy.

 

[MikeG.]

I guess you store it away for years and years until or in case something turns up.

I don't know anything about keeping bees, but my apiarist friend tells me that some of the wax is re-used to start the colonies off again after the frames have been cleaned out, so the stored stuff isn't all a waste or by-product.

There are apparently various categories of bees-wax. The stuff that stays in the frames for a year or two can be really dark, and the stuff that gets spun out of the honey is lightest and clearest. There were others types too, but I was glazing over......

Even though there doesn't appear to be a stampede for the stuff, I'll get an idea of price shortly and let you guys know.

Mike

 

[Digit]

Modern hives Mike have removable 'frames' carefully spaced in the hive that the bees build their combs on, and in the centre of each frame is a sheet of wax embossed with a honey comb shape so a certain amount of wax is always being re-cycled.

Roy.

 

[Ironballs]

You can make candles out of beeswax can't you? If someone decided to turn this beeswax into candles I'd be up for a whole heap of those - it would certainly help convince Mrs IB that this forum was good for things other than helping me acquire more planes.............

PS - Mike, today I used 4 different planes plus 2 surforms which are technically micro-planes

 

[Digit]

Bees wax is used in candles as it burns clean and without the Paraffin smell.

Roy.

 

[mickthetree]

Hi Mike

Yes also interested in a price please.

Cheers

Paul

 

[devonwoody]

Adam a member of many years gave me a piece of beeswax about the size of a Mars bar around 4 years ago.
I use it for rubbing on my P/T and tablesaw tops, havent tried it for anything else :wink:

 

[Derek Willis.]

Try making your own finishing wax polish with it, melt the Beeswax, add linseed oil and Genuine Turpentine, perhaps about 10% oil 20% turps, if it is too heavy or stiff, just add more turps.
Derek.

 

[MikeG.]

Right, my apiarist friend has come back to me with a price.....

The premium stuff is apparently the paler wax, and it is particularly pale because the bees are on borage, and for this he asks £25 for a 5litre (c. 4kg) block.

It has a melting point of 64 celcius, so boiling it in water is the easiest way to soften it....then add the turps, if you are making a finishing wax.

The darker wax he sells for £20 for the same volume.

It isn't worth anyones while selling in smaller amounts, so if this is too much for individuals, try and share with friends....

Cheers

Mike

 

[wizer]

ah that's only marginally cheaper than I can buy it commercially. I'll have a think, cheers Mike