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Author Topic: wax melter  (Read 1463 times)

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mselic

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wax melter
« on: July 16, 2020, 05:31:40 PM »

I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a small wax melter/heater with temperature control.  Up until now I've just used an empty can on a portable cooktop, but I'd rather not continue using that.  I'm hesitant to buy one of those cosmetic wax heaters online as I'm just not certain how effective they would be at melting wax quickly and maintaining a desired temperature.  If anyone has used one that they know works well for the purposes of reed waxing, I'd welcome any suggestions. I'm based in Canada.  Thanks.
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Theo

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #1 on: July 16, 2020, 05:35:17 PM »

Batik was pot could be suitable
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mselic

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2020, 05:42:49 PM »

A meant to add that a good example of what I'd be looking for is something like this (0:45 in the video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA0w5HSwp_0



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John MacKenzie (Cugiok)

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mselic

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2020, 06:19:57 PM »

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tirpous

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #5 on: July 16, 2020, 06:26:05 PM »

A small slow cooker (crockpot) with temperature control.
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Nigel.H

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #6 on: July 16, 2020, 06:42:34 PM »

I use one of the "Cosmetic" ones.  It has a thermostatic temperature dial., works brilliantly, cost about £15 ?  Full heat gets the wax fluid in minutes and half temp hold's it there for the duration.  I do not know why anyone would need anything more complex unless a "pro".  It is designed to melt wax - it melts accordion wax.

I leave the wax in the pot when finished and top it up as necessary with new.

I use the paint brush method but am experimenting with spoons & 'pipe' type tools.

Mine is "wearing purple" which always gets the Gogol Bordello "ear-worm" working, which helps with the concentration.   

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Gonk

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #7 on: July 16, 2020, 07:31:02 PM »

I also use one of the "cosmetic" types, though I spent a little extra to get one that looked like it could be found in a chem lab.  It still came in a box with lots of smooth legs printed on.  Also made a waxing spoon of the semicircle type by tin-snipping and grinding a steel putty knife, and it works pretty well.
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Graham Spencer

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #8 on: July 16, 2020, 07:41:09 PM »

I used to use the "old tin on a hotplate" method, but I bought a cheap cosmetic wax heater from Lidl, and it works really well.  OK, you have to see past the pink flowers on the casing, but it's affordable and it does the job, and although the thermostat is probably very basic, temperature control is far superior to the guesswork with a manually controlled heat source.
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diatonix

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #9 on: July 16, 2020, 08:37:53 PM »

The best heater, in my opinion, is the Tixor Malam (the smaller of the two available). It lets you heat minimal quantities, if needed.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Abig-Tixor-Malam-Wax-Melt/dp/B0012EYZKY
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baz parkes

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #10 on: July 17, 2020, 09:28:38 AM »

I used to use the "old tin on a hotplate" method, but I bought a cheap cosmetic wax heater from Lidl, and it works really well.  OK, you have to see past the pink flowers on the casing, but

This is why God invented Gaffa tape....
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Winston Smith

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #11 on: July 17, 2020, 09:44:43 AM »

Mmmmmmmmmmm? I have yet to come across reeds which are gaffa-taped in! Must be a work of art?
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baz parkes

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #12 on: July 17, 2020, 12:09:41