Hot Glue bottle wax experiment

[TheWeeb]

please post pictures with the results!

 

[brrman]

Anyone know where to buy something like these tags? Ideally I'm looking for some dark ones, cardboard with an eyehole for the floss

Any craft store should have "favor tags". Little tags for party favors. For something that you really want to be impressive, get some leather and make leather tags.

 

[julie0723]

Thank you for this recipe. I wanted something to use on some small craft projects without investing in $20+ per pound and this worked great and was economical.

What size of hot glue gun sticks are used in your recipe? I have a mini glue gun but the glue sticks range in size, length and diameter(according to gun size): 20 hot glue sticks:12 crayons.

Thank you

 

[knowitman]

Since people asked; I started a recipe thread
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f76/pecan-pie-barleywine-203103/#post2368835

Also, here's the result of the technique described in this thread, using 12 "Scarlet" crayons and 20 glue sticks.

How close does this color match a Maker's Mark bottle? I am really curious for doing this for various purposes. And which sized glue sticks did you use?

 

[rickfrothingham]

To both of you;

Thank you for this recipe. I wanted something to use on some small craft projects without investing in $20+ per pound and this worked great and was economical.

What size of hot glue gun sticks are used in your recipe? I have a mini glue gun but the glue sticks range in size, length and diameter(according to gun size): 20 hot glue sticks:12 crayons.

Thank you

How close does this color match a Maker's Mark bottle? I am really curious for doing this for various purposes. And which sized glue sticks did you use?

@Knowitman - the first thing everyone says when they see it is, "Wow, that looks like what Maker's Mark does!" I haven't done a side by side comparison, but it definitely resembles it closely.

From my earlier post - I used 12 standard crayola crayons and 20 of the standard size glue sticks (4" long by .44" diameter size)

[(0.44in/2)^2]*pi*4in = 0.608 cubic inches of glue per 4 inch long standard glue stick.

There appear to be a large number of other sizes around the world, but the only other common one in America is the "mini size", being 0.28 inches diameter and 4 inches long;

[(0.28in/2)^2]*pi*4in = 0.246 cubic inches of glue per 4 inch long mini glue stick.

This means, among these two sizes of 4 inch long sticks, the ratio is just about 2.5 standard per 1 mini stick. Thus, the recipe would be 12 crayons, 50 4" long mini glue sticks. These appear to be the two standard diameter sizes, though stick length vary, so you would obviously need to adjust accordingly if it does.

The other thing - there is a lot of focus on the ratio of glue stick/crayon here, but it's just as important that you hit the right wax temperature when dipping. If it's too hot it will run down the sides a lot and dry thin; if it's too cold it will just glob on around the top. You have to experiment a bit to get it right.

 

[Encinoman]

I am interested in doing this but is it possible to use glue sticks and regular candle wax and get the same effect?

 

[camiller]

I won't be doing it this year but let me through out an idea. For the holidays mix up a batch of red and a batch of green. Dip the bottle first in one or the other color and let harden, then dip a little shallower in the other color. Makers did it once in 2006

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/makers-mark-christmas-bottle-red-green-wax-750

 

[Encinoman]

Thats what I'm doing this year for Christmas..i'll post pics to show the end result

 

[conpewter]

Hey all! Glad this is working so well for everyone, it can be a bit hard to take off, I think it depends on how much wax there is compared to glue. When I opened mine I'd just slice it down one side with a knife and then peel off from the bottle edge.

Anyone compared this method to just bottle wax you can buy? I haven't brewed much lately so haven't done it, but I do plan on bottling a mead sometime soon.

 

[Encinoman]

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&...&th=12ce77a2a7f9fd7b&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw

Pretty rookie job but It turned out okay, I didnt use Crayola crayons I used the generic store brand Jumbo Crayons. I used 7 jumbos instead of 12 little ones and used 22 sticks of hot glue. Giving away as gifts at Christmas. Unfortunately the Wax is starting to crack on some of the bottles. But it should make them easier to open. I was pretty happy with the end result overall.

 

[camiller]

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&...&th=12ce77a2a7f9fd7b&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw

Pretty rookie job but It turned out okay, I didnt use Crayola crayons I used the generic store brand Jumbo Crayons. I used 7 jumbos instead of 12 little ones and used 22 sticks of hot glue. Giving away as gifts at Christmas. Unfortunately the Wax is starting to crack on some of the bottles. But it should make them easier to open. I was pretty happy with the end result overall.

You seem to be linking to a gmail account, ...rookie

Edit: I realize that wasn't exactly helpful. We aren't going to be able to see a picture in your gmail for security reasons. Upload the picture to Google's Picasa and you can link to it there.

 

[Encinoman]

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6rDZKK9L8j5Jp3cprpXkFbpDJaXok1XOWAs5Fp0sYkQ?feat=directlink
I have no idea if this will work or not, but here goes

or this?
http://picasaweb.google.com/Overton.CJ/UntitledAlbum?feat=directlink

 

[camiller]

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6rDZKK9L8j5Jp3cprpXkFbpDJaXok1XOWAs5Fp0sYkQ?feat=directlink
I have no idea if this will work or not, but here goes

or this?
http://picasaweb.google.com/Overton.CJ/UntitledAlbum?feat=directlink

Those look nice.

