mr Turtledale those black tubs you used for making the waxed dirt are perfect where did you come across those
there perfect welldone

I’m not Turtledale but I bought mine at TSC.

I believe those look to be mortar mixing tubs. They are sold at most box stores I would think.

I bought mine at home Depot. About $8 bucks a piece

So far so good
8 hours and holding fine

That shows why you should never have low spots on your top dressing. It will hold and puddle water that will freeze with cold temps and wind chill leaving a frozen area over your trap bed area potentially. I always try to leave a slight hump over the middle of my top dressing area.

That's a good point Bob. The problem I have had if the water runs off the waxed dirt then moves into the trap bed under the waxed dirt. So know I make sure there is plenty of waxed dirt under the trap also not just over.

Bob & Backroadarcher have pointed out two very important aspects for successfully using waxed sand & waxed dirt. Forget the old adage of having a low spot over the pan(or trap for that matter) as Bob pointed out and don’t be a penny wise & pound foolish on using the waxed sand or dirt thinking you're saving $$! You want the trap “incased” in the waxed sand or waxed dirt!

Yes. Completely encased. I learned the hard way not to be too cheap with the waxed dirt. And make sure you cut your trap bed big enough. Don't follow the old adage of making the trap bed just big enough for the trap. Make sure you make it large enough that there is enough room all of the way around the jaws andthe ends of the levers so that there is enough room for waxed sand all the way around the trap with no part of it touching native dirt.