Personally I dont use pitch or beeswax.I cover the tool w/ a shower curtain. It makes for a stable lap and,it polishes in half the time.All you nneed is a thich shower curtain w/a fine grid pattern.It looks like graph paper when you look at it.To adhere it to the tool use contact cement the spray type and put a very light and,I must stress very light coat.Then take a razor and lightly scrape the surface;to even it out.Apply the shower curtain from the center out;then fix it to the tool w/electrical tape jsut below the tool edge.And it will polish quick in half the time,and contrary to popular belief you can figure w/ this as well the only caution is that it is so fast the figure could get too deep w/o realizing it.