Problem Making Code

[UberSquid]

I made my first batch of code today using 2:1 rosin to bees wax. I melted it in one of those potpourri crockpots and poured it into a large bowl of the hottest water I could stand. When I put my hands in to scoop up the still liquid mess it stuck to my hands like glue! I did manage to produce a 60gram ball of usable code but then spent two hours trying to remove the remnants from my hands! I tried hot water, I tried cold water. I rolled the ball of code against my skin. I scrubbed with soap. Finally I grabbed the mineral spirits and that dissolved everything into a slick mess that came off with Dawn dish soap, lots and lots of Dawn dish soap!

Has anyone else had this problem and how do you deal with it?

I'm thinking that the next batch will go into cool water and hopefully I'll keep some more skin!

Thanks

Jeremiah

[amuckart]

Try colder water next time. What are you using for your ingredients?

[KAYAK45]

Go to THEHCC.ORG and search there. Whole books can/have been written of Coad (many spellings).

That would be your best fastest answer.

Good luck.

Kevin

PS: If it truly stinks methinks, you are on the right path.!!

[Art]

Make in Spring or Fall for the 2:1 recipe and use water that is just cool. The 2:1:.33 Pitch/Rosin/Wax recipe works well too, but the Pitch is awful to boil down, that stuff gets on everything.

Has anyone ever tried Black Bullriders Rosin, I have a few pounds of it, but never tried it in the 2:1 recipe.

Art

I made my first batch of code today using 2:1 rosin to bees wax. I melted it in one of those potpourri crockpots and poured it into a large bowl of the hottest water I could stand. When I put my hands in to scoop up the still liquid mess it stuck to my hands like glue! I did manage to produce a 60gram ball of usable code but then spent two hours trying to remove the remnants from my hands! I tried hot water, I tried cold water. I rolled the ball of code against my skin. I scrubbed with soap. Finally I grabbed the mineral spirits and that dissolved everything into a slick mess that came off with Dawn dish soap, lots and lots of Dawn dish soap!

Has anyone else had this problem and how do you deal with it?

I'm thinking that the next batch will go into cool water and hopefully I'll keep some more skin!

Thanks

Jeremiah

[UberSquid]

I wanted to avoid pitch since most of my holsters are stitched with natural colored linen thread. That and the mess. Molten pots of wax already tend to cause moments of marital strife as is so I'd like to avoid creating more.

I did make up a new batch of the 2:1 last night. Getting the water temperature right is the real trick it seems. Too hot and it sticks to my hands and makes a mess but produces a perfect wax. Too cold and the rosin falls out of solution creating tiny crystals in the beeswax. It looks like a candy thermometer and some note taking are in my future. If I can get repeatable results at specific volumes and temperatures it would make this whole process easier.

[shtoink]

If I can get repeatable results at specific volumes and temperatures it would make this whole process easier.

If you do, please share the details!

Ahhh... The scientific method. There's nothing quite like the collection of empirical data through lots and lots of testing.

It has been said that we learn more from our mistakes than we do from our successes.

[amuckart]

I did make up a new batch of the 2:1 last night. Getting the water temperature right is the real trick it seems. Too hot and it sticks to my hands and makes a mess but produces a perfect wax. Too cold and the rosin falls out of solution creating tiny crystals in the beeswax. It looks like a candy thermometer and some note taking are in my future.

Rosin crystals aren't a problem, they will dissolve again as you taffy-pull the code.

I've found that the mix of ingredients is far more important than the temperature of the water.

If I can get repeatable results at specific volumes and temperatures it would make this whole process easier.

That's the only way to do it. Measure your ingredients by dry weight, and record your results in writing. Don't forget to write down where you go the ingredients because each batch of beeswax and rosin is different.

If your code comes out too sticky, remelt it and add more rosin. If too hard, remelt and add a tiny bit of tallow. I shave off slivers with a knife, add one, re-pour and taffy-pull, repeat as necessary.

[jimsaddler]

Please guys and Gals

I've stayed off commenting on this subject as it is so mixed up by too many cooks spoiling the Broth.

Simply said Resin (Rosin or whatever) 2 part, Beeswax 20 parts, Oil 1 part (Olive, Linseed, Castor,etc)

Melt Resin in Double saucepan or Smaller Saucpan in Pot of boiling Water. Add oil gradually when melted to combine. Add Beeswax in slivers or crushed gradually to combine with Oil & Resin. Check that Resin doesn't cool and go streaky as you go, if so stop adding wax till the mix is hot enough to continue.

When all is combined properly it will be clear. Pour into Bucket of Cool (room temp) Water carefully in several portions, to form a clump. Take this from the Water carefully and start to squeeze the water out carefully. fold the cooler outer crust into the hot core this well even out the temp of the wax into a plastic lump. Keep squeezing the water out and kneading the wax all the time. The mix should not stick to your hands at all!! Break off lumps about the size of a Hens Egg and knead them into Egg shapes. Then repeat with the other wax which should be still up to Temp from sitting over the hot water. The oil is the varient for Summer or Winter Wax, More for winter less for Summer. Resin is constant always at 1 part to 10 Wax. This wax doesn't respond to pulling, as this is Saddlers Wax.

Black Wax is the one to pull as the Pitch responds to the pulling like Toffee. In the old days White wax was pulled because White Lead was added for the Whitening effect. Nowa days we know that this Was was the cause of Illness or premature Death by Lead Poisoning of a number of stitchers who used such.

I've used this recipe for some 50 years without much change, it stays cleaner and lasts longer on the thread if properly made and used. More Resin makes a dirtier Job as sticky hands accumulate dirt easily, so shorter threads have to be used. Good sewing is done with Long clean threads.

I hope this will clarify this subject better.

Kindest Regards.

Jim Saddler.

Rosin crystals aren't a problem, they will dissolve again as you taffy-pull the code.

I've found that the mix of ingredients is far more important than the temperature of the water.

That's the only way to do it. Measure your ingredients by dry weight, and record your results in writing. Don't forget to write down where you go the ingredients because each batch of beeswax and rosin is different.

If your code comes out too sticky, remelt it and add more rosin. If too hard, remelt and add a tiny bit of tallow. I shave off slivers with a knife, add one, re-pour and taffy-pull, repeat as necessary.

[amuckart]

The oil is the varient for Summer or Winter Wax, More for winter less for Summer. Resin is constant always at 1 part to 10 Wax. This wax doesn't respond to pulling, as this is Saddlers Wax.

Black Wax is the one to pull as the Pitch responds to the pulling like Toffee.

The 2:1 recipe I use is for shoemaking where the threads aren't usually visible. The threads don't stay pristine white, because the wax isn't white, but nor do they end up dirty in the course of normal sewing. With the ratios I use the pulling definitely makes a difference.

If you want white wax these days without the lead poisoning, use aluminium oxide pigment.