Been some time back I posted about the oak whiskey cups I make. The cups are sealed on outside with beeswax. When I first was looking for wax. I ended up getting a small amount from Amazon. Not trusting that Amazon wax was something I wanted to keep using. I ask around found good local source. The wax I just got recently was $16 per pound. Which I believe very fair for quality local source.
Just curious what price beeswax goes for in your area.


Mac

Good price.

If you can, ask for cappings wax. Cappings are what gets cut off the comb to open the cells of stored honey for extraction. It'll be the newest and cleanest wax in the colony with the least exposure to contaminants. Most of what is available from local beekeepers is going to be cappings wax but it can also come from old comb being rotated out of service.

Yes as warrior said look for cappings wax as it likely has the least amount of contaminants and will be the lightest color. Price likely will be variable based on who you can purchase from and in what quantity and for what grade/color. Wax can be had for $3.50-4.00 a pound here up to $15.00+. That is mainly a variable of the source you are purchasing from as much as anything else for this region and I'd guess Wisconsin is similar in that regard. Guys selling wax at the low price point most often have tens of thousands of pounds to move (large commercial beekeepers) and thats reflected in selling point but the wax also will likely be less clean/filtered, etc even if it is primarily capping wax and most likely will be in large slabs of 20-50#. Wax that has been processed from very similar cappings but also filtered and poured into small 1 or 2# blocks will command a much higher price. Darker wax is typically stained from things like brood comb, pollen, propolis and sells at a lower price point. Cappings wax is a very very light yellow

16 would be a good price in this area for cappings wax from a hobbiest/sideliner, which is the most common in mid-georgia. The commercial guys in south georgia would be selling in bulk as BBB says.

In other if you want local you pay for what's avaible and if you search and willing to drive or pay shipping you can buy as much as you want for less.

Honey is the exact same way. 16oz bear at the neighbor's front door 16-20, a 55 gallon drum from a commercial 1.50-3.00 a lb.

I remember the first time I ever smelled beeswax. I was in second grade and a beekeeper did a presentation at my school. It was near Christmas time. Everyone of us got to pick a small mold and pour a tiny bees wax ornament to take home for our parents. I chose a roundish snowflake. Beeswax smells wonderful. Hopefully I harvest my own beeswax later this year.

I've drank beer, mead and wine out of cow horns lined with beeswax.

I enjoyed chewing cappings, when helping my friend extract honey.

Keith

Thanks for info guys.
The wax I'm using come from local lady her that sell honey at farmers market. From what you have told me here I would say this is not capping wax. It has a light tan color and when I heat it in my crock pot or with heat gun. The whole basement area smell really nice. The wax I bought on Amazon is clear bright yellow. So has been Im guessing very filtered. Actually why made me uncomfortable looks to pretty from what little I know. I think for what Im using it for what I have is going be fine. I have not met the lady myself yet. My son's girlfriend is my dealer.. lol. She was I think making her own lip balm. Was saying the other day when I got the wax. This summer said she was planning on getting honey to try making mead.. She already has a wine operation set up makes couple good one. Anyways the lady she calls Gramma Honey was really interested in what I was using the wax for. She thought sound like neat thing. I'm only working with White Oak right now. I'm figuring to get some hard maple and cherry. Maybe turn couple small honey pots give her. Suck up a bit lol.
I made some what I call goblets for my son's gal, her mother and her sisters.



Mac

Wax from Amazon is most likely chinese in origin and odds are they are filled with wax that is not bees wax. Just look into what most foreign sourced store bought honey actually contains and you'll be suprised that alot of it is rice syrup or other syrups. Buying local or from a reputable US company is the best way. Plus you can advertise that you seal your cups with all natural locally sourced beeswax.

Thats what I was thinking with Amazon wax. Just really don't know where coming from.

Yes I like the idea of local source for things like the wax. Also the wood I'm using.

As for selling the cups.. I have not sold any yet.
So far they have mainly gone to friends and family. They are my market test .. LOL.
My son was the one that wanted one ask could I make it. So I went shop played around. The first two I made went to my son and one his buddies. I learn something new with every cup I make and I'm into the 20s now. With no two cups identical and of corse a couple I consider fails.
Anyways I may sell a few mostly to recoup my material cost.

Mac

Top round is a little dirty - but I have seen a lot worse. Bottom round is nice beeswax - from cappings

I had a backlog of beeswax here. I told the Mrs to put out feelers on Facebook. We sold 53 pounds, at $11 a pound. Most to candle makers, some to woodworkers, and a guy who wanted wax to coat bullets. We kept all the customers info, I’m sure I could sell more.

Sold capping wax to candle makers and traded wax for foundations from one of the bee supply companies.

Hre you go Mac https://www.dadant.com/catalog/more-products/beeswax

Okay this picture is what I currently have and been using. Looking at now it's more yellow than I first mentioned. The tan color I mentioned is what is wax already in my pot I'm using. So it has of course had wooden cups dipped in it. Which would contribute to the some what tan color.



Mac