Need some help please

[tomted62]

I got some spalted maple a while back and just put it aside for a while, I finally got it out the other day to begin the stabilizing process on it and realized it is coated with wax. What is the best way to remove the wax from the wood so the resin will be pulled in properly?? I have never had to deal with this before. These are already precut blanks 3/4 x 3/4 x 5in. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[McKenzie Penworks]

I'd probably just give'em a quick shave with the table saw.

 

[KenV]

Quick bath in simmering water then into the oven. Alternativly trim the end grain and out them on paper towels in the drying oven. At drying temps wax coating is liqiud.

The simmering water is best for smaller blanks as less wax soaks more deeply into the wood.

 

[Lucky2]

Personally, I think your out of luck, I don't think anything other then a saw will work. The only thing that I can see removing all of the wax, is a tablesaw or a bandsaw. I realize the blanks are only 3/4"x3/4", but all you have to remove is about 1/16" or less. It's dangerous, and unless you are experienced in using a saw for something like this, THEN DON'T DO IT!!!!

 

[Tim'sTurnings]

I would suggest that you trim off the sides and ends with a table saw. You wouldn't have to trim off very much to make it work.
Tim.

 

[leehljp]

What Ken said!

 

[robutacion]

Most of the waxing is probably only at the very surface and it wouldn't take much to scrape it off, hot water, oven methods have been explained, shaving a thin layer has also been mentioned but at 3/4", I would cut a few millimetres off the end gain and I would turn them round just removing all the wax that way and then stabilize, a slight saving on Juice, also...!

Cheers
George

 

[KenV]

Tom, the wax coatings slow moisture movement and do not stop air movement. It is not a cyrovac sealed pouch.

I got a bunch of fancy maple and myrtle blanks years back and all were heavy wax coated. Very heavy wax coated.

Scraped off the excess wax and dumped several each in jars of metal hydride color fast dye. After a few weeks the entire (100%) of the surface was colored evenly. End grain was colored also. When turned round to clear the wax, the maple has hard/softer grain patterns differently colored. The myrtle had color through the blank but different shades with different density. These were not wood that needed cactus juice.

Have had soft spalted waxed blanks, waxed (I suspect in part to camo the punky) and would not turn round well because of soft spots. My concern with the coatings is they were not consistent and I do not want to contaminate the cactus juice solution and gear.

You may get cactus juice to work just fine through the way like the dye did. You risk contamination.

Depending on wood size and condition you have several good choice.

 

[tomted62]

Thanks for the help and advise I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[greenacres2]

Cabinet scraper for the sides, slight shave on the ends? Cabinet scraper is a marvelous yet simple tool--easy to control, generates no (or minimal heat), and can take extremely light passes. Not nearly as exciting as trying to trim with a table saw, and probably almost as quick.
earl