JACKlangrishe
New member
Hey Everyone!!
I need some lube on hand for my next phase, so I prepared some beeswax and Olive Oil in a pyrex bowl and saucepan double boiler configuration. I opted against the microwave after reading some posts about exploding glass and flammable fumes from beeswax, even though I know the majority of people do this with a microwave without incident.
So, it turns out that beeswax weight in ounces are equal to its fluid ounce measurements, making it easy to measure your ratio. (at least, according to this: http://www.worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php?topic=567.0 )
So I did a 1:1 ratio, mixing two chopped up 1oz beeswax sticks with 2 fl oz of extra virgin olive oil and my results were very similar to the description here: http://www.humblebeeandme.com/a-quick-guide-to-beeswax-liquid-oil-ratios/
"...1:1—Equal parts beeswax and olive oil yielded a very hard mixture. I could not push through it with my finger, and it didn’t start to melt at all as I tried. I was able to scrape it up with my finger nail. When handled, it was quite tacky/sticky and hard, with terrible slip (it skidded) and a high melting point."
Here are my results:
fresh from the boiler:
cooling down:
..and this was the final product, removed like a waxy pancake and flipped into a tupperware. The bottom was still warm enough to be runny
Since I'm pretty confident from your input that there is no wrong way to do this, and it really comes down to preference, I think I'm going to further dilute this run to a 1:4 ratio. I was expecting a consistency a bit more like vaseline, which I can work with my fingers, and it would break down into an oil when handled. Let me know if that sounds too thin.
I'm thinking a mix that's too waxy would gunk up the works quick and be pretty hard to handle.. any truth to that?
I need some lube on hand for my next phase, so I prepared some beeswax and Olive Oil in a pyrex bowl and saucepan double boiler configuration. I opted against the microwave after reading some posts about exploding glass and flammable fumes from beeswax, even though I know the majority of people do this with a microwave without incident.
So, it turns out that beeswax weight in ounces are equal to its fluid ounce measurements, making it easy to measure your ratio. (at least, according to this: http://www.worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php?topic=567.0 )
So I did a 1:1 ratio, mixing two chopped up 1oz beeswax sticks with 2 fl oz of extra virgin olive oil and my results were very similar to the description here: http://www.humblebeeandme.com/a-quick-guide-to-beeswax-liquid-oil-ratios/
"...1:1—Equal parts beeswax and olive oil yielded a very hard mixture. I could not push through it with my finger, and it didn’t start to melt at all as I tried. I was able to scrape it up with my finger nail. When handled, it was quite tacky/sticky and hard, with terrible slip (it skidded) and a high melting point."
Here are my results:
fresh from the boiler:
cooling down:
..and this was the final product, removed like a waxy pancake and flipped into a tupperware. The bottom was still warm enough to be runny
Since I'm pretty confident from your input that there is no wrong way to do this, and it really comes down to preference, I think I'm going to further dilute this run to a 1:4 ratio. I was expecting a consistency a bit more like vaseline, which I can work with my fingers, and it would break down into an oil when handled. Let me know if that sounds too thin.
I'm thinking a mix that's too waxy would gunk up the works quick and be pretty hard to handle.. any truth to that?