a less messy , quicker way: go to any greek restaurant in your area. ask them for a few ounces of their lamb or mutton grease while it's still hot. when it's still liquid, strain out all the little solids, then mix with melted bees wax. i wouldn't add nearly as much tallow as wax, however. that's just my preference.
Beeswax & Tallow
- Thread starter TC_Blades
- Start date
Artemiss
Elite Cafe Member
I recently saw a pot of home made Bees wax and Tallow... although it was black!?!
Is this because he'd mixed some kind of black dye?
Is there any advantage/disadvantage to having your transfer mix coloured in such a way?
Jo
Is this because he'd mixed some kind of black dye?
Is there any advantage/disadvantage to having your transfer mix coloured in such a way?
Jo
Historical note: Winston Churchill told me that he gave Lynton his first batch of the beeswax & tallow, having learned about it from Joe Fugger of Austria. Lynton proclaimed that it didn't work, but continued to use it for many years.
Some people get satisfactory results with Chapstick, so you might try that. One engraver I knew used Door Ease, which is the waxy stuff in a tube that you rub on the edges of doors to keep them from sticking.
Some people get satisfactory results with Chapstick, so you might try that. One engraver I knew used Door Ease, which is the waxy stuff in a tube that you rub on the edges of doors to keep them from sticking.
vanknife
Elite Cafe Member
Renaissance wax is also a good alternative for transfer wax and it also protects the surface.
Cheers
"VAN"
Cheers
"VAN"
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John, you're a treasure.
Personally I would buy Sam's 'stuff', but it's wonderful to know the process. It's great to have the complete receipt; one never knows.
You mentioned the 'bone black'. There's also graphite powder sold in hardware stores for lubricating locks. Maybe that would also serve?
Kevin P.
Personally I would buy Sam's 'stuff', but it's wonderful to know the process. It's great to have the complete receipt; one never knows.
You mentioned the 'bone black'. There's also graphite powder sold in hardware stores for lubricating locks. Maybe that would also serve?
Kevin P.
KCSteve
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
For 'black' wax you mix in some powdered bone black or graphite while the wax is melted.
I used a tip Marty Rabeno (Fancygun) and made some black wax from a melted ChapStick (waxy lip balm) and powdered graphite.
The black wax is great for doing transfers - rub some on, making sure to get it into the lines and then use tape to lift the pattern off. Lay it over the new area and burnish it down.
I also have Renniassance wax and Sam's Transfer Wax.
To do the wax & pencil transfer you put down a layer of wax on the metal, flip your drawing over and trace it on the back with a soft lead pencil. Place it right side up over the wax coated metal and burnish the lines. Some of the pencil lead will come off of the back of the paper and stick to the wax. You can get a pretty good transfer this way but it is fragile so it can be a good idea to lightly scribe the lines so they won't get wiped off while you're working.
As the others have said, a film of wax (or the film left by rolling / daubing modeling clay over the metal) lets you draw your design with a pencil. Tapping just a little powder of some sort onto the film makes it easier to see the lines.
I used a tip Marty Rabeno (Fancygun) and made some black wax from a melted ChapStick (waxy lip balm) and powdered graphite.
The black wax is great for doing transfers - rub some on, making sure to get it into the lines and then use tape to lift the pattern off. Lay it over the new area and burnish it down.
I also have Renniassance wax and Sam's Transfer Wax.
To do the wax & pencil transfer you put down a layer of wax on the metal, flip your drawing over and trace it on the back with a soft lead pencil. Place it right side up over the wax coated metal and burnish the lines. Some of the pencil lead will come off of the back of the paper and stick to the wax. You can get a pretty good transfer this way but it is fragile so it can be a good idea to lightly scribe the lines so they won't get wiped off while you're working.
As the others have said, a film of wax (or the film left by rolling / daubing modeling clay over the metal) lets you draw your design with a pencil. Tapping just a little powder of some sort onto the film makes it easier to see the lines.
With the method I use of clear tape and transfer wax, I've never had success mixing bone black or lamp black in the wax. When the transfer is done the layer of wax is so thin that it just doesn't make a 'black' transfer. If someone has had better luck than me I'd certainly be interested in seeing some examples. I gave up trying to color the stuff because it didn't make enough of a difference. I'm talking about mixing color into the wax, not dusting the surface or using lamp black, etc.
bronc
Elite Cafe Member
Here's another use for tallow. My dad, who is 96 now tells about spending time on his uncle's ranch in northern Mexico when he was young. He said nobody on the ranch wore socks, they just greased their feet with beef tallow every morning and put their boots on.
Stewart
Stewart
Artemiss
Elite Cafe Member
I attempted my first Tallow/Bees wax mix today. I think it turned out ok.
I placed 50/50 mix of Bees Wax (mine had added turpentine, not sure why) and store bought Beef Dripping.
I wasn't sure about colour but I put in a small amount of black shoe polish, heated it all up in a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water and watched it melt.
Poured it into a tin and an hour later it was ready for use.
(I meant to ask earlier about microwaving it... I don't need to ask now however!!!
)
I did learn something about transferring however.
My mistake was to just pencil the whole back of my drawing instead of carefully copying the lines exactly.
So that when I placed my drawing over the plate of tallow and powder, then started drawing over, it resulted in the lines being quite thick and not at all easy to follow!
Trial and error!
Jo
I placed 50/50 mix of Bees Wax (mine had added turpentine, not sure why) and store bought Beef Dripping.
I wasn't sure about colour but I put in a small amount of black shoe polish, heated it all up in a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water and watched it melt.
Poured it into a tin and an hour later it was ready for use.
(I meant to ask earlier about microwaving it... I don't need to ask now however!!!
)I did learn something about transferring however.
My mistake was to just pencil the whole back of my drawing instead of carefully copying the lines exactly.
So that when I placed my drawing over the plate of tallow and powder, then started drawing over, it resulted in the lines being quite thick and not at all easy to follow!
Trial and error!
Jo
Wow Bronc, I bet that bunk house was a little gamey at night. Ha ha.
We had a lot of fun with this mutton fat/ bee's wax thread and it does work well.
But just get some of Sam's stuff and it will last you a life time and comes ready for work.
Brian Marshall also made some various mixes of transfer wax, don't know if he sells it.
We had a lot of fun with this mutton fat/ bee's wax thread and it does work well.
But just get some of Sam's stuff and it will last you a life time and comes ready for work.
Brian Marshall also made some various mixes of transfer wax, don't know if he sells it.
Mike Cirelli
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
I agree with John just get some of Sam's wax and that'll give you more time to engrave
Jo try this. http://www.igraver.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4202
Jo try this. http://www.igraver.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4202
artemiss: you can do the beeswax/tallow thing in a microwave. a lot quicker, and way less messy. just be sure the melting containers are heavy duty pyrex glass, not metal.
I made mine with bees wax and vasaline. Just enough vasaline to make a tacky wax. Melt the bees wax, add a little daub of vaseline and try. Not enough? add a little more till you get tacky to the touch. You won't have to do this very often as one batch will last for years.
Ron S
Ron S
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