recipes

[cyco]

hi found this in my google travels the other day, thought it might be of use to someone


RECIPES FOR POLISHES AND WAXES <o></o>
It is time to think about how we are going to finish off our masterpieces, so a few notes on old recipes for polishes and waxes might be appropriate.<o></o>

BEES WAX POLISH.

Shred beeswax into a convenient container and add other waxes [ if any ] that may be required. Pour on Turpentine to cover the wax and place the whole vessel in hot water so as to melt the wax and help it to mix freely with the Turpentine. The precise amount of turps is not important but the mixture when cool should be the consistency of butter in summer-time.

NOTE Always use pure turpentine and not mineral turps.

[Neil]

cyco - I have deleted the recipe posts as I didn't see where you gave credit to the author or web site they came from

You need to ask permission from the Rod Jerard and/or Peninsula Woodturners Association to reproduce those recipes here.

Also please do not cut and paste from Word it really bungs things up as you would have noticed when trying to put them into the thread.

If you get permission I can reinstate them but it may take some time as they will need half an hour or so of editing before they can be viewed properly and I don't have a lot of time.

Neil :)

[Big Shed]

Or you can read about it here (http://home.vicnet.net.au/%7Epwguild/)

[Big Shed]

Some more wax polishes (http://codesmiths.com/shed/workshop/recipes/waxpolish.htm)

http://www.honeyshop.co.uk/Polish1.htm

http://chestofbooks.com/reference/Henley-s-20th-Century-Formulas-Recipes-Processes-Vol3/Hard-Wood-Polish.html

http://codesmiths.com/shed/workshop/recipes/

http://www.deller.com/newpage9.htm

[Iain]

I tried that beeswax once, I think with linseed oil, didn't like it much and as Neil pointed out in his book it can look brilliant but is always soft, in summer it is next to useless except in the UK where a hot day can reach 20 degrees.
I use trad wax now, if I'm using wax but prefer hard shellac or shellawax or glo on most things I do.
The only thing I make myself now is a reviver/cleaner which needs to be used carefully as it can strip a finish if used too liberally, but as I said, I only use it for myself and cleaning some old pieces that people bring in.

[Big Shed]

Yep, use Trad Wax myself, bought some at the WWWS because people kept raving about it. Haven't done a lot with it, but it worked very well on the tablesaw top.:2tsup:

[Ron Dunn]

BigShed, is that the U-Beaut Traditional Wax? (I'm trying to figure out what to buy for my own machine surfaces)

[Big Shed]

BigShed, is that the U-Beaut Traditional Wax? (I'm trying to figure out what to buy for my own machine surfaces)

Yes it is (wouldn't dare buy anything else:rolleyes:)

[Iain]

BigShed, is that the U-Beaut Traditional Wax? (I'm trying to figure out what to buy for my own machine surfaces)

I use trad wax, lanolin based spray and silverglide.
Forget the last message from me, daughter came in and stuffed around on the BB.

[astrid]

"use the same quantity of spirit of wine and shell-lac.
when disolved strain it; but to give it a tinture, instead of common dragons blood and turmerick, employ a very little Sanguis draconis in drops, and saffron dried; which bruise and cloath with a piece of linen, and manage it as the other by putting it into the vessel. If you desire the Lacker of a deeper or more copperish colour, add more Sanguis; if the contrary, saffron.
This being shakt well, keep close stopt for your designs."

from "A Treatise of Jappaning, Varnishing and Guilding" 1688

[Frank&Earnest]

:wink:

[rsser]

Wonder if Bunnies stock dragon's blood :rolleyes:

... Here's a recipe for home-made Danish Oil:

http://www.pnc.com.au/~k_j/woodturner/Pages/TipsOils.htm
.

[astrid]

I promise to try it if you try mine:U
i,m sure you can get Sanguis draconis somewhere!

Mel

[Shedgirl]

I promise to try it if you try mine:U
i,m sure you can get Sanguis draconis somewhere!

Mel
I'm more interested in the 'spirit of wine'. Do you mix it in equal quantities with the shellac, or drink as much wine as you use shellac? I know which option I'd prefer!:hpydans: I go through a fair bit of shellac....

[rsser]

i,m sure you can get Sanguis draconis somewhere!

Guess we should ask St George ;-}

[ubeaut]

Actually had some Dragons Blood brought back from France for me about 15 years ago. It was still readily available then. Not too sure about now. Also got some Logwood, Yellowood and Brazilwood extract, Alcanet Root, Cochineal, Alizarin, Cassels Extract and a few others, along with a heap of nasty chemicals that I've collected over the years that can kill you quickly or slowly and painfully but are fantastic for chemically ageing (dying) a wide range of timbers when used as or with a mordant.

Most were readily available here in Oz up until they started wrapping us up in cotton wool for our own protection some 15 - 20 years ago. Now it's just about takes an act of parliament to get potassium bichromate, or Candy's crystals (that used to be in every snake bite kit) and changed the water at many baths and fountains into a purple and created fun for generations of kids.

Ah the good ol days.

Ever wonder why there are so many recipes for waxes being bandied about and not made up and sold by enterprising young entrepreneurs. Probably has a lot to do with the fact that most really don't work all that well.

Don't get me started....... Sorry. Pet hobby horse of mine.

I started manufacturing Polishes because there was nothing on the market that came up to the high standard that I demanded for my work and that of my students. Just about tried em all. To top it off most people have no idea how to use wax properly that's why it's all soft gluggy stuff that's available instead of good solid wax blocks.

Cheers - Neil :)


PS If you make your own please use extreme care and don't set fire to anything that you shouldn't. Also be careful making DO with poly etc as most of it is quite toxic, carcinogenic and reasonably dangerous. DO NOT inhale fumes through a cigarette, don't laugh I've seen it done.

Don't sniff it to see what it smells like some stuff can just about drop a horse at 40 paces, especially when hot or mixed with other chemicals.

Not all chemicals and solvents, etc are compatible and some might just go boom, ignite or corrode.
In short when mucking around with making anything for yourself please for your own safety and that of others, exercise EXTREME CAUTION, or better still don't do it.

[rsser]

Thanks for the heads-up Neil.

[Frank&Earnest]

I was not joking. Plenty of sellers of 2 or 3 types of Dragon's Blood on E-bay. The real vegetable ones, not mercury sulphate (which is poisonous).
This said, I go with Neil on this one. Love the theory, but life is too short to muck around with recipes if there is something good already made. I haven't learnt how to use Shellawax properly yet...:D

That might also be the explanation for the lack of enterprising young entrepreneurs, you can have all the worries for yourself, Neil :wink:

[astrid]

guys, the recipe was posted as a curiosity,
dont worry, ive no intention of making it!!

astrid

[MacS]

Neil,

Over here many of those chemicals are very difficult to find and very expensive to buy. Many chemicals are not only used for coloring wood they are also used for doing very decorative finishes on metals.

"Patinated Finishes" which are done on top of various semi precious metals, use some of these potent chemicals to decorate these metals by using the different chemical colors, and using different techniques

Attached, is a photo showing 3 patinated faux finishes, that I did with pigmented stains and glazes over a silver base bronzing lacquer for an article I did for a woodworking magazine. I did them with common stains using different applications, because I will not use those chemicals.

Any one interested in reading my article its on the Internet.
http://iswonline.com/ArticleLanding/tabid/67/Default.aspx?tid=2&heading=Fundamentals%20of%20Finishing&modid=520&ContentID=2686

MacS