So, I’m waxing dirt using the solar method. Two wood boxes, one covered with glass and the other plexiglass. I’ve used these boxes before but never had this happen. I always test my dirt when I think it’s getting close to having enough wax. I do this by making a small pile and cratering out the middle and pour the water in the crater. I test one box and it’s close but needs more wax. The other box looks wet so I test it. The water pretty much ran down through the middle. I add wax to this box, testing as I go, until I realize that it’s almost mud. It still won’t hold water. This stuff is so hot that I can’t hold it in my hand. I let it cool and test it. It holds water! Now the stuff is in a tote and so hard that I have to use a pipe and hammer to break through it.

So, two questions. What is going on and would you use it if it holds water? I can get it broke up to a useable form again.

sounds like to much wax if it is getting that hard

Your testing premise is flawed. The fact your water ran through means your soil was coated. Holding water means you have too much.

this

You absolutely can not put that stuff away hot no matter what method you use to make it . Try setting the hard stuff out in the sun , then stir it while it’s cooling .

Had this happen to me on my first ever batch Put it back in the sun and added more dry dirt to it until I got it to where I needed it to be. Worked just fine for me that season.

For reference, I just made about 60 gallons and used about 0.75 -1 pound of wax per gallon of dirt. I never measure, I just go by color. Be sure to start with bone dry dirt. Let cool, break up any clumps and store. I just lay mine outside on a black trash bag on my driveway on a nice sunny day when the temp is 95 or so. I had a lot more trouble with waxed sand getting too hard.

I wouldn’t use it if it was holding water. I always used dried dirt and never had a problem making wax dirt. I just tried sand from the desert for the first time and have issues of the sand clumping plus water draining through it. I just have to figure it out.

If your using sand, you won't need near as much wax. Sand has virtually no organic matter in it. It will still be fine, just break up the clumps.

To much wax. Also you need to make sure the end product in cool/cold before you store it or it will harden.