Carnauba wax as plug sealer???

[Oil Derek]

Anyone here melt carnauba wax inside a horn to seal the butt plug? Thinking that the higher melting temp would be an advantage over bees wax. Thoughts please?

[Tim Crosby]

 Why do you want to use wax? Why not a little glue on the plug if needed?

  Tim C.

[Oil Derek]

Hey Tim. Wanting to stay in the more traditional camp. Besides, it's already pinned in place.

[Tim Crosby]

Hey Tim. Wanting to stay in the more traditional camp. Besides, it's already pinned in place.

 The easiest way is to coat the plug before you pin it. You could take a piece of Bee's wax, work it with your fingers to soften it up a bit then work it into a thin ribbon, lay it on the spot between the horn and wood, heat it slowly with a heat gun and it should run into any vents, may have to do it a couple times.
 As for glue, hide glue goes back a long way and is easy to make with some raw hide and water.

  Tim

[Oil Derek]

I relented seeing that this horn isn't period correct anyway. Plus no bees wax here and I wanted immediate gratification.

I diluted some Pro wood glue, inserted a straw from tip to base, then syringed in some goop and rotated and sopped up the seepage. We will see!

Thanks for your input Tim.

[Tim Crosby]

I relented seeing that this horn isn't period correct anyway. Plus no bees wax here and I wanted immediate gratification.

I diluted some Pro wood glue, inserted a straw from tip to base, then syringed in some goop and rotated and sopped up the seepage. We will see!

Thanks for your input Tim.

 Blow in the tip that will force the glue out the vents.

  Tim

[Mark Elliott]

Tim,  What kind of glue do you use?  I normally use CA with horn and antler, but that doesn't give me enough open time to get a base plug in place.   I normally fit mine in tight and have to heat the horn to get them in.   Usually,  I don't need a sealer.   When I do,  I use a little beeswax. 

[Tim Crosby]

Tim,  What kind of glue do you use?  I normally use CA with horn and antler, but that doesn't give me enough open time to get a base plug in place.   I normally fit mine in tight and have to heat the horn to get them in.   Usually,  I don't need a sealer.   When I do,  I use a little beeswax.

 Kind of depends on how much work I want to put into it, hide glue is good but to make a batch takes awhile and it doesn't keep well. Never tried CA, just don't think it would seal as well. If I use any glue it is TitebondIII.
 Once I get the horn to just about finished I cut it to length and file/rasp it to to even out the edges. Then it goes in the water and toils for an hour or so, then I put a sizer in and give it a couple wacks with a rubber mallet, it sits and dries a few hours. Then I turn the plug to fit as tight as I can get it. Then finish turning the plug, usually there is a little more work to do on the horn so the base of the horn and plug match up right. A little glue on the plug, press it in and pin it. If the plug fits really well you can skip the glue but on thin horns the pins, especially if they have heads may cause small gaps.
 All-in-all to keep it air tight I think glue is a given.
 Way more than you asked, got a little carried away.

  Tim
   
 

[halfstock]

Think J B it's virtually the same as pine sap with charcoal mixed in, very much like old timey cuttlers glue.