DIY Wax Paste

This video demonstrates how to make a simple wax paste from beeswax and white spirits. This can be used to protect paper, especially paper used for endpages. It can also enable one to make printouts of historical marbled paper virtually indistinguishable from actual marbled paper.

[@mrsjennifersquires]

I've been book binding for a few years, learnt everything from KZbin and I never knew "what you do to one side 6ou do to the other" this explains why my end pages pull in a weird direction. Thank you

[@AnnesiBindings]

I'm pleased it was helpful.

[@judyofthewoods]

What a lovely idea. I don't fancy doing marbled paper the traditional way, to be honest. For a wax coating to the outside of the book it might work better by adding a bit of carnauba wax to the mix. Carnauba is harder and has a higher melting point than beeswax and is less likely to feel tacky when warm or handling with warm hands. Probably more mechanical protection too, with its hardness. On its own it is a bit brittle, but the beeswax makes it less so. If you are aiming for high shine, the carnauba also helps, but more so the way the wax is applied and treated. Build up several very thin coats. After each application allow to dry fully, then polish. Repeat a few time until you are happy with the amount of shine. Wax is made of microscopic platelets which creates the gloss when they align in the plane and is brought about by the rubbing. If you apply a thick coat, the platelets will be a jumble, which refracts the light and will never align properly as the solvent evaporates. It will only allow the top layer to align. That will give you a more milky appearance. The multiple thin layers is the secret to a rich, deep, translucent waxy shine on old wood - every coat adds to the depth. For a book cover I think a silky sheen with maybe just one or two layers would look best. Too much gloss would look odd on a book.

[@Flat_Earth_Addy]

I've never heard of this. Is this safe?

[@judyofthewoods]

@@Flat_Earth_Addy if you mean the potential toxicity of carnauba, it is absolutely safe. It is a plant based, food-safe wax used, for example, on some chocolate coated nuts to reduce melting and sticking of the chocolate.

[@Flat_Earth_Addy]

@@judyofthewoods Hmm... I never heard of a chocolate-covered book though. Isn't plant-based usually bad? Also, isn't it messy?

[@tenyacollier3946]

Beautiful paper

[@berolinastrassmann]

This is a great tip! I started making my own marbled papers in the traditional way. This would be perfect to protect the papers before I use them for book covers. On the beeswax, I founs white beeswax (used for cosmetics) which will most likely not leave a yellowish tint. Would odorless mineral spirits work exactly like the one you used here? Thanks again for this tip.

[@psybormonkey]

Thank you for the great content 😀. The KZbin algorithm is a strange thing! I can only assume it is because I was looking for examples and ir udeas for making my own folio for note books. But that doesn't matter as here we are. Re using images that have been printed on a laser as not being suitable, this would more than likely be because of how the ink is transferred to the paper. The printer will heat up the paper surface to 100c+ which will then allow the coloured in from rhe toner to statically stick to the paper surface. It effectively glues (fused), itself to the paper, hence an already waxy look. Whereas as generic ink printer just draws (for want of a better discrimination), into the paper and the ink will then just be absorbed. Just incase anyone was wondering as to why one works ant the other doesn't.

[@rwasparaguslegs7314]

This is great, thank you for the inspiration! Could you give the exact ratio of wax and spirits in grams? 🙏

[@AnnesiBindings]

You're welcome! I've found that the best ratio is 50:50, although you can vary it a bit.

[@rwasparaguslegs7314]

Thanks @@AnnesiBindings

[@Flat_Earth_Addy]

@@AnnesiBindings What sort of printer do you use?

[@Nanakinsz]

Very interesting! But ... what in the world is/are "Wax Spirits"? Are they sold in the USA with another name?

[@AnnesiBindings]

Thanks! It's white spirits, not wax spirits. It's what artists use to thin their paints, I think, so it must be available there. It's usually sold in art supply shops.

[@AnnesiBindings]

Google tells me that it's called mineral spirits in the US.