Making Wax Dirt

[trappnman]

actually- cause I'm bored and you seem the same- does a bigger tap really take that much more dirt?

the trap would fill the bed- a little more under, a little more on top- but most of my dry dirt use is around the trap pattern. I would imagine with waxed dirt, one would be a little less wasteful...

[Zagman]

Waxed dirt is not just a trap cover, it's protection. It also protects the trap from the bottom, and when I use it, I dont want the trap touching anything by waxed dirt......

Therefore, I dig my bed, which is bigger for a #3 or a Jake than for a 1.75 or even a #2 Bridger.....

I dig it deep, as I want to POUR a waxed dirt insulator in the bottom of the bed to bed the trap in, not the other way around.

I pour enough waxed dirt in the bed, then with the back of my hand, "cup" out a depression for the trap. I then wiggle the trap into the depression, and when done, due to the amount of dirt I use and because the dirt is sifted and waxed (and therefore, very "fine"/sand-like) I simply use my hand to blend the trap completely by "pulling" the dirt from the outside of the trap jaws to the inside.

With enough dirt in the bed, when I wiggle the trap down in, there is a ridge of dirt sticking up all the way around and above the trap jaws....I just pull that in to level it out.......

So, I dont use a sifter.......I just use enough dirt from the application, after sinking the trap deep into the depression, and simply pull the dirt from the sides towards the steel-screen covered pan.......no sifter, no more dirt (generally) is needed than what I dump in at the outset.......

Use of sifter with waxed dirt is a waste of time.....waxed dirt is like sugar sand........I just used a coffee can or small feed scoop or gutter cleaning scoop (my favorite) to doll out the dirt.

So with this type of application, YES, I think you do use more dirt with a big trap vs. a smaller one.

Zagman

[Creek]

Where do you get this flake wax or beaded wax?

[Clyde Isaak]

trappnman you asked how specifically I did it using Stef's method. I'll try to explain how I did it.

I used my two burner propane camp stove to heat the kettle of dry dirt and to melt the wax at the same time.

I used cheap aluminium kettle I bought at a rummage sale to heat the dry dirt in. It is around a 12 to 14 quart size with a cover and has handles.

I used a small aluminum camp pot around 1 to 1 1/2 quart size to melt the wax in. This aslo has a cover.

I started with putting in 1 1/2 galllons of dry sifted dirt into the larger pot and 1 pound of parafin wax in the small pot. I used a medium high heat on the dirt burner and a medium low heat on the wax burner. As the wax is melting I would occasionally stir the dirt with a 1/2 in wooden dowel or I would just put on leather gloves and grab the handles on the pot while holding down the cover and just shake the dirt around to mix it up. By the time the wax was melted the dirt was usually hot enough. You don't want it to hot , just warm enough so the wax does not cool to fast when mixing it all up.

After the wax is melted and the dirt was warmed up I would take both off the burners and set them on the table I had the stove on. (I was using an old picknic table) I would wear my leather gloves and would pour about half the wax into the warm dirt. I would then use the wooden dowel to mix it up some. Just enough so the melted wax would be soaked up in the dirt. At this point it was usually quite lumpy. I would then just use my gloved hands to mix it up good, just like I would do when mixing seasonings into ground meat when making sausage. After a few minutes I would pour the remaining wax in and once again first use the dowel to stir it up some then finish it off using my hands to mix it all up real good. When the dirt has a nice even look to it you can pour it out. If you've ever made your own sausage you will understand what I am talking about.

I would pour the warm waxed dirt on to a large piece of cardboard I had on the ground nearby and spread it out with my gloved hands. I had a box fan blowing accross this layer while it was cooling off.

Then I would just repeat the process by starting a new batch. Right before I would actually mix the next batch I would go to the waxed dirt that was cooling on the cardboard and just kind of stir it up with my gloved hands some. I found that the top layer of dirt would crust up a little as it cooled faster that the dirt below it and this quick stir job took care of any lumping. After the next batch was mixed up I would just push the cooled waxed dirt to one side of the cardboard and would then spread out the fresh batch in front of the fan to cool off. Just keep repeating the process. After doing quite a few batches I just spread it all out on the cardboard and left it sit while I had supper to make sure it was all cooled off good, then I just put it into a storage container. I found no clumping the next day.

Points to remember are:

Do not get your dirt to hot when you are using your hands to mix it. I figured this out the hard, or should I say HOT way.LOL

Keep everything close by and the process goes real smooth.

Use a big enough pot to heat you dirt in so you have plenty of space when mixing the wax in.

Mix the wax into the dirt thoroughly untill you have a nice even color.

Cool the waxed dirt well and mix it up some while cooling if needed before putting it into storage containers.

Adjust your dirt to wax ratio as needed depending on your soil type. I ended up with using about 2 gallons of dirt to a pound of wax.

The first batch I made I only used a stir stick but found I could do it much quicker and evenly when I used my gloved hands. Your hands will get pretty warm when mixing by hand, but by using the stir stick first and by being carefull I had no problems and the finished product was much better.

