WATERPROOF SEALANT (for Making or Reproofing Oilcloth Tarps, Ponchos, Dusters, Awnings, Etc.)

I want to share an easy recipe to make your own oilcloth dressing like Otter Wax or Duck Back.

I use two parts bee's wax, two parts paraffin wax and one part walnut oil. While many oils will work, I wanted to use walnut oil because I like the smell. As to the wax, some people use either paraffin or bee's wax; but the bees wax doesn't seem to be as durable and the paraffin is brittle by itself, so I use both.

Other things you will need are a metal can that will hold the prepared dressing until needed, a canning lid, stirring stick (I used bamboo chopsticks), a cooking pot, water and a cooking thermometer. I don't have a cooking thermometer so I just used medium low heat and took it slow.

SAFETY
KEEP FIRE EXTINGUISHER HANDY
DON'T USE EXCESSIVE HEAT DUE TO FLASH POINTS OF INGREDIENTS
Walnut Oil flash point - 600ºF
Paraffin Wax flash point - 390ºF

Bee's Wax flash point - 490ºF
Due to the flash point of Paraffin you should keep the temperature below 350ºF to give yourself a wide safety margin (because kitchen fires suck).

1. Cut wax into small chunks of less than a half inch across.
2. Put wax and oil into tin, place tin in pot above canning ring (this creates a double boiler).
3. Add water to pot (not the tin) and place on heat.
4. Stir constantly until all wax is melted.
5. Remove from heat.

At this point you can brush the dressing onto canvas and make oilcloth or apply it to old oilcloth to renew the waterproofing; allow the material to cool and then carefully reheat with a heat gun so wax sets in. If your material is not ready yet, then allow to cool and when needed either reheat on the stove or by using a heat gun and just aiming it into the can to heat the top.

Thanks, I hope this comes in handy.