An old carpenter taught me this trick a few years ago. We were installing doors in a remodeling of a State Police barracks and he took out of his box a piece of wax ring that is used for toilets.
He had melted it in a can of tuna; she put all the screws needed for the hinges into the wax, point first. This wax helped screws go into solid wood doors with ease.
Wax rings are made from a petroleum product and other ingredients that are proprietary to each manufacturer. The oil is shipped to the factory and stored in liquid form at 170 degrees Fahrenheit until needed. The oil is then mixed with the other chemicals that will solidify at room temperature and are then poured into aluminum molds coated with a release agent.
Wax ring molds are made in different thicknesses and can be purchased quite cheaply. They come in standard 3-inch or 4-inch sizes. Aluminum molds are cooled with water until the wax solidifies. The molds are then flipped upside down and the rings fall onto a belt, where they are moved to a packing area and then packed for stores.
Some more uses for this wax that I have used and discovered are;
Slides for drawers. A thin layer of wax on the wooden rails makes the wooden drawers of an antique chest of drawers slide smoothly.
single stick windows. Use wax to lubricate the window frames you want to glue down.
Free Rusty Nuts. Help loosen a rusty nut by coating the threads with a little melted wax. This will lubricate the bolt threads.
Wax wood. For wood that needs to look good but won’t wear, like exposed ceiling joists, heat equal parts wax, linseed oil, and turpentine. Do not mix over an open flame as the turpentine will ignite. Apply with a brush or cloth while the mixture is still hot.
Prevents metal from rusting. To prevent rust caused by moist air, brush with a solution of melted wax in turpentine. Wipe it off with a towel to create a thin, hard layer.
coat hand tools. Before storing, rub all metal parts and wooden handles with wax, this will prevent rust and degradation of the handles.
Lubrication screws. Rub wax over the screw threads to make them go into the wood more easily and quietly.
Waxed concrete countertops. Give a sealed dark concrete countertop a natural shine by rubbing melted wax over the surface with a cloth. Let it dry and then clean.
Preserve the patina. Seal a copper sink by rubbing it with soft wax and wiping off the excess with a rag.
I’m sure there are many other uses and you may want to purchase an additional wax ring and make use of the useful, preservative and lubricating properties.