Beeswax finish - tinting options

[Mac Walker]

Read a while back about finishing a neck with 100% beeswax and a hairdryer, I think it was this forum...

Anyway, I gave this a try and was very pleased, lots of labor involved but very therapeutic at the same time.....   Will reserve judgement until summer hits and I see how it holds up to hot weather....

At any rate I am interested in tinting the wax to an amber color, I have read that coffee, shoe polish, and crayons are all acceptable coloring agents (heating beeswax in a "double boiler" of sorts, adding, mixing, etc.)

Was wondering if anyone had any direct experience with any of these or other easy to find coloring agents, any info is greatly appreciated.  Not interested in purchasing any commercial tinting materials, these are ridiculously priced, my money is reserved for frets, tuners, bridges, and such (things I can't DIY so easily!)

Thanks....

[William F.Eden]

Mac if it were me I would give the shoe polish a try .Of corse on some scrap wood first , you would not need very much stain to get that coulor .Bill............

[Kerry Krishna]

 It was me that posted the bee's wax/hairdryer thing . I used to do Fender necks quite a bit in Winnipeg like this. It works amazingly well  on maple necks. It was the stripping off of the lacquer that was hardest part, then sanding back... 

[Mac Walker]

I'm starting from raw wood here, so I guess I have that advantage!  Do you recall what grit you sanded to?  I've been stopping at 220 grit, I am thinking a slightly rougher finish might "hold" the wax better, any thoughts?

[Mac Walker]

OK, shoe polish it is!

[Doug Berch]

I've used shoe polish when I needed colored wax and it works well. Some cans have even mentioned it could be used on wood!  I once came across a can that contained silicone so I'd recommend checking the label first!

[William F.Eden]

Sorry the stuff I was thinking of  came out of a bottle in lic. form.Bill............

[Robbie Collins]

I'd be worried about the softness of this finish and its lack of heat resistance. Tru-oil might be of interest.

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/TruOil.htm

[Mac Walker]

Heat resistance is my primary concern as well.  I've done a half dozen Danish oil/tung oil, hand rubbed finishes before, they are way too time consuming for my tastes (or maybe I'm doing it wrong, lol), at least 4~5 applications to get a decent build, then "wet sanding/pore filling" at the end, then at least another week to fully cure....

With the assistance of a small automotive buffer, I can now finish a neck in less than twenty minutes, which beats the pants off of the other "hand" finishes (in terms of time input, anyway).

I believe I would not try this on mahogany or any other softer woods, maple seems to do fairly well though....

[David Edward Helmer]

I have Jumbo Archtop that I need to finish. I am at the final sand stage. Pic of body below neck is on it now. European Maple back and sides, European Spruce top, 3 Pc neck(Mohagany and a strip of walnut). Is this finish more durable than shellac? I am still trying to find a finish to apply on this beast! Let me know your thoughts.

[Eric Steven Johansen]

David, Lacquer for speed, French Polish for quality, and patience no matter which way you choose. Love the round sound hole by the way.

[Ned Knepp]

Hey David, you should probably move this to another thread since this one is about Mac's beeswax experiments. If you  do then that thread will be available for any other questions you may have on the topic of refinishing your archtop.

[David Edward Helmer]

word. makes sense.