Don't buy one rent one for the week end.

I guess I will have to be different. I use sand instead of dirt. Put 5 gallons in cement mixer and turn on weed burner. When sand starts getting warm, it will start steaming. When the steam stops, its dry. Only takes a few minutes. I then add 1lb of flake wax and let mix until sand looks wet. I use a lazer temp gun, don't heat over about 140 degrees. After its mixed, I dump out on a sheet of plywood and fill mixer with next batch to heat. Take a rake and stir warm mixture until cool, it will clump if you don't rake. After its cool. I put in 55 gallon trash cans. Can do 200 gallons easily in a weekend. I am going to try melting the wax before adding to sand this year. Can set a fan to help cool if warm out. I usually make in October when its cooler. Waxed sand packs much better than dirt, plus I have thousands of acres of sand to collect from. Just what works for me.

If you can use a weed burner or similar heat source to make waxed dirt, and NOT have some refusals, then consider yourself lucky. Solar is the only way I can do it for straight coyote work. I collect different types of soils to try to match the location. 'Blending' with dirt at set is easy and tempting, but that is the stuff that freezes and won't let the pan go down sometimes after heavy moisture and freezing. Not always a huge problem, but can be at times. Frozen tracks on a pan isn't something I like to see on a regular basis. Just my thoughts.

Are you sure you understand how the weed burner is being used? I would like to hear your thoughts on how you feel using one to heat up the outside of a cement mixer would cause refusals.

What kind of wax from hobby lobby?

Next, question..... is it worth it in this market? It cost more to make it..... I’m leaning to just use grass clippings this fall. Easy to haul in.

Weed burner is a rose bud in the road construction world.

Waxed sand does cost a little to make, most expense being the flake wax. The grass clippings will work also, but can still freeze under certain conditions. I feel its definitely worth making in this market, my market is very good.

My problem with using a weed burner, rosebud, or torch, whatever you want to call it, is that is very hard to get each and every batch made without overheating some, which scorches the wax, and leaves a smell. The smell might be faint, but it does cause refusals at times. I've made mountains of waxed dirt, and I've got away from using a 'weed burner' AND a cement mixer. To each his own. I just know that every year, I get a few calls about refusals in coyote trapping, and almost every time it comes down to waxed dirt being used, and that dirt admittedly had become scorched (too hot)and was bring used anyway. Sorry for any confusion.

Very good post MR. Graham.

Mr. Graham, I agree that scorching can be a problem. I feel I can keep to a minimum by using the temp gun. I continually check and never let it get above 140 degrees. That temp seems to be the melting point for the flake wax. Works for me. As you say, to each their own.

Great point Mr. Graham, There is a very fine line it seems between scorched smelling waxed dirt and good stuff. The coyotes most certainly avoid the scorched stuff, being vigilant with the temp is imperative. The lazer thermometer took that out of the equation for me. NEVER let the dirt or wax get above 140 which is the melting point of most wax. Even if you melt the wax don't let it get above 140 before adding to the dry dirt. It takes a bit longer but its worth it. Flake wax seems to be more prone scorching compared to melting candle wax. Just my observations..

Notice the bags of flaked wax at conventions in the summer sun, they do not melt into a blob.
There are additives in it, they have their own scent, and are easily scorched. For the most part, candle wax does not contain those.

You guys that are saying 140 degrees, take note of the next time waxing traps wax temp. topic comes up.
Not all wax is the same.

With two decades of family in candle making I have learned and unlearned a bunch.
Trap wax,,, lol.

That is a very good idea using the digital thermometer or whatever it's called.

To the OP, the solar method is the best economically money and time wise for me.
I had a couple mixers and don't plan for another.
I'd like one those weed torches though.

A friend of mine uses a microwave lol.

When I dump my dirt out on the plywood 9 x out of 10 there is still small amounts of unmelted wax in the dirt. Rake it for a few minutes and let it finish melting in. That is my way of knowing it didn't get too hot in the mixer. Like everything else the more you do it the better you get.

I agree, you learn as you go. I wrote a two-part article for Trappers Post about making it, and I got a lot of responses from it. There's more than one way to skin a 'cat, for sure. I just know what works for ME. We make 100's of gallons in the summer, and I guess it's so hot already that I just decided to make use of the sun. When it's 90-100 degree's outside, it doesn't take long to make a batch. My wife knows full well the advantage of us having lots of it on hand for the winter season, so she helps a lot too. I've also forced myself to take advantage of the July/August heat in eastern Wyoming,, and boil traps then too, which seems strange after years of making it an early fall tradition. In fact, I just boiled a big batch to use for summer work. Placed in large, heavy-duty tubs, with some sage thrown in, they'll be used as the summer goes on.

For anyone that is interested, we'll be doing a 1/2 hour "short" demo on making waxed dirt at the Wyoming convention in Lusk, WY in August. (In between 10 1-Hour demos on Saturday!)

And, you don't have to call me 'Mr'! I'm just a trapper that has been lucky to be at the place at the right time a lot in my life!

Good Luck to all
John

Thank you all for the tips and suggestions. What a great site this is. John I love reading your comments and advice.
Jim

Thanks to all that posted. Especially my friend Jim for the idea of making in the truck. Thanks John, good tips, and I did read your article. Was a good one.

Mac

Okay John enough of the Mister stuff. That's the problem here it never gets that hot for long enough. And I live in the shade LOL.. The Hobby Lobby wax I use is the 10 pound blocks of candle wax, I use it on traps too. With the 40 percent off weekly coupon it runs 16 and change. I could not run the number of traps I do without it! To me it's priceless.. For around 100 bucks I get 300 gallons..

Thanks John for all your great advice, and great lures. especially Grab and Pull.

Thanks for clearing that up, John. Like Gary, a laser thermometer has eliminated overheating for me.

And good idea, boiling traps in the heat of the summer.