[avar550]

My grandfather who has long sinced passed on, was a chemist (also a former pittcon president, and founder).  He also was an automotive enthusiast, and I can remember him creating his own automotive paste waxes for his own personal use for his collection.   I unfortunately, are not a chemist, but I do have a mild understanding for the such, and look to take on the undertaking.  I was able to find studying through some of his notations ingredients he had used.  I've done research on some of these ingredients and have an understanding of them.

#1 Yellow Carnauba Flake
White beeswax
Paraffin wax
montan wax
dimethylsiloxane
licithin
water
coconut oil
cantaloupe oil
evergreen oil

i've had good luck locating the waxes, but the oils seem to be a bit tricky for purchasing, has anyone tried this before?  I'm not understanding how the emulsifier is added, as well as water.  Isnt carnauba soluable in water?  Where does this silicone come in?

unfortunately content %'s and weights were not included in his notations, but i got a good idea, but would love to hear your suggestions.  Would the oils be considered good solvents?

Also i've read about refining the carnauba into an ivory or a white.  The ivory seems to be easy by just adding some paraffin and hydrogen peroxide, the white seems to require an addition of fuller earths?

Your help is appreciated.  As I'd love to try the experiment my grandfather did in the past.

[billnotgatez]

What is interesting is that all the items you listed are either considered inert or edible. The inert ones are commonly used in contact with humans. Given that I am assuming that the oils are used as solvents that dissipate leaving the harder substances. One might check food additive suppliers for many of these items as well as candle makers. I have no experience with this since I can not remember the last time I polished a car.

[avar550]

the real thing thats stumping me is the emulsifiers

[Rivet]

I don't think there is such a thing as cantaloupe oil.

[billnotgatez]

Doesn’t the rind of a lemon produce lemon oil? Wouldn’t it follow that the rind of a melon produces melon oil?

[Arkcon]

I'm betting cantaloupe oil is pressed from the seeds of a cantaloupe.  All seeds have some lipid in them.  Why you'd have to use that particular oil is anyone's guess.  It may have a special melting point, like coconut oil/cocco butter, or it may have been cheap because it has no other use, or just simply have been lying around, and wasn't bad for the application in any way.

You've got the waxes, the silicone, and the lecithin emulsifier.  Maybe you can experiment with the oils you have, on a car you don't much care about, to see what mixtures work?

[Rivet]

I stand corrected.  I checked, and you can buy cantaloupe oil.  The most abundant fatty acids are oleic and linoleic .

[avar550]

I decided not to do an emulsion and stick with a hard wax, they got too moldy after awhile, I guessI would need a biocide to stabilize it.

My other problem is, when buffing off this mixture from a surface it is not drying in a decent amount of time.  I've been using Limonene as a solvent, aka Orange Oil.  And coconut oil as a carrier, along with sunflower, macademia nut oil as gloss agents.

I'm currently brewing up something now with a reduced amount of coconut oil, and increased amount of solvent.  Would this be better?  Or should I try a different solvent?  If so, any suggestions?

[billnotgatez]

Have you tested the natural solvents alone to see which dries the most completely and fastest.

By the way, there are several natural biocides that come to mind (i.e. ethanol / vodka). So I would not give up on emulsion.

[avar550]

Bill: I'm not sure what you mean, as I'm not a chemist by education.  The only real solvent/drying oil I've tried is orange oil.  As I've seen with reducing its content I can control it better, but my main concern is, is there a better  option.

[billnotgatez]

I just dabble in science, but I am here to help if I can. I like to do hands on experimenting whenever I can.

The problem you pose relies on experience that few have taken the time to quantify. For instance, I would have a hard time finding a publication that has the evaporation rates of orange oil. Otherwise, someone would have chimed in by this point. If I thought I could find someone who does not monitor this thread elsewhere in the list I would have lured them over.

In any case your project seems very worthy. I like the fact that most everything you are using seems edible or harmless.

I would think you could take various natural solvents and put them on a test surface and see how well they evaporate. Maybe you would find that lemon oil or vinegar or vodka alone evaporates faster than orange oil. Then try it in the mixture.

On a separate note -
As I pointed out before there are naturally occurring substances that prevent degradation. For instance vodka (ethanol), vinegar (pickling) and other stuff used in food processing prevent degrading.

[avar550]

Well after 50 or so attempts I think I'm getting closer and closer. 

40g Carnauba (principal ingredient)
10g White Beeswax (hydrophobic wax, also softens the hard carnauba)
65mL Orange Oil (d-limonene) (solvent)
40g Coconut Oil (carrier oil)
30mL Sunflower Oil (glossing oil)
35mL Macademia Nut Oil (seems to be highly reflective)

This formulation gives me an 83% Carnauba Content rating (carnauba wax vs total wax content) which is how the major industries rate their products.  I've done some research and products like Zymol Royale with 70% Carnauba sell for in the $1000s of dollars, so I think i'm onto something here. 

I would like to work with polydimethylsiloxane as I hear it leaves an amazing loss behind, but i'm having difficulty locating a supplier who will deal in the small amounts I would need. 

The product needs a little heat as a catalyst, but that seems to be normal with waxes with this high of a content.  It spreads over the surface smooth, and it seems to dry within minutes, and wipes off well.

Now the orange oil has a strong scent to it, is there a way to neutralize this, or would I need a very potent fragrance oil?

[avar550]

Ok this is my recipe, HELP

50g Carnauba
20g Beeswax
50g Coconut Oil
15mL Sunflower Oil
15mL Macademi Nut Oil
60mL Orange Oil

Orange Oil is supposed to be my drying solvent, but the formulation just is not hazing at all, and leaving behind a residue, kind've greasey.  Does anyone know of any quick acting natural drying oils/solvents?