# Dying and waxing



## HuntTrap13 (Jun 26, 2011)

I'm up at my cabin this weekend and I brought my traps with me. I have about 4.5 dozen. We went out yesterday and got a 55 gallon drum. We cleaned it real good with a dishsoap and boiled the soap and water together to clean any grease. I have five pounds of logwood powder dye. How much should I use for the amount of traps I have? I also have five-pound bars of trap wax. How do I use the wax, put it in with the dye, or in a separate container of solid wax? This is the first time I've actually dyed and waxed traps. I've only used speed dip before. Any help would be appreciated. 

The way I have the barrel ready to boil water is on top of cinder blocks. I have eight of them stacked two high. I left an opening so I can shove logs in from the side. 


Gary D.


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## Velgang (Jan 17, 2004)

For that amount of traps I would think 3 pounds would be plenty. Depending on the size of traps. I just did 60 1 3/4 size traps and my son friend did a couple dozen and we used 3 pounds of logwood trap dye. I like to wax my traps seperate. Once they are dry from dyeing I use an old cooking pot(about a 4 or 5 quart size) it will hold 7 pounds of wax. I can do two coil springs at one time. I use a a turkey fryer base to boil and wax. Just be very carefull around the hot wax, it is flamable! I melt the wax and keep at low heat just to the point it wants to start smoking. I will lower traps in and leave in until they stop "foaming" about 30-40 seconds.


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## Fur-minator (Nov 28, 2007)

I also use a seperate pot for waxing. I prefer to use a double boiler system. It seems that the wax gets a burnt smell to it if I heat the pot directly. I can smell it with my nose so I figure a fox can. 

Here is my wax set-up. (The pot on the right is for dying traps.)


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## FAAMECH (Jul 14, 2009)

Went with Full metal Jacket vice wax this this year.... so far I like what I see.

Eric


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## BigWhiskey (Jan 7, 2010)

I hate waxing traps, I am too impatient and after a catch its basically gone. I am trying to switch exclusively over to dips, just not sure which I want to commit to. I think with wax you need to pay particular attention to where your traps are stored. However, I will be waxing some new traps this year as I am working on some new ones and I like to let the traps set awhile after dipping. When waxing traps I store them in containers with dirt and leaves.


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## Duckman1 (Oct 14, 2004)

FAAMECH,

So if you go with the Full Metal Jacket NO waxing is necessary? Is this correct? Was thinking of going this route.


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## FAAMECH (Jul 14, 2009)

Duckman...that is correct..... if need be during the season.. reboil and reapply the FMJ. Its water based so traps clean up nicely,,,,, I have half my traps waxed and half dipped with FMJ... looking forward to testing this product out,,,,Clint Locklear swears by it. but he also came up with the idea..... so Ill let the field test show me the way.. Cheers...Eric


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