Thread: Wax coating on wood

Pour a jug of boiling water over it to melt it off.

Thanks Claire.
Will that have any adverse affect? Some of these are exotic and some are burls, and one bird's eye maple.

Originally Posted by richpix

Thanks Claire.
Will that have any adverse affect? Some of these are exotic and some are burls, and one bird's eye maple.

just not too much water and dont let it sit in the water

Thanks. I just don't want to cause more problems by solving one!
Rich

I'd suggest scraping instead. Boiling water could create quite a mess, especially as you probably don't know what kind of wax it is. In lieu of real scrapers ($$$), I use utility knife blades; scrape with the grain, and reverse the blade presentation when a burr develops. Depending on the species, this can be smooth enough to reflect your image, even with pine (almost).

Joe

Originally Posted by jaspr

Pour a jug of boiling water over it to melt it off.

Not sure I'd go with that bit of advice.

Coating billets/burls all over with wax gets them to the purchaser in one piece, but ensures that you'll have a piece of wood as wet as when it was encased in its wax coat, so go easy on it when you do take the wax off, or you may end up with sevearl bits instead of one! If you have the means, you could check the MC, then at least you would have an idea of where it's at.

For the occasional bit of wood I buy like that, I scrape the wax off the side-grain, and usually plane it to bare wood, but leave the wax on the end grain until I figure out how dry it really is. You want the water to get out, just not too quickly!

Cheers,

Usually those wax cover exotics are green or half green, removing the wax will cause checking and cracking. I'd be careful.

Originally Posted by joe greiner

I'd suggest scraping instead. Boiling water could create quite a mess, especially as you probably don't know what kind of wax it is. In lieu of real scrapers ($$$), I use utility knife blades; scrape with the grain, and reverse the blade presentation when a burr develops. Depending on the species, this can be smooth enough to reflect your image, even with pine (almost).

Joe

Yep scraping.

I would have thought that the waxed surface would not be the finished surface so just go ahead and turn, cut, plane or scrape as you would if the wax coating wasn't there as it won't do any harm to your tools..... IMHO
Boy, that was a garbled mouthful!

Chris, this is your best reply in 8 years. Congratulations.

Maybe he has been kidnapped & somebody has taken over his keyboard???
Nar.... that wouldn't last.

Originally Posted by IanW

Not sure I'd go with that bit of advice.

Coating billets/burls all over with wax gets them to the purchaser in one piece, but ensures that you'll have a piece of wood as wet as when it was encased in its wax coat, so go easy on it when you do take the wax off, or you may end up with sevearl bits instead of one! If you have the means, you could check the MC, then at least you would have an idea of where it's at.

For the occasional bit of wood I buy like that, I scrape the wax off the side-grain, and usually plane it to bare wood, but leave the wax on the end grain until I figure out how dry it really is. You want the water to get out, just not too quickly!

Cheers,

Well, all I can say is that I was told to do that by the supplier, the first time I bought one. And it worked no problems. I just boiled the jug, put the wood block in the sink and poured the water over it, rotating to make sure all sides covered. The wax came off easily.

I then put it on the drainer and let it dry for an hour or so, before using it.

The wood didn't appear to have absorbed the water and the wax was gone. Some of the pieces of wood I've done this to had natural edges, so it would have been virtually impossible to extract the wax by scraping.

The guy who told me to do this is a very proficient wood turner and that's what he does with his turning blanks.

Qick and easy - and it works.

Originally Posted by Christopha

I would have thought that the waxed surface would not be the finished surface so just go ahead and turn, cut, plane or scrape as you would if the wax coating wasn't there as it won't do any harm to your tools..... IMHO

IMHO, it depends on how much wood needs to be removed to reach the "finished surface" and what type of finish you're planning to apply. Wax smears and some finishes don't take kindly to the presence of even tiny bits of wax in the grain. A bit like silicone, really.

If it's being thicknessed, planed, turned or otherwise removed with a blade, then just have at it, unless you're only removing a bee's dick. If it's being sanded to size, then scraping most of the wax off first would be a damned good idea. I've never tried boiling water, so can't comment on that 'un.

A bit of common sense helps.

Originally Posted by jaspr

Well, all I can say is that I was told to do that by the supplier, the first time I bought one. And it worked no problems. I just boiled the jug, put the wood block in the sink and poured the water over it, rotating to make sure all sides covered. The wax came off easily.

OK, Jaspr - not looking for an argument. I guess as Skew sez, it really depends on the piece and what you are going to use it for. I assumed the piece was required to be dry for its final use. You would have no idea of the MC on receipt, and might want to let it equilibrate, in which case you would want to get rid of the wax from the side grain but it would surely be prudent to slow down loss from the ends until you were satisfied things are getting near equilibrium. But since turners often prefer to rough out green anyway, Skew's advice to 'have at it' as is, is just as relevant.
Cheers,