Introduction: Homemade Sealing Wax - EASY! PICTURES!
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About: Travelling since 2013. I'm currently in Australia for some reason. --- I’m Calvin Drews, and I love to learn, experiment, invent, create, repair, and generally just do things myself. A sort of modern jack of …
In this instructable I am going to show to how to make your very own sealing wax for signing documents and such. Sorry for the lengthy instructions, it is mostly pictures.
SEE MY OTHER INSTRUCTABLES FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO CARVE A SEALING STAMP
SEE MY OTHER INSTRUCTABLES FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO CARVE A SEALING STAMP
Step 1: Preparation
Everything you need and MORE!
FABRIC HOT GLUE: It looks like hot glue, except it's white. the stuff I use is called "fabristick" or something.
DYE: Any kind of colorant can be used. I prefer RIT dye (very cheep).
BEE'S WAX: You only need a tiny bit. If you don't have this, paraffin works OK.
MORTAR AND PESTLE: You will need it for grinding the RIT dye into fine dust.
A CANDLE SETUP: It is featured in the picture below. Looks like a candle under a metal tripod.
ALUMINUM DISH (OR EQUIVALENT): Use one that is small enough to be used in the candle setup.
WORK PAPER: Something that you won't mind getting wax on. your going to work on top of it.
BEGIN!
FABRIC HOT GLUE: It looks like hot glue, except it's white. the stuff I use is called "fabristick" or something.
DYE: Any kind of colorant can be used. I prefer RIT dye (very cheep).
BEE'S WAX: You only need a tiny bit. If you don't have this, paraffin works OK.
MORTAR AND PESTLE: You will need it for grinding the RIT dye into fine dust.
A CANDLE SETUP: It is featured in the picture below. Looks like a candle under a metal tripod.
ALUMINUM DISH (OR EQUIVALENT): Use one that is small enough to be used in the candle setup.
WORK PAPER: Something that you won't mind getting wax on. your going to work on top of it.
BEGIN!
Step 2: Candle Setup
This is the heating element I used to melt the ingredients together.
Step 3: Wax and Glue
Melt a tiny bit of bee's wax in the aluminum tin. Also cut two(2) one inch lengths of fabric glue stick and put it into the tin with the melted bee's wax.
Remember: after the bee's wax melts, swirl it around the tin to thoroughly coat the inside. After you do that put the fabric glue sticks in.
If the wax bubbles or pops at any time in this procedure, it is too hot! Take it away from the flame for a minute.
Remember: after the bee's wax melts, swirl it around the tin to thoroughly coat the inside. After you do that put the fabric glue sticks in.
If the wax bubbles or pops at any time in this procedure, it is too hot! Take it away from the flame for a minute.
Step 4: Melting Stuff = YAY!!
Because the fabric glue stick does not melt well without help, you may need to push it against the bottom of the tin with a toothpick. The reason it does not melt well is because of density... the not melted part of the glue stick seems to float on top of the the melted parts, keeping it away from the heat.
If the wax bubbles or pops at any time in this procedure, it is too hot! Take it away from the flame for a minute.
If the wax bubbles or pops at any time in this procedure, it is too hot! Take it away from the flame for a minute.
Step 5: Mix Mix Mix Mix...
Mix everything together with a tooth pick. Sort of twirl the tooth pick like a blender would (takes mad skills). When you stir it use pliers to hold the tin to keep it from moving about.
If the wax bubbles or pops at any time in this procedure, it is too hot! Take it away from the flame for a minute.
If the wax bubbles or pops at any time in this procedure, it is too hot! Take it away from the flame for a minute.
Step 6: Grinding the Dye
Measure out about 1/4 tea spoon of dye and grind it with the mortar and pestle.
Step 7: Mixing in the Dye
Pour in the ground up dye into the tin of melted glue and bee's wax. I poured it all in, but I recommend pouring a little bit at a time and then mixing it up.
I also poured in copper bronze powder after I mixed in the dye. Copper bronze powder is finely ground copper (sparkles dude!).
If the wax bubbles or pops at any time in this procedure, it is too hot! Take it away from the flame for a minute.
I also poured in copper bronze powder after I mixed in the dye. Copper bronze powder is finely ground copper (sparkles dude!).
If the wax bubbles or pops at any time in this procedure, it is too hot! Take it away from the flame for a minute.
Step 8: Prepare for Pouring
Now you need to get some aluminum foil. Prepare to pour the mixture onto the aluminum by heating it very hot. Leave it above the candle until small bubbles start to appear or the mixture is very runny.
Step 9: Foil Time
Prepare your foil by folding it into an upside down tent. Then prop it up so it won't move...
Step 10: Pouring the Wax Into a Stick Shape
Pour the very HOT wax into the "V" shaped piece of aluminum foil. Allow it to cool and do not move it before it has cooled.
Step 11: Removing Foil and Finishing Touches
After it is cooled, do not try to remove the foil. Put it into the freezer to make the wax super cold then remove the foil. If any foil remains stuck to the wax, use an X-Acto knife to cut it away.
I also melted the bottom of the wax stick and impressed my wax seal onto it...
This wax is different to use than other varieties. Mainly it differs because it has no wick. To use this wax there are 2 ways:
1: Using a butane torch, heat up the end of the wax stick until it melts. Drip the blob of melted wax onto the object you are sealing and stamp it with you seal.
2: Cut the amount of wax you want to make a seal with and place it in a spoon. Put the spoon above a small open flame (i.e. candle flame) until the wax in the spoon melts. Drip the wax in the spoon onto the document you are going to seal and stamp it with you seal.
Have fun and be safe!
I also melted the bottom of the wax stick and impressed my wax seal onto it...
This wax is different to use than other varieties. Mainly it differs because it has no wick. To use this wax there are 2 ways:
1: Using a butane torch, heat up the end of the wax stick until it melts. Drip the blob of melted wax onto the object you are sealing and stamp it with you seal.
2: Cut the amount of wax you want to make a seal with and place it in a spoon. Put the spoon above a small open flame (i.e. candle flame) until the wax in the spoon melts. Drip the wax in the spoon onto the document you are going to seal and stamp it with you seal.
Have fun and be safe!
