Waxes

[Barb R]

Can I add beeswax to Victory Brown wax to make it a little more malleable? If not - does anyone have a recommendation of wax that is softer and that will stick to a base of Victory Brown wax?

Barb

[williamslaybaugh]

The addition of petroleum jelly to melted brown wax will soften it. It's also cheaper than beeswax.

[Joe Pfeifer]

Or, Mineral oil, or soy wax, etc. I have been experimenting on different waxes. I have found that you can blend about anything, and probably make it work. See some of my experiments here: http://igneousglassworks.com/

[Morganica]

The beeswax I use is refined, and seems about as hard as, or a bit harder than, the victory brown so it doesn't really change the texture very much. The less refined stuff is softer and probably would work. FYI, if you use beeswax outdoors (Les and I tried this once), you'll attract every bee and wasp for miles.

I use vaseline or Crisco if I want to soften victory brown. I don't often need to, though--if you stick it in a reflector box for 15-20 minutes it gets pretty soft. (Reflector box or reflector oven you make by covering the inside of one of those banker's boxes with aluminum foil. Cut a hole in the lid, tape a cheap reflector light to the hole, line the lid with more aluminum foil. Put your wax in the box, close the lid and turn on the light.)

Joe's got some great info on waxes, so be sure to check his link. You can also find lots of different types of microcrystalline wax at places like Arizona Sculpture and Compleat Sculptor, and they come in varying softnesses. Arizona sells a couple dozen kinds of waxes, and Compleat probably has two or three times that.

There's also an extremely pliable sculpture wax, more like plastilina, that can be directly sculpted. It's a little trickier to get out of a mold, though.
http://www.morganica.com/bloggery/2008/ ... -wax-clay/

[twin vision glass]

Oh Cynthia, that was quite the BUZZ when that happened eh!!!!!!!! gosh we laughed till we cried ( and NO stings) I used to use Victory Brown with Microcrystaline YELLOW . A beautiful wax . These compined where great and steamed out so lovely. Les
(are you going to Mark Abilggard's class this week at Uroboros!!! sure wish I was there.)

[Barb R]

Wow! What a wealth of information! Thanks all -- and Cynthia - thanks especially for the tip about using beeswax outside!

Thank you everyone!

Barb

[Morganica]

I didn't know he was having a class this week at Uroboros, Les. I sure wish these guys would publicize more!

[twin vision glass]

http://www.uroboros.com/events.php
OOPS a fabulous opportunity to be with a master caster. Wish I could have gone. Sold out VERY quickly. Les
OOPS also, I should have helped advertise it. I wanted to go so badly. SOOO my glass people will talk to your glass people. Tee hee.
http://www.uroboros.com/artist_detail.php?id=31 (twins are always mistaken for each other sooooo this is me in the hot shop pointing. )

[Peter Angel]

Can I add beeswax to Victory Brown wax to make it a little more malleable? If not - does anyone have a recommendation of wax that is softer and that will stick to a base of Victory Brown wax?

Barb

Barb, you can by different grades of hardness of victory brown.

Also buy it from a metal casting foundry rather than an art shop. Its much cheaper!