End Sealing......

[dicklaxt1]

http://wowjoke.com/gif/white/1332.gif I sealed some wood with parafin wax yesterday..chopped wax up in small pieces,melted wax in a double boiler in the kitchen (per the directions on box) and then carried it to the shop and poured it over the ends (2 coats). I ran out of wax and had to salvage overpour off of shop floor and remelt. This all was a PITA and very time consuming> There has to be a better way..whats the answer???I am also thinking that in this hot weather that the parafin might just melt and slowly run off, it gets pretty damn hot in that garage during the day with the door down

[DustyBob]

Melting wax and trying to coat before it sets up is a PITA. I use paint. Oil based or latex. We all have a can or two that have just a little left. A lot of people swear by Anchor Seal. [link:www.uccoatings.com/prod_anchorseal.html|Anchorseal] I've seen it at Home Depot and at lumber yards.

Remember, all we're trying to do is, seal the ends of the straw-like wood fibers to slow the drying process.

[Limey]

Herro,
So solly can't help you with pallafin wax but my blank barance.
Is velly row after buying Chain saw and rawn mower.

Cheers Rimey

[Limey]

Hey Dickie ,
Just had a brainwave.
Do this outside!
Place the wax on the end of the log and direct Glady's hair dryer onto it and melt the wax in.Should get better penetration. Could try a heat gun also but have a bucket of water ready just in case!!!!

Cheers Limey

[carl civi]

Just latex paint,thats what i heard more times then none

[Sonny Edmonds]

Dick,
I used a single burner electric hot plate the other day for my blanks.
I used a coffee can for a melting pot. And a I sacraficed a paint brush for a way to "paint" the ends to big to dip.
DIP? yep, dip. Because I was working with smaller chunks than you.
If the wax begins to smoke, it's getting too hot. I use that as a guage, myself. When it begins smokin, off the heat. The smoke is what is flammable, it is reaching it's flashpoint.
With an electric hotplate, there isn't an ignition source like a flame provides.
When your done, let her cool in the can and solidify agian until you need it and then melt it down agian. Just leave the brush in the can, it will liquify as well. (I use natural hair brushes, plastic is.... well plastic, and I wouldn't trust it in hot wax.)
You could use something like a pie pan if you wanted to dip a larger end in wax. But I just painted it on with the brush for my pieces that were too large.

Put down an odd piece of ply, or some chit wood, and plastic like visquine in your area for this (outside?). Or just plastic on the driveway. Then any drips are easy to recycle.
It's very fast as the wax sets PDQ. I don't remember the melting point of straight parafine wax (120-140 ?), but if it gets that hot in your garage, you have much bigger worries than a dumb blank. Like spray cans exploding, etc. Eh? (I need a Woodmangler fix, I must Marc's wit :( )

I think Limey's idea of a hair dryer (in a pinch, or as a prototype trial) is spot on (Limey for a GREAT idea). But I would get a real heat gun for this if the hair dryer works out for you.
Women tend to frown on grunge on there hair dryers, and wax would be unacceptable. Especially if it blew into their hair. (Run and hide) :o
BUT only use it on the wax, don't heat the wood with it, melt the wax.

Personally, I have had to cull hardwood that WAS painted, yet split in spite of the paint daubed on that was SUPPOSED to avoid checking of the stock.
Maybe paint will work for many. But I think wax does a better job and is faster to deal with overall. I ate a heck of a lot of presurved foods sealed with wax as a child. Obviously I'm still here (Much to somes dismay, tough chit).
So I, me, and myself, would like to say Thank You for that mental boot in the arse (Limey speak for a$$) the otherday when I had a prize in the truck headed for home of green wood.

BTW, both of which are cracking today. Sey-La-Vi! I had fun while they lasted. And you got to see the results.
I LOVE wood. Therefore, if it takes on a different form later, I just accept it for whatever nature intends it to be or do.

Like I said, it's a learning process.
And I add: Enjoy it for as long as it lasts. Love it for the joy it brings. And be glad you had the experiance before it flitted away like a butterfly in the breese.
Just do the best you can. Because you can do it, You can do it woodworker. :7

PS: the wax is "user friendly" to your tools. But slick as snot on the floor. :)

:D

Sonny Edmonds
"Precision Firewood Specialist"
http://home.earthlink.net/~sonnypie/
God Bless America !

[volleyheads]

One of several ways that I have gone:

1) anchorseal
2) woodcrafts endgrain wood sealer
3) melted paraffin wax dipped or painted
4) Oil paint 3-4 coats if possible (latex is ok, but oil based seems to work better for me)
5) Wood glue (can be thinned 50% by water if needed)

All will work, but some wood will check anyway

Best way that I know of to minimize this would be to cut down the length and remove the pith ASAP. If possible cut the blanks out of the pieces and seal them. Better yet, take the blanks and rough turn them and then seal the rough turned blanks.

Best Regards,

Bill

"If it is worth doing, it's worth overdoing"