Beeswax block packaging

[alancooper]

I am considering using my store of beeswax to make and sell 28g beeswax blocks in a local shop. Can anyone with experience of this advise me on how to pack and display them? The small number of blocks involved seems to preclude a “bespoke marketing design” solution”. A ziplock poly bag and a stick-on label is my first thought, but it seems such a dull way for a product that looks so good.

 

[pargyle]

It's not often you see beeswax blocks for sale in a retail setting .. I sell them but I don't package them as it's a bit of a commodity.

These are the nearest likely candidate I can find. My moulds are roughly 3" x 1" x 1" ... they are silicon brownie moulds .

I think these clear acetate boxes would just about fit the blocks I make .. you might have match the moulds to the packaging rather than the other way round.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NBEADS-Tra...fix=clear+lid+gift+boxes,aps,73&sr=8-272&th=1
The problem is that beeswax is a commodity ... I sell my 1oz blocks for £1.50 ... so any additional packaging is going to push the price up.

You might think about just making or buying a display case to display the bars loose and unwrapped but providing your retailer with some bags like this for when they sell them ..,Depends what sort of shop you are selling through,

https://www.amazon.co.uk/kuou-Clear...7401&sprefix=Small+Sweet+Bags,aps,77&sr=8-176

 

[alancooper]

It's not often you see beeswax blocks for sale in a retail setting .. I sell them but I don't package them as it's a bit of a commodity.

These are the nearest likely candidate I can find. My moulds are roughly 3" x 1" x 1" ... they are silicon brownie moulds .

I think these clear acetate boxes would just about fit the blocks I make .. you might have match the moulds to the packaging rather than the other way round.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NBEADS-Tra...fix=clear+lid+gift+boxes,aps,73&sr=8-272&th=1
The problem is that beeswax is a commodity ... I sell my 1oz blocks for £1.50 ... so any additional packaging is going to push the price up.

You might think about just making or buying a display case to display the bars loose and unwrapped but providing your retailer with some bags like this for when they sell them ..,Depends what sort of shop you are selling through,

https://www.amazon.co.uk/kuou-Clear...7401&sprefix=Small+Sweet+Bags,aps,77&sr=8-176

Thanks for your guidance. The second URL gave me a small-scale practical solution.
Alan

 

[Pembroke]

My friend used to sell them in her art shop. They're also popular with furniture makers who make beeswax polish out of them. Maybe your local wood working or turning club can sell some for you?

She would sell them loose. Pile up a stack on the counter.

 

[peterbees]

I sell beeswax blocks, three to a pack with a list of uses.
See How do you use small blocks of beeswax?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I sell beeswax blocks, three to a pack with a list of uses.
See How do you use small blocks of beeswax?

Oh Peter that's a wonderful list
I hope you don't mind me copying it here. Perhaps others can add more?

• To strengthen button thread
• To stop shoe laces fraying
• To make furniture drawers open and close more easily
• To make wood saws cut freely
• To make screws drive into wood more easily
• Making lip balm
• In woodturning, to polish bowls
• To make furniture polish, mixing the beeswax with pure turpentine
• For tying fishing flies
• To waterproof and strengthen garden string
• To lubricate wet suit zips
• To seal didgeridoo mouthpieces
• To strengthen archery bow strings
• To lubricate muzzle-loading rifle bullets, mixing the beeswax with tallow
• To make candles
• To strengthen sail maker’s twine
• To make hand cream
• To strengthen sash window cords
• To finish pine picture frames
• ½ and ½ with paraffin wax for batik
• Encaustic art
• To wax dreadlocks
• To polish and preserve gunstocks
• To stiffen bagpipe drone cords
• To make beeswax food wraps
• To strengthen puppet strings and prevent tangling

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Sold some 500g blocks to a blacksmith. Used for surface finishing.

 

[Angry_Mob]

I seen them in a local hardware store once, packaged into a larger retail box with no additional packing on the blocks themselves.

 

[elainemary]

Oh Peter that's a wonderful list
I hope you don't mind me copying it here. Perhaps others can add more?

• To strengthen button thread
• To stop shoe laces fraying
• To make furniture drawers open and close more easily
• To make wood saws cut freely
• To make screws drive into wood more easily
• Making lip balm
• In woodturning, to polish bowls
• To make furniture polish, mixing the beeswax with pure turpentine
• For tying fishing flies
• To waterproof and strengthen garden string
• To lubricate wet suit zips
• To seal didgeridoo mouthpieces
• To strengthen archery bow strings
• To lubricate muzzle-loading rifle bullets, mixing the beeswax with tallow
• To make candles
• To strengthen sail maker’s twine
• To make hand cream
• To strengthen sash window cords
• To finish pine picture frames
• ½ and ½ with paraffin wax for batik
• Encaustic art
• To wax dreadlocks
• To polish and preserve gunstocks
• To stiffen bagpipe drone cords
• To make beeswax food wraps
• To strengthen puppet strings and prevent tangling

I copied Peters list when I saw it at the Egdon show (Whitby) this summer. Thought it was really good education about beeswax !

