Which wax to use?

[melancholic]

Hello,

 

First post.  I have only dabbled in soft soy wax for containers once, so please treat me like a total newbie...

 

I'm experimenting with a new product which is not a candle, and I need some help.  There is a seamless metal tin with a screw top lid that I will be filling with wax.  A decoration is on a stick that fits through a small hole in the lid, down into the wax which will anchor it in place, and the wax will also serve to add some much needed weight to the object.  I need a wax with as high a melt point as possible, because the decorations are packaged lying horizontally and I want to be able to ship worry-free in the summer heat, boxes left in the sun, hot warehouses for days etc.  However, I need the wax to stick to the sides of the container and not shrink/rattle around loose.  The wax will not be scented or colored and the tops don't have to look pretty at all.  Economical cost is important.  Everywhere I look it seems like container waxes all have a melt point of 125 or less.  Anyone know of the perfect wax for this application, or any tips to make this work?  Thanks!!

[Trappeur]

Please post a picture as I have no idea what you are talking about.

 

Trappeur

[Jcandleattic]

I think any wax that has a higher melt point (what you are describing is hurricane wax, like IGI 1261) is going to shrink away from the sides, as they are meant to release out of molds. In warmer climates and having them sit in warehouses and hot sun will expand the wax, but as soon as they cool off again, they are going to shrink up and pull away from the sides. It's just the nature of wax. I don't think you are going to find any kind of hard wax with a high enough melt point of what you are looking for that won't do that. 

 

Good luck in your ventures though... 

[melancholic]

Ok, here are some pictures. This is a work in progress...

 

I need to anchor and weight a decoration like this paper bird in a tin (picture 1).

 

The tin I will use is a bit smaller than pictured and has a screw top.  It's seamless on the inside so it can hold liquids.  Don't mind all the holes in the lid, that's just experimentation on making a clean hole.  The wooden stick sits in it and is covered with wax. (pictures 2 + 3)  The lid goes on top and the customer does not see the wax, so it doesn't have to look pretty. (picture 4)  The object will be shipped on its side (picture 5), so I can't have wax melting in the heat, but the higher melt point waxes aren't recommended for containers.  Summer temps in a hot warehouse or a box left in the sun can get into the 120's.  But I need the wax to hold the decoration steady, so there can't be any pulling away from the sides/bottom of the tin as it cools.

[Jcandleattic]

If it doesn't have to be pretty, it might be easier to buy a small bag of plaster and use that instead of wax. That won't shrink, will give you the weight you need, and will also give you the stability. Because of the shrinking nature of wax, the dowel you have the bird on may slip out of any type of wax you use, but most likely won't in a plaster of paris type application. 

[TallTayl]

I was thinking along the same lines as JC. why wax?

 

sand in a bag would work just as well. Beans. Rice. Epoxy. 

[melancholic]

I don't think plaster of paris binds to non-porous surfaces.

 

Epoxy is just an adhesive... I need weight as well.  The material can't be loose like rice, beans, sand.  I think it would be easiest to work with a liquid, pourable substance.  Maybe I can use rice and pour in some kind of adhesive over it to keep it in place.

 

I'm highly interested in using as non-toxic & low fume materials as possible because my crafts spin and are likely to be picked up by children despite "not for children" warnings.  Wax seemed like a good choice...

 

Well, thanks for your help!

[TallTayl]

If you mix the above ideas you will have your solution

 

epoxy is more than one generic product. I use a 2-part that has volume and binds, for instance. Another is a pourable resin.

 

Epoxy is used on tables, bars and such at restaurants and bars for instance for durable, beautiful finishes. Ever see a bar with 'stuff' like pennies or peanuts embedded? That is done with epoxy resin. A friend recently made a faux marble work table using resin with micas swirled through. 

 

For your tin, if it were me, I would take something cheap and interesting looking like pinto beans, and fill the tin. Then pour on the epoxy . If someone opens the top of the tin they get a nice, mess-free surprise. 

[Flicker]

Wax will not stick and will melt. Plaster doesn't have to adhere, it won't shrink and there is a lip at the top of the tin. Far more cost effective and since it serves no real purpose and folks aren't going to see it...

[coconut]

It may be too expensive but I used to use the clay made for plugging candle molds to tab my wicks and that stuff is super sticky and holds up to high heat also.  Even high temp wax will melt in a hot car.