Anyone make their own carnauba wax?

[WobblyHand]

After looking for ages, finally found a recipe for making carnauba wax. Anyone try this before? From https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/makefurniturewax.aspx

• 1/4 Lb 1/4 Lb. Carnauba Wax (flakes or granules)
• 1 Lb Beeswax (flakes or granules)
• 1 Metal Soup Can
• 1 Qt Turpentine

Start by putting 1 part carnauba wax in the soup can, then place the wax filled can in a pot of hot water and slowly heat until the wax is melted (approximately 185° F.) Once the carnauba wax has melted, remove the can from the heat (it's hot, use some pliers) and add 4 parts beeswax and enough turpentine to cover the mixture. Mix thoroughly, move into an appropriate storage container and let cool.

Think I will try this sometime. Need to get some beeswax and some real turpentine. Oof, real turpentine is expensive!

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[homebrewed]

Turpentine is a solvent in the terpene family of organic chemicals. Another terpene that is relatively inexpensive and readily available is Limonene, also known as citrus oil. I keep some around because it can remove some types of pressure sensitive adhesives that other solvents (like acetone) just turn into slime. I don't like using Goof-Off because it's very volatile and I don't want to inhale its fumes.

So it may be an alternative in your application. And it smells good.

A factoid that is totally different than your need: it so happens that limonene was investigated as rocket fuel because it spontaneously combusts when it comes in contact with RFNA, red fuming nitric acid. It made for a relatively simple rocket engine, but its performance wasn't any better than other already-available fuels. The book "Ignition!", available on the Web, describes it. The main comment was that the combination made the test facility smell "lemon fresh" .

 

[Bruce Billett]

Red Fuming Nitric Acid. Played with that at work. Plugged drains under the tank, things like that. Not NEARLY as much fun as one might think!!