rice cooker? waxing timber

[bassmansimon]

I would like to split some logs and create woodturning bowl blanks, pen blanks etc.
In order to wax the ends to avoid cracking, I was considering getting a cheap crock pot or rice cooker, and melt down some cheap candles and dip the timber in it.

Has anyone tried this? If so, will the wax re-melt again next time you turn it on to do more blanks, or is it a one-shot deal?

Thanks, simon.

[Big Shed]

I use an old electric deep fry unit, leave the wax in there and fire it up when needed.

My wife likes going to op-shops (:roll:) and is always on the lookout for biggish candles and quite often picks them up for around a dollar or even less.

Any time I need more wax I just chuck in another candle or two.

The internal of the deep fryer is metal and it has a lid and thermostatic control, so easy to use and store away.

The wax can be used and re-melted over and over without any problems, I have had this thing going for a few years now.

[bassmansimon]

Thanks Fred.
I hadn't considered a deep fryer. I suppose the important thing is that it is big enough (diameter) to fit the edge of bowl blanks in it.

[_fly_]

doesn't need to be deep fryer, I'm using one of those square sunbeam frypans that were popular in the 70's.

[RETIRED]

doesn't need to be deep fryer, I'm using one of those square sunbeam frypans that were popular in the 70's.Same here. The thing to avoid is heating the wax over an open flame.

[Wrongwayfirst]

Glad you said buy a cheap rice cooker, SWMBO would hit the roof. :U But I like the idea. Our rice cooker has a not stick aluminium bowl so I guess you would get more than one use. Wouldn't a craft shop/Internet be a better source for wax? Would think you could buy a block of wax cheaper than a box of candles.
i can't see any flaw in the plan and for $12 can't hurt to try. I know people use bread makers and a heat gun to roast raw coffee beans.
cheers

[bassmansimon]

Thanks. My local K-mart has rice cookers for under $10 so will be worth it to try with some small stuff.

[Big Shed]

Wouldn't a craft shop/Internet be a better source for wax? Would think you could buy a block of wax cheaper than a box of candles.


Some of the candles she picks up are large decorative ones, not your normal thin candles.

One particular block candle was about 250mm in diameter and about 150mm high, didn't weigh it but it was quite a bit of wax! She paid the princely sum of $1 for that one.

It is amazing how often the larger decorative candles turn up in op-shops.

[_fly_]

advantage of the big square frypan is its a sheet of wax and not a deep lump, quick to melt.
Other nice part is you can dunk big bits of timber into it.
The rice cooker may not be wide enough to dip into.
The square things is say 1 1/2 inch deep and I put it on floor and dip into it till I hit bottom, and lots or area to shake excess off.
Also available from op-shops for 5-10 bucks.

[springwater]

Don't melt wax in best small sauspan while simmering in the water inside best large sauspan unless you can get way with it!

[dai sensei]

I use a large Wok, it is bigger than a frying pan, plus being curved can fit larger bowl blanks

[TTIT]

OK, I'll be the wet blanket this time (again?!??!). Candle wax is useless for the purpose! It has a sterate added to it that stiffens the parrafin wax so your candles don't droop like . . OK we won't go there :no:. Even straight parrafin wax will peel off as the timber shrinks so you're exposing the timber to the elements again in no time. Best solution is to add something softer to it like Beeswax so the wax stays flexible and moves with the timber.
I use a about 20 or 30 parts Parrafin wax to 1 part Beeswax and it works very well for me - lost a hell of a lot of timber to cracking with the straight parrafin before I woke up :B . Only takes a couple of minutes in a big square electric pan before you can start dipping what ever you like in it :;

[RETIRED]

Don't melt wax in best small sauspan while simmering in the water inside best large sauspan unless you can get way with it!And we know this how?:rolleyes:

[Colin62]

And don't use those scented candles in your rice cooker - it makes the rice taste a bit weird.

[dai sensei]

...I use a about 20 or 30 parts Parrafin wax to 1 part Beeswax and it works very well for me..

:whs:

[Bruce White]

I use a large Wok, it is bigger than a frying pan, plus being curved can fit larger bowl blanks

Me too. I got enough bees wax from my local honey man to last me 10 years. Use it (and the electric wok) when I make my polish too.

[springwater]

And we know this how?:rolleyes:

Patient went troppo, wife got let off early then went troppo :doh:

[RETIRED]

Sprung!! :roflmao:

[Master Splinter]

A cautionary true kitchen story:

"Where's that beeswax I had in here?"
"I don't know, but I just made some pumpkin soup with that chicken stock you had on the stove."

[rsser]

Just to be contrary, but also to recognise that there's lots of variables here, the one batch I did with a mix of paraffin and beeswax performed the worst cp other treatments.

The variables:

The wood species of course and how moist your batch is.
How dry the air is.
How hot it gets in the storage stack.
How thick and how evenly thick the blank or rough-turned bowl is.

I scored a big lekky frypan (new and non-stick!) cheap at the local permanent market. I let it heat til it's almost smoking (you can recognise it but can't describe it) and then go frying. Looking for fizzing.

A big lump of wood pulls down the temp in the pan so give it time to come up again.

Once you master this you're ready to graduate to potato chips ;-)

[DaveTTC]

I use a large Wok, it is bigger than a frying pan, plus being curved can fit larger bowl blanks

Time to repurpose my wok

I'd been using it to soak and clean engine parts (no heat lol, will have to find the cord to melt the wax)


Dave

The Turning Cowboy

[Christos]

Patient went troppo, wife got let off early then went troppo :doh:


I am lost for words on this one. Even I know not to do something like this.


One of the main reason is we only have one saucepan. :)

[Paul39]

OK, I'll be the wet blanket this time (again?!??!). Candle wax is useless for the purpose! It has a sterate added to it that stiffens the parrafin wax so your candles don't droop like . . OK we won't go there :no:. Even straight parrafin wax will peel off as the timber shrinks so you're exposing the timber to the elements again in no time. Best solution is to add something softer to it like Beeswax so the wax stays flexible and moves with the timber.
I use a about 20 or 30 parts Parrafin wax to 1 part Beeswax and it works very well for me - lost a hell of a lot of timber to cracking with the straight parrafin before I woke up :B . Only takes a couple of minutes in a big square electric pan before you can start dipping what ever you like in it :;

I wonder if adding mineral oil (from drug store - chemist) would mix in and soften the paraffin to suit. I have seen some blanks in turning stores that had an almost gummy wax coating.

[turnerted]

I was in Spotlight at Auburn NSW today and they had a special on candles $1.50 for a 260gm candle.At under $6/kg thats pretty cheap and you have a choice of four perfumes.
Ted

[Woodturner101]

I sealed some camphor bowl blanks the other day with a mixture of beeswax and candle wax with some coconut oil mixed in and it has been almost a week without any cracking compared to my other blanks that I sealed with just beeswax + candlewax that have got a few cracks, so oil must help in the sealing although a non perishable oil would probably be better.

[springwater]

I am lost for words on this one. Even I know not to do something like this.


One of the main reason is we only have one saucepan. :)

It's all about the trust and belief system. I said I know things look a bit out of the norm to you at the moment, don't panic, trust me, things WILL return to normal and it did with the help of 4538 steelo soap pads, some elbow grease (and a little additive), no probs, life goes on...with a good old mums 70's model fry pan :rolleyes: