Waterproofing a canvas tilt - the 'old way'

Right. Finished off waterproofing Mulberry's full tilt during the dry weather yesterday. Today, it's raining... that nasty wet drizzle that soaks you through. SUCCESS!! A dry interior so far.

The recipe for those who are interested is as follows, also some tips based on my experiences.

I mixed up 'half pound' mixes and used about 3 or so. This gave me a break from the smell and it was what would fit nicely in my saucepan.

You'll need the following kit...

Gas camping stove. I used one that takes aerosol type canisters as more stable.
Old saucepan. Get a decent sized one.
Old wooden spoon.
Old measuring jug.
Kitchen scales. Wifeys one did fluids and solids so was well easy.
Paintbrush. I use cheap 79p 4" jobs
Heat gun or hair dryer at a push

Ingredients

1kg of pure beeswax pellets - I got mine from Amazon for about 15 quid.
500ml bottle of boiled linseed oil
500ml bottle of turps substitute

Method

I mixed up about 227g of beeswax with 114ml of oil and 114ml of turps at a time as this would fit in my pan nicely.

Heat the stuff until beeswax is fully melted. Stirring all the while.

Now paint it on your canvas roof. Making sure that you're not slapping it on too thick. It's very strange as it's a warm liquid but it solidifies as soon as it hits the tilt. It takes some practice to get the right level. I found just getting the first 2cm of bristles wet works for the right thickness. If it starts to harden in the pan when painting it on just rewarm it again and carry on.

Once it dries back you'll be left with a whitish waxy looking sheen on your tilt.

Fire up the heat gun and play it over the waxy sheen. You'll see the wax turn liquid and soak into the tilt. KEEP THE HEAT MOVING or you'll burn your tilt. Again, you'll quickly get the feel for this.

The smell subsides in a day or so in dry weather. But it's waterproof straight away.

I found doing a natural section of tilt at a time meant I knew where I was. It's easier to do it fitted than on the floor.

I used 3 and a half lots of mixture for my 88" full tilt that was porous before treatment.

I mixed up the last of the beeswax, oil and turps and filled an old lyles syrup tin and a good sized jam jar. So I have about 1.25kg of waterproofer ready for next time.

It might not be as quick as modern waterproofing liquids, and the cost of materials was about 20 quid, but I like the idea of old methods and the stuff coating the fibres with a wax base rather than goodness knows what chemical concoction.

Sounds splendidly old fashioned and I suspect the smell would be rather nice.

Is there a reason for using turps substitute? When I make polish, you have to use real turps. (Which would smell even better)

Edit: it's not recommend to use anything with a naked flame for melting wax/turps. Hot plate is safer.

Sounds like a great traditional recipe!

Just a shame you cant get whale oil any more!

Be good on Barbour wax jackets too!

Turps sub only for less smell plus easier to get hold of.

I understand the issues of open flame but was outside and was the easiest way to do it. Plus the need to rewarm periodically when it starts to solidify when being applied.

I found just being gentle when stirring stopped any splashes also had a breeze block wind break around the stove to stop any flame flares.

Excellent - of course easier done mid summer! As I always think, every winter, when doing my driazabone............................

Yeah... just got fed up of being dripped on when driving Mulberry. Did a chunk of research and came up with the above. No suppliers of beeswax locally in anything above 25g blocks for 3 quid so Amazon sorted that. Have since found a local bee place but yet to contact them.

very good.

I did a similar thing, 50% beeswax, 50% paraffin wax melted all together and left to separate in a margarine tub. took it out of the tub and with the tilt laid on an old blanket in the garage, i rubbed the bar over all of it to give that white waxy layer - i dragged it outside and left this in the sun during the summer, i then repeated any 'thinner' areas before repeating.

worked well but next time i will do it a panel at a time and use a hairdryer to melt it in, still properly waterproof 3 years later and i have about half the bar left. (i used about 500g total of each wax)

excellent

A gallon of diesel works a treat and much less effing about wi pans. What are ye, a bird.

Mulberry only drinks finest LPG with a healthy drop of unleaded to tickle his whistle first thing.
Diesel is the devils work, silly boy!

Diesel???
T'aint natural.