If you want the picture in the post try this in picassa online:

Since your original image size is quite small you might not see size options (step three above)

Then use the "Insert image" button on the forum to put the picture link in your post (or manually wrap the link in IMG tags)

And voila your pics:

 

[Encinoman]

AhhHaa! thanks for the help

 

[smokinghole]

I know this is an old thread but I was looking at wax sealing some bottles of stout. Anyhow the etched images website http://www.etchedimages.com/_catalog_60784/Dipping_Wax_for_Wine_Bottles?Page=1&Items=12 has grey bottle wax on clearance for $6 a pound. I think that might make it cheaper than screwing with crayons and glue sticks. Plus while grey isn't the most universal color you can buy cheap dry pigments at hobby stores. I'm going to dry adding a metallic copper pigment to the wax when I get around to waxing my bottles.

 

[ssf]

great deal smokinghole, i picked up a few pounds myself (blue is on sale too).

note instructions for use here:

http://www.etchedimages.com/wine-bottle-wax

 

[smokinghole]

Well I got my Etched Images bottle sealing "wax" last week. Tonight I decided to heat up a pound of it in a $4 SS mixing bowl I picked up today. I threw it in the oven to do a majority of the melting since it was already hot from cooking. After it was most of the way melted I just threw the SS bowl on top of one of my small electric coil burners to melt rest of the way.

Here's my results from the plastic polymer they sell. I did seven bottles total as a test run. I still have plans on adding some copper powder to color the wax a bit. I found it best to dip quick and get the wax running down the bottle then set it on some wax/parchment paper to cool in case there are any drips. I have to say I'm a happy guy!

 

[conpewter]

Looks good! I unfortunately missed the sale, but I do agree that if you can get decently priced bottle wax, it is the way to go.

 

[danorocks17]

dead thread lives!

I have been playing around with a formula for DIY bottle wax and today tried this combo: 8 crayons, 1/2 lbs of Gulf Wax, and 10 regular glue sticks.

seemed to do pretty well. I am just experimenting right now because in a week or so i'm going to bottle a barley wine and want to wax them. I MAY add a couple more glue sticks as the mixture seems a bit thin, but it still looks pretty damn good. I'm not sure how many bottles this amount would do, but i'm guessing almost a case or so

 

[Xalwine]

Is that Charlie Kelly on that bottle?

Bonus points if that's a "Dayman ale"

 

[tennesseean_87]

dead thread lives!

I have been playing around with a formula for DIY bottle wax and today tried this combo: 8 crayons, 1/2 lbs of Gulf Wax, and 10 regular glue sticks.

Any pics? I know the gulf wax is pretty cheap.

 

[llamabox]

Is that Charlie Kelly on that bottle?

Bonus points if that's a "Dayman ale"

 

[Xalwine]

You're my hero. I love the wildcard!

 

[gstrawn]

I freaking love that. I think you could make a whole series.

 

[danorocks17]

genius

 

[tennesseean_87]

I've just finished finals for the semester and have been playing around this evening. Everything was really cheap at walmart--<$5 for 24 10" x .44" glue sticks (~1.3 lbs), ~$2.50 for parrafin, and I kinda regret getting cheap crayons rather than Crayola, but they were $1.60. Something I have seen on sites dealing with letter sealing wax is the use of Shellac. That might help get a harder plastic-like texture a la Makers.

Has anyone dipped in cold water afterward to set the wax?

 

[JNewbs]

I've just finished finals for the semester and have been playing around this evening. Everything was really cheap at walmart--<$5 for 24 10" x .44" glue sticks (~1.3 lbs), ~$2.50 for parrafin, and I kinda regret getting cheap crayons rather than Crayola, but they were $1.60. Something I have seen on sites dealing with letter sealing wax is the use of Shellac. That might help get a harder plastic-like texture a la Makers.

Have you tried it yet? I have the same ingredients for the most part (down to the cheap a$$ crayons). I waxed a few of my bottles the other day using just the glue/crayon method originally posited (the 12 crayon to 20 glue stick ratio).

Maybe I am being unrealistic but I am having one issue with expectation versus reality. The wax is too tough for my bottle opener to pierce what has accumulated under the cap. Since it can't get a grip on the underside of the cap through the wax, it can't pop the top. What I would like is for the wax to be soft enough to be able to use a standard bottle opener to open these without trouble, but still have the wax look shiny and perfect without cracking.

In my head the solution to the problem is more wax and less glue in the ratio. I was thinking about adding a fair amount of paraffin and removing about half the glue sticks from the formula. If you've already done this I would be interested in hearing the results!

 

[tennesseean_87]

I have been playing around with a formula for DIY bottle wax and today tried this combo: 8 crayons, 1/2 lbs of Gulf Wax, and 10 regular glue sticks.

I used the ratio posted above but cut down to half size--4 crayons, 1/4 pound parafin, and 20" of .44" glue stick. This seemed to work pretty well. Then I added zinser shellac, which I had just laying around. It seemed to hard up the mixture a bit and maybe give a little more sheen. You could definitely do without. I think 4 tablespoons in the amounts I used was perfect, because at 6 tablespoons, it became a little too crumbly. I will post pics later.

I definitely recommend splurging on real crayons. There were a lot of crappy pinkish reds in the pack I bought, and few really good reds. Oh, well.

 

[C-Rider]

Maybe I missed something or am just stupid, but why would you want to cover your beer bottles w/wax?

 

[Xalwine]

Maybe I missed something or am just stupid, but why would you want to cover your beer bottles w/wax?

Decorative element for gifts, possible aid in preventing any oxidation through the cap.