# Beeswax question



## scwit (Mar 2, 2011)

I have a question concerning beeswax. I decided I would like to try and make my own lip balm. Lo and behold on my way to the craft store I saw a sign "Honey forSale" so I pulled in and sure enough they had beeswax for sale also. It was priced 2ounces for $2 so I bought 2 & some soap.I was thinking I would be helping out a local farmer.
Anyway after whipping up a batch of balm-I wanted to know exactly how much wax I used by weight-I was shocked to see that it was only 1 ounce to begin with. Is this normal for sale of beeswax? Is is sold basically by the fluid ounce and not by weight-like I said I am shocked and really am considering calling the guy. What do you all think? :shrug::shrug:


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

I bought bees wax beads from Soaper's Choice. They sell by weight.


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

We sell our bees wax by the ounce or pound, not by fluid measure. I think this is the standard as I've seen it being sold by the pound in other areas as well.


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## scwit (Mar 2, 2011)

Thank you for your replies-I thought that it would have been sold by actual weight and not fluid ounce-I haven't yet had time to melt the bar down to see if it is one quarter cup even. It sure doesn't look like it could be. At any rate I need to handle this delicately as this gentleman was willing to show us about beekeeping and such and said he'd even have bees to get us started with. Lesson learned I guess!


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

Anytime I've purchased beeswax it was sold by the weighted oz or pound.


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## DanielY (Aug 25, 2011)

I have always found beeswax sold by weight not volume. Even if it was by weight $2 an ounce equals $32 a lb. I maybe wrong but it is very unlikely but that is an unbelievably high price. I think it is expensive at $10 a lb.

I would be willing to help you get started in bees at those sort of prices also. Sounds like one of these sorts that will supply you a have at the discount price of $700 a year.

Just do your homework and watch yourself. There is a lot of money in bees and it attracts the unscrupulous like moths to a flame. First sign of that is all the people that claim they cannot make money with bees. everything about bees is worth money including their sting. That someone cannot make money with something like that means they are not intelligent enough to be listening to, they are lying or they are to lazy to make money at anything. I have known all three types.

Buying $2 an ounce wax is a step down the uninformed path. take a step back and a careful look around. I think you will find a better choice of directions. I also think you will want to reconsider just how careful you need to be in regard to your relationship with this person. Take a bit of time and search for a bee group or association in your area. It is much harder for the scammer to operate in a more public setting. Thieves like to keep their victims isolated.

This link is to online sources for bees wax and the prices they are being sold.
http://www.bing.com/shopping/search?q=bees+wax&qpvt=bees+wax&FORM=HURE#x0y342at.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

> That someone cannot make money with something like that means they are not intelligent enough to be listening to, they are lying or they are to lazy to make money at anything.
> 
> It is much harder for the scammer to operate in a more public setting. Thieves like to keep their victims isolated.


Wow ... just wow. I'm almost beyond words. 

I do agree that $2/oz is a high price for beeswax that was commercially (and probably chemically) processed.

Now if this beekeeper is keeping bees without the use of miticides, antibiotics and other chemical interference; if he is rendering the wax himself on a small scale using his time and utilities, he should be able to charge what ever amount he wants for his product without being subjected to someone calling him a scammer.

scwit, I would contact the beekeeper and ask him about weight vs volume and that the wax you received was short in both. His scale may be off or maybe he just guessed?? :shrug:

I'd keep communications open and give this beekeeper a chance.


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

Keep in mind also that buying by the ounce is almost always going to be more expensive than buying a pound. If you only need an ounce, then it's worth paying a bit more as it would be cheaper than buying a whole pound and throwing away 90% of it. Kinda like buying a pound of grain or 50 pounds of it.


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## scwit (Mar 2, 2011)

Thanks for all the replies I hadn't gotten back on in a while.
I did melt it down and it was not even close to the 2 fluid ounce either- ALSO- I should have stated in the original post that the bars were marked 2 oz. each and $2 each I thought I was buying 4 ounces for $4 I knew before buying wax that $1 per ounce was not out of line so I was willing to pay his price-so I did do my homework. I am a researcher at heart. Quite honestly the reason I considered getting bees in the first place was that I realize the value in them and the by-products of bees-I considered it an extremely practical hobby to start. That is for me anyway.

The bee keeper in question is doing this w/o chemicals etc.. and is part of the bee keepers association in our area. He's also involved with the state association. He also has many other businesses to his credit and is now more in a retirement phase of life. . I do believe I will contact him shortly about the weight verses volume - because I really think perhaps that his wife who poured it just may have been mistaken about the size of mold she was using for these. (They were in the little mold that says beeswax.) So like I said I really want to keep in good communication with him. Thanks again!


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## beaglady (Oct 7, 2002)

Those little molds usually hold an ounce, so I bet it was a miscommunication on the weight of the bar.


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## Charleen (May 12, 2002)

Could just be plain old human error and nothing to get riled over. Sounds like you want to continue to do business with him if you can get this straightened out, so tread lightly. And thank you for buying from your local farmer.


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