Methods of making waxed dirt

Probably has been discussed in here somewhere a million times, but I'll comment again. How do my trapperman bros and sisters that make waxed dirt, use what methods. I use a bunch of black plastic tubs covered with old storm windows. I put a couple or three gallons of dirt in them along with the right amount of wax for my soil type. Tilt the tub slightly to catch the full sun in the tub on a super hot sunny after noon. The glass keeps the heat in and it does get really hot under the glass. I then just stir the dirt a time or two and in a couple or three hours it's all done. I use 4 or 5 (sometimes more)tubs at once. In just a couple or three weekends usually in August I can make a couple 55 gal barrels of dirt with hardly no effort. How do you make waxed dirt??? Any comments??

I have a couple large plastic/rubber cement "mixer" flat tubs that ride in back of my truck under a hot black tonneau cover in summer. They are wide, long,and have sides about 8" high. A layer of dirt in each, some wax shavings on top, and when I get to work they sit under that tonneau cover all day in the sun doing its thing. Completely rain proof, and temps under that tonneau get well up enough to melt wax easily. Stir them up when I get home and a batch is done! A few reloads and days sitting in parking lot at work and viola! Many gallons of waxed dirt sifted and ready to be stored up in clean one gallon milk jugs for easy storage and stashing jugs at set locations so no carrying around during season for remakes.
Jim

Hey that's pretty smart, Jim!!! I like the truck tonneau cover thing. The milk jug thing is pretty clever too. Hope all is well up by Lincoln.

Yes, I too like that idea Jim. That's pretty innovative and simple. I'm glad that I have another use, albeit unusual, for my tonneau cover.

2 Turkey roasters set at 130 degrees. If soil is such that it may not be dry, leave the lid ajar for a few hours to totally dry it. Sprinkle in the amount of wax for your soil type and go do your chores. Can do it at my schedule and have done 100's of gallons through the years. Come back when you can and stir as you pour it out. Works for my busy days and cheaper than Jim's truck (LOL). Besides I'm retired and don't want to get another job to wax dirt (Many LOL).

What kind of wax is everyone going with? I'm sure that everyone isn't blowing up a trapping supply store with sales of flaked wax. Where do you get your wax stupid cheap?

I use Hobby Lobby wax with the 40% off coupons..................

Cement mixer and a weed burner.
Pre mix and heat sifted dirt until It's hot to the touch then add flaked wax. Mix with heat still being applied. Once dirt has a even color remove your heat source. Mix until dirt Is stone cold.
Remove dirt and store In clean containers. WE used those cardboard drums with the snap on lids.

I just don't see how you can get a perfectly mixed product If your not mixing In something like a cement mixer with a constant even heat source.
Rent the mixer on Saturday and you get Sunday free. A couple of days and a few sixers and your good to go.
I like to have all my dirt collected and pre sifted and my six packs cold before I start.
.

With a cement mixer and a torch, I do 200 gallons on a weekend. As long as I have presifted DRY dirt/sand mix. I melt the wax before I add it to the dirt. Get a lazer thermometer to monitor the temp. , heat dirt to 140 pour measured melted wax in then turn the burner off. Tilt the mixer so it mixes well. let it cool in the mixer and dump. On to another batch. I need volumes, normally 300 gallons a season.. I over wax mine so it packs.. Have fun

I can't take credit for the tonneau cover trick on hot days. I saw it on one of F&T's sponsored trapping TV shows on the outdoor channel one Saturday morning, Harry Nietsle (spelling) was explaining how he makes waxed dirt. Thought it was a simple idea and I tried it, worked great and driving to work with truck sitting in a hot parking lot was something I was already doing.
Definitely presift and dry the dirt.
Jim

Glad this came up, I was just getting things together to make some wax dirt here in the next few weeks. Here in Indiana our soil is somewhat clayish , but I have a 5 gallon bucket of dry dirt that came off the top of the farmers field next to me. How much flake wax (in pounds) per one gallon of dry finely shifted dirt ? I'll be using the "solar" method. Is there a way to screw this up, and if yea a way to fix it ? It will be my first time making wax dirt, not sure what the end result should look like. -Thanks

Don't screw around with local dirt, Go to some landscaper and get some nice black dirt.

Then If the finished product doesn't blend In to good. Just use some dirt from the set to do a little blending.

The other thing when using waxed dirt Is that your going to have to remove the original dirt from the location. You can toss It behind the set or haul It away. I have found It's better to haul It away.

Kryon, the recent Trapper Predator has an article on wax dirt.

I have a couple different farms that have a loamy type soil, they work very well.

Spot on Late Bite.

Like many others, I also use a mixer, posted soem details on it late last summer

Wax Dirt w/ Mixer

Good Luck

We need to talk buddy!

I agree that a cement mixer is the way to go. Bought a used electric one for $50. I don’t regret that purchase. That plus a weed burner and a laser thermometer and wax away.

Clay type soils take more wax. Sand takes less wax. I get loamy soil and add 1 gallon of sand to 5 gallons of dirt. Start with 3/4 pound of wax to the gallon then test. It's best to over wax so it is holds its shape when compressed.

For the guys using the harbor freight cement mixer, which model is best? I don’t like buying junk, so I want to get one that will do the job and last. I plan on assembling it with better bolts and locknuts.

Thanks and best wishes.

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.

One thing I know about waxing sand, or dirt is that it's a good way to make it rain. Lol. All good info above, it's all labor. Buying the wax is the fun part.

Black plastic feed bunks (solar) covered with plastic is what I used last time I made it.

Could knock out about 30-40 gallons at a shot in a ten foot bunk.

Haven’t made it in years. To labor intensive and expensive.

Not to get off topic, but with the added cost and time, does waxed dirt offer a real advantage over peat moss as far as freeze proofing ?

I never liked peat moss. It doesn't allow you to bed a trap as solid as In dirt. If you don't drive a drain hole In your trap bed It will soak up water and freeze In cold weather. In most cases you have to cover It to keep It from blowing away and to blend It In at the set. If your trapping In dry non freezing weather go for It.
Wax dirt Is kind of the silver bullet when trapping In the dirt.

Where I live yes, no comparison

I have a stove in my garage. I just put about 2 gallons of dirt in a cake pan mix wax in. sprinkle a little on top. set the oven to 250. when the wax on top melts and looks wet I take it out mix again and back in for a few minutes and its ready. takes about 10 minutes to do 2 gallons.
takes awhile but on a cool day and about 12 beers I can get a lot waxed

If you trap in freeze/thaw/rain/snow/freeze, thaw again country there is no comparison.. The ONLY thing that puts it out of commission is an ice storm, then the ice just lifts of like a plate. And if you over wax just a bit bedding traps rock solid is no problem..

100% agree!!

Waxed dirt is hands down best. Not cheapest, but only thing that works in freeze thaw conditions here.
Jim

my last 50 gallons I did in the oven with turkey roasters two pans will yield 5 gallons. it takes me about15 minutes a 5 gallon batch oven set at it lowest setting no fear of scorching your wax. And yes wax dirt is far superior to peat moss. Only heavy freezing rain will render it useless