I keep mine in 5 gallon pails with lids on them in my fur shed. Gets real hot and never had it clump or stick

Agreed with these comments. Maybe the secret is to make sure dirt is very, very, very dry before applying wax.

I dry my dirt on a tarp, til it's dry.

Then again, in the cement mixer before adding wax...just to make sure.

Made 3 gaylord containers of waxed dirt for a season when I was running hard and fur was worth more than a dime. Expensive.... yes but keep traps working 24/7 so was very productful. Knowing what I know now it would be dried peat moss over waxed dirt for more than one reason.

Go big, or go home...lol

make sure it is cooled before you store it. it will clump if not

Never done it before, so I’m starting small. My hotplate and high sided frying pan are slow but I’ll end up with 25 gallons. Maybe more. The under the bed tote with a clear cover would be super fast and very doable. I like this suggestion

do you have to wax traps after you dye them?

Using the cement mixer method, do you apply the heat (flame) directly to the dirt or on the outside of the drum?

Outside of the drum. Otherwise you will burn the Microbes and Organic Matter in the dirt. And it will give off a burnt smell.

Use a laser thermometer, never let the dirt get above 140.

Thanks, got the mixer today, wax is on it's way.

does anybody test there wax dirt with water after you make it, if so is 100% of the dirt dry after testing

Yes, I build a volcano, and fill it up with water. After half hour, it still holds water, and no water has filtered into the dirt.

this is my first time making wax dirt I did the volcano test on a paper towel after 1/2 hour water went thru dirt into towel almost all the dirt was still dry just a little was wet don't think dirt was hot enough to melt wax all the way I reheated it to day the dirt looks a lot different this time need to test it yet

Been having a bit of a warm spell this week. Made a few batches five gallons at a time in black plastic cement mixing tubs in back of my truck under a black tonneau cover. It gets very warm under that tonneau cover during day, and my truck just sits in the sunny parking lot all day at work so why not put it to work too? Works great! Give it a stir when I get home, dump the load into a clean five gallon bucket and load up another batch into a tray for next day at work. Later I'll transfer the waxed dirt from the buckets to individual clean gallon milk jugs using a funnel. Those are easily carried in the truck during season. I also stash them on location in weedy fencerows and brushpiles near set locations. The jugs stay weather proof (with lids on) and remakes are easy to walk over and grab the jug, putting it back after the remake.
Jim

Jim, that's a good idea. Making wax dirt while at work. I like your idea on stashing dirt for use during season. How many sets can you get out of a jug? I use waxed sand, but never really figured out how much per set. Just carry in 5 gallon buckets in box of side by side.

So far I’ve made 12 gallons. Fry pan method is slow. Being cheap, I’m thinking the pickup method might be good.

I walk s lot of our line, so I stash when I can. A couple jugs near location, and we usually get two to three sets at a location. I'm not sure how much per set. Seems like after a few remakes we are hauling in New jugs to keep going. Maybe three our four sets? I guess depends on size of trap and bed, I think.
Jim

I did find temps need to at least be in mid to upper nineties to really get a good melt on the hobby lobby candle wax.
10 lb block at about $24 less the online 40% off coupon. Can't beat that.
Jim