beeswax/ rosin filler

[Ben Fuller]

Am doing a refurb on my Chamberlain dory skiff we built down at Mystic some decades ago. We did traditional putty which as I recall was a 50 /50 beeswax rosin mix that went in over screw heads. Has mostly stayed somewhat flexible over the years but some of it needs replacement. Anyone got a good source for beeswax probably a half pound and rosin, a similar amount?

thanks

[Thorne]

Beeswax you can get from all sorts of suppliers, including marine ones who sell sailmaking stuff. Don't know what "rosin" actually is -- do you mean the material used on fiddle bows?

[Jay Greer]

Bee's wax can best be purchased from a local bee keeper. Rosin can be found at a chemical supply house.
Jay

[Jim Ledger]

West Marine has small cakes of beeswax and if you need more, try googling "candle making supplies".

[Bob Smalser]

Buy beeswax from a local beekeeper if you can. Otherwise you might end up paying for refined "food-grade" wax you don't need. One is around 5 bucks a pound, and the other three times that.

The best place to buy rosin is on eBay or from a rodeo supply store. They sell it by the pound for bull riders and unlike at your local music store, it's cheap. Use a mortar and pestle to grind it fine.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rodeo-Amber-Rosin-PBR-bull-riding-gear-equipment-PRCA_W0QQitemZ380030418437QQihZ025QQcategoryZ11422 6QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Jim Ledger]

5.95/lb., plus shipping, of course, and you can make a candle or eat the leftovers if you've a mind. If you're a busy man with little time it's nice to just have UPS drop it on your step.;)

http://www.peakcandle.com/category/Waxes/Bees-Wax.aspx

[Todd Bradshaw]

Steven Bauer may have some beeswax he could sell you pretty soon :)

[StevenBauer]

I'm hoping the damn critters will be gone before they can make any wax! :D

I've been wondering myself where to get the rosin for this concoction. I saw the demo at the WBShow at Fort Adams and it's just perfect for covering screw holes in thin planking. Did the article in the magazine give any supply info for rosin?



Steven

[Bradley Stemen]

Hi Ben,

How much beeswax do you need, I keep bees and have 15 or so pounds that I've saved up. My wife uses it to put in the soap she makes, but hardly makes a dent in the quantity. I'd be happy to send you what you need.

Brad

[Ben Fuller]

I like the UPS solution and I had not thought about rodeo stores for rosin. Good ideas both. I will probably mix up more of this putty for the Langille. It beats the hard stuff that you get from marine supply stores if you don't need a yachty like finish. Twenty years ain't bad.

[S B]

Beeswax you can get from all sorts of suppliers, including marine ones who sell sailmaking stuff. Don't know what "rosin" actually is -- do you mean the material used on fiddle bows?
Rosin is the soft resin left after the distillation of spirits of turpentine.

[Mrleft8]

I usually just go out and pick the nibs off of Pine trees.... Takes about 15 minutes to get enough to last a year.... Get the ones that are completely dry. The gummy ones are a pain to deal with. Spruce gum works great too.

[ssor]

Gardening supply shop and get grafting wax . it is beeswax and rosin

[Tom Jackson]

Well, as it happens, WB No. 203 (July/August) has an article by Wade Smith that includes this very subject.

Make sure your beeswax is pure -- no parafin. Ben, the best source I've found in Maine is the Common Ground fair, where beekeepers sell it by the block. One of those will last you a long while.

The rosin is powdered, but be careful of that, too. A synthetic "powdered rosin" is used by athletes, and that's what you'll get if you order from McMaster Carr. It doesn't work in the recipe. The real powdered stuff (which is the same as used by violinists in solid form) is still used by the printing industry. Wade's article has all the particulars.

I know this because I just used this filler in my boat. It is temperamental -- mixing calls for some effort and attention. The result is excellent, though.

[Benchdog]

Ok, I'm not 100% sure what rosin is - but - my friend makes a putty filler by heating up hard pine resin chips (he calls it amber) and beeswax. He got the can of "amber" from Kirby's.

As others have mentioned - many sources for beeswax - I think my current block is from a local crafts store.

[Ben Fuller]

Well, as it happens, WB No. 203 (July/August) has an article by Wade Smith that includes this very subject.

Make sure your beeswax is pure -- no parafin. Ben, the best source I've found in Maine is the Common Ground fair, where beekeepers sell it by the block. One of those will last you a long while.

The rosin is powdered, but be careful of that, too. A synthetic "powdered rosin" is used by athletes, and that's what you'll get if you order from McMaster Carr. It doesn't work in the recipe. The real powdered stuff (which is the same as used by violinists in solid form) is still used by the printing industry. Wade's article has all the particulars.

I know this because I just used this filler in my boat. It is temperamental -- mixing calls for some effort and attention. The result is excellent, though.

About time this got published; Barry Thomas and Clark Poston dug out the info from Crosby when we built the Breck Marshall years ago and we kept using it. I need the stuff now so I won't be able to wait for the article. Work on the Langille tender refurb is proceeding apace and then Langille goes pretty much full time after mid June. One of the forumites mentioned rosin from the rodeo business and some one else from Kirby. One of the other forumites offered me some wax and there are some other good sources.

I do know that the results are good. Have not seen much else that my finger nail can still mark after twenty years.

[amper]

Try Graphic Chemical for rosin. They sell it powdered in cans as printmaking supplies in 1 lb. or 5 lb. sizes. You may be able to find it at a local artists supply. I know that Pearl Paint in Philadelphia carries it as a stock item. Good beeswax is usually also available through artists supply houses. Graphic Chemical has it, as well.

http://www.graphicchemical.com/

I watched the demo of this process a couple of years ago at the WoodenBoat Show in Newport. It was really cool!

[rbgarr]

I will probably mix up more of this putty for the Langille.

She must be thirty years old now. Any major repairs needed or done? Is her tender still a small dory?