“We sourced our Premier Bottle Sealing wax from Oakbank Products, and as we found this was a good attraction at the center we have purchased more in a special rose gold colour.
Oakbank are a pleasure to work with from initial enquiry through to delivery of goods.”
Retail Manager, Bacardi Visitor Centre, Costa Rica
Our wax is easy to use and produces a reliable good quality finish. There’s very little can go wrong but here’s some advice to help you get the best results.
Use a hot water Bain Marie system to melt the wax. Take care not to let water get into the wax, it won’t cause significant problems but the water sinks to the bottom of the pot and as it heats up the water bubbles up through the wax as steam and it pops and splatters.
Heat until all the wax has melted and then allow it to cool to the correct working temperature. It’s a good idea to get a good metal catering thermometer to help gauge the heat of the wax.
The wax is at its best working temperature when a skin is starting to cover the surface – approximately 66-70 degrees centigrade. This is best for a nice smooth coating. Use a metal spoon or spatula to push the skin out the way and you’re ready to start dipping.
Putting the wax pot back into the hot water at this stage will help keep the dipping temperature of the wax at a constant.
You will be able to put the bottle in and out of the wax in almost one movement but it’s always best to hold the bottle in the wax for a few seconds.
When the bottle has come out of the wax hold it upside down and let the wax drain off the edge of the stopper and back into the wax pot until set. You can then stand the bottle up and if necessary pull off the tail of wax that forms a few seconds later.
If you want a drip of wax to run down the side, stand the bottle up a few seconds after it comes out the wax and a drip will run down the side of the wax dip and then set.
In time with a bit of practice it’s possible to dip up to 500 bottles a day.
As a general rule the hotter the wax the thinner the coating, the colder the wax the thicker the coating. If the wax is a bit hot and you dip the bottle straight in and out it will be very thin on the surface of the glass and closure. This will affect the look and the density of the colour. Holding the bottle in the wax for a few seconds longer than usual will put a thicker coating on the bottle and you will get a nice smooth coat of wax.
Please handle hot wax with caution, it is advisable to wear safety glasses and appropriate overalls, splashes of wax will permanently stain clothing.
The working temperature of the bottle sealing wax is safe. If the wax is used over the recommended working temperature the hot wax can burn the skin.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with the wax with drips and runs, double dipping for extra thickness or stamping the wax when it is still warm or even when it is cold.
All the wax that’s used can be recycled back into the pot, its handy to save the wax dips removed from bottles to help cool the wax in the dipping pot fast.
Good luck and happy waxing!