The process was actually pretty easy and while it may not be the best process if you were going to make up hundreds of gallons of waxed dirt, it will work fine in making some up to test out. I expect it will take me two or three afternoons or evenings to make up all the waxed dirt I'll need.

Clyde

[Stef]

Yep... it works like you did also... great!

[trappnman]

does sound easy......

[thebeav2]

If I were you I would just rent a cement mixer.You can still heat your wax and dirt on the stove and then mix In the mixer.That way you have that load mixing while your heating the next load.Much more effient and does a better job of getting the wax mixed In with the dirt.

Gary

[trappnman]

LOL...... beav- that is something I'll never ever do!

I just cannot get over the fact I'd be mixing my good coyote dirt with cement dribbles and smell.

I KNOW it doesn't matter...many I respect tell me that...

BUT....... thats me......get an idea in my head and no one can convince me otherwise....


but if you wanted to give me (or heck, I'll trade you for it) say 5 gals of your waxed dirt to try out...

[Stef]

Steve, shipping is too expensive.

Go at a flea market and buy a big pot for $5

Go at the grocery store and buy 5 pounds of paraffin for $10

With that you will make 7.5 gallons of waxed dirt.... Enough to convince you for next year, I'm sure?

Stef

[z]

200 traps for 6 weeks?

Thats a LOT of glycol, And a LOT of traps........And, A LONG time to boot!

Running that many sets I cannot believe your not using either peat or waxed dirt to simplify and speed things up.....Not to mention the savings WHEN inclement weather "shoots you down"..........

I will make this prediction, Once you use it and give it an good honest try, Your spraying and layering days will be done!

DONE, KAPUT........

You can buy me a coke and a smile next year at Pa.! Beings moderator (King Daddy), I think you should drop all registered members name in a bucket, A Name is drawn and that person gets to ride along with you and show you how to trap coyotes.....

"And remember, WE'RE all in this together".......

Cool..... Now spread the wealth!

[Stef]

DONE, KAPUT........

[trappnman]

200 traps? not me...last few years 60-75..this year 100. Coon traps just get leaves and glycol.

I will make this prediction, Once you use it and give it an good honest try, Your spraying and layering days will be done!

oh, I don't have a doubt in the world that it will.. Probably why I'm being nonchalant about it...

keep in mind that for 95% of my coyote trapping- freeze is not a big concern. In most years.

I am going to make some tihs year- but not in a cee-ment mixer!

[thebeav2]

In most cases a cement mixer Is shinny clean inside and you just won't have to worry about any odor of cement dribbles.LOL These new yuppie mixers that are made out of plastic or fiber glass are even eaiser to keep clean. Not to worry steve-A-reno.
I'm pretty much out of the waxed dirt business since I trap In non frezzing conditions now.

Gary

[briankroberts]

I love my Mixer.....B.....

[Zagman]

......used/dirty/old mixer or not, use it, cement chips and all......isn't cement basically sand, rock dust, and water?

What odors could possibly be in there to spook a coyote?

Heck, wax has an odor itself........

The used mixers I have looked at are remarkably clean.
Even if a guy didn't do a perfect clean up job once done, just the rotating action combined with the sand, grit, gravel, etc the next time around cleans 'er up pretty good.

I've said it before, after making waxed dirt with solar power in super-cloudy, rarely-a-day-over 85 degrees central New York State.......

......using a mixer is like you've been walking your whole life and someone gives you an automobile......

It's that good.....

Zagman

[Clyde Isaak]

A cement mixer I'm sure would speed up the process but I am not willing to spend the money to rent one when I'm only making 50 to 75 gallons of waxed dirt. As far as the mixer doing a better job of blending, I have my doubts, as I can do an excellent job of blending when I'm doing it by hand. I can see that the cement mixer might break down the dirt pieces into smaller pieces but I really don't see any advantage that would offer, beside just being a finer grained product. I admit that doing it by hand will take more time, but I have a lot more time than I do money.LOL
Clyde

[BrandonH]

Ok.... so you don't want to buy a used mixer becuase of the "odor factor."

www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=31979

$189.99 plus freight....... I bought this same model last year and it works absolutely wonderful for waxing dirt. 5 gallons of dirt at a time, you can make a bunch of wax dirt in a day. Once you buy the weed burner and refill that propane tank you've got hooked up to your grill, you'll have about $250 in this "stink free" setup. Cheap investment for worry free canine trapping for the next 50 years or so.

[z]

200 traps.....

page 2!

Money trapping vs. #'s trapping thread!

[Clyde Isaak]

adkguide - I saw that mixer before when looking at Harbor Freight's web site. I thought at the time that that would be a good thing for a trapping association to buy for use by its members. Clyde

[trappnman]

200 LAND traps- not 200 canine traps.

big difference.

No where- did I EVER say nor WILL I ever say nor do I ever WANT to run 200 canine traps.

trap maintenence and care are completely different for coon vs coyote. I don;t use dry dirt for coon sets and I'd never use waxed dirt for them either.