Need help from experienced bottle wax dippers!

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arnobg

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I followed one of the few tutorials on the internet last night for doing this on some bottles I plan to give away. The problem is almost every bottle's wax seal cracked upon drying overnight.

I can only assume this is a ratio problem. I used 4 mini glue gun sticks per every large crayon as the tutorial stated. Any suggestions, I can only assume I either need more glue or more wax.
 
don't mess around with glue sticks and crayons. I used to work for a winery where we dipped 300+ cases of wine at once. just buy an old crock pot at goodwill and go to your hobby store and get some real wax, melt it down dip the bottle down into the wax slowly pull it out and let it drip a little while spinning the bottle then carefully twist it upright and set it down to dry. if you like the drippy look keep the excess and when pulling it out do a twist and stand it upright
 
don't mess around with glue sticks and crayons. I used to work for a winery where we dipped 300+ cases of wine at once. just buy an old crock pot at goodwill and go to your hobby store and get some real wax, melt it down dip the bottle down into the wax slowly pull it out and let it drip a little while spinning the bottle then carefully twist it upright and set it down to dry. if you like the drippy look keep the excess and when pulling it out do a twist and stand it upright


What kind of wax is "real wax"? Aren't there different kinds?

Don't want it too be too soft where you can peel it with a fingernail and it dents easy. I like that plastic hardness wax topped bottles usually have.
 
What kind of wax is "real wax"? Aren't there different kinds?

Don't want it too be too soft where you can peel it with a fingernail and it dents easy. I like that plastic hardness wax topped bottles usually have.

ive used this same wax before. little pellets to melt easier. just pay the 15$ and get some nice quality wax. or talk to your LHBS and see if they can direct you to where you can get some.

https://www.midwestsupplies.com/wax-wine-bottles.html
 
Amazon has it as well. We just use a pound of low melt glue sticks to 2.2 pounds of paraffin or Soy, depending on what the boss found cheap. Follow the directions on the dye of choice.

The wax goes into a PRESTO Multi Cooker at 200°F, the dye is added next and the glue sticks are added slowly until they stop melting, than turn up the temp a little at a time until its all melted then bring it back down until the viscosity we want is reached. Last time, it was about 150°F but depending on the wax, it can be higher or lower.

We also leave a full pot to cool, its MUCH faster to melt than adding the wax and glue to an empty pot. When I arrive, I just blow any dust off the lid, plug it in, set to 200°F and label bottles for an hour and start dipping. We intentionally drip (run) down the side and signet seal the wax about 2" down the neck.

Good luck, Cheers!
 
Any ideas as to why my mix would be cracking once cooled?

The dried leftovers in the can is crack free yet all of my wax topped bottles are cracking.
 
The wax will shrink, the hot glue will not. Add more hot glue but make sure it is the low temp stuff, multi and high temp stuff just doesn't work as well. I called the boss and he just got a #100 box of wax (paraffin 130°) and low temp glue pellets (185°F) last month, we are going to dye the whole batch this weekend. I'll take pics if I remember.
 
Any ideas as to why my mix would be cracking once cooled?

The dried leftovers in the can is crack free yet all of my wax topped bottles are cracking.

I would guess too much glue. Everyone else is using more wax to glue ratio the way I see it. I could be wrong though. Next month I will be waxing a bottle, but I will get the wax they sell for this purpose.
 
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