 

[elainemary]

I am considering using my store of beeswax to make and sell 28g beeswax blocks in a local shop. Can anyone with experience of this advise me on how to pack and display them? The small number of blocks involved seems to preclude a “bespoke marketing design” solution”. A ziplock poly bag and a stick-on label is my first thought, but it seems such a dull way for a product that looks so good.

I made some wrap around beeswax labels (produced as part of a gift). V cheap - just brown A4 paper and a printer, then cut up using a cheap guillotine or scissors. Mine was for a bar of beeswax wrap refresher but similar principle to pure beeswax

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

We have a glass artist who buys from us. It is used to lubricate the moulding blocks, apparently beeswax doesn't mark the glass.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sold some 500g blocks to a blacksmith. Used for surface finishing.

yep - sold quite a bit to metal workers
Another he's missed is some golfers now like to mix their own dubbin/polish for their bootees using beeswax

 

[JamezF]

Also can be used for making a lubricant for the beds of machine tools such as table saws, bandsaws and planers and to protect them from moisture.

James

 

[mbc]

Oh Peter that's a wonderful list
I hope you don't mind me copying it here. Perhaps others can add more?

• To strengthen button thread
• To stop shoe laces fraying
• To make furniture drawers open and close more easily
• To make wood saws cut freely
• To make screws drive into wood more easily
• Making lip balm
• In woodturning, to polish bowls
• To make furniture polish, mixing the beeswax with pure turpentine
• For tying fishing flies
• To waterproof and strengthen garden string
• To lubricate wet suit zips
• To seal didgeridoo mouthpieces
• To strengthen archery bow strings
• To lubricate muzzle-loading rifle bullets, mixing the beeswax with tallow
• To make candles
• To strengthen sail maker’s twine
• To make hand cream
• To strengthen sash window cords
• To finish pine picture frames
• ½ and ½ with paraffin wax for batik
• Encaustic art
• To wax dreadlocks
• To polish and preserve gunstocks
• To stiffen bagpipe drone cords
• To make beeswax food wraps
• To strengthen puppet strings and prevent tangling

My favourite use of beeswax, new to me and not on that list, occurred two winters ago when some lads bought all my beeswax blocks from ghe stall, and an hour or so later came back and bought every bit of beeswax I had left, including candles. It turns out they were waxing the runners on their sleds with beeswax and each consecutive run was getting faster and faster as the beeswax polished the snow

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

some surfers also wax their boards

 

[JamezF]

A few more...

Making grafting wax to protect tree grafts

Waxing cheeses whilst they mature

Making moustache wax if you want to go full-on Dali or Poirot. Like this one:

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Making moustache wax if you want to go full-on Dali or Poirot. Like this one:

I did actually use beeswax (no other ingredients) back then, bit of a workup getting it soft enough to use though, but there are so many ready mixed ones available now it's not worth the hassle

 

[judy12]

Thank you Eric and Peter for that brilliant list. Wax also useful for escaping sirens. Judy

 

[richardh]

Perhaps stating the obvious but.... when servicing naked cedar boxes - supers in winter and broods during the spring rotation - I dissolve wax in hot linseed oil and then apply it hot to the weathered exteriors. Excellent results in old, porous wood, perhaps not worth the effort with new / less absorptive wood. It can be messy business - hands inevitably well lubed! As a result, of necessity, the same mix has become a treatment for my winter-scaly lower legs - old wood and old wood have much in common! And the bonus for old legs.... instant (oriental-style) tan. Variations on thus theme, for example adding highly scented propolis, can also be weaponised to engage your teenage daughters. ;-) Have fun!

 

[alancooper]

Perhaps stating the obvious but.... when servicing naked cedar boxes - supers in winter and broods during the spring rotation - I dissolve wax in hot linseed oil and then apply it hot to the weathered exteriors. Excellent results in old, porous wood, perhaps not worth the effort with new / less absorptive wood. It can be messy business - hands inevitably well lubed! As a result, of necessity, the same mix has become a treatment for my winter-scaly lower legs - old wood and old wood have much in common! And the bonus for old legs.... instant (oriental-style) tan. Variations on thus theme, for example adding highly scented propolis, can also be weaponised to engage your teenage daughters. ;-) Have fun!

And what would bee the wax/oil ratio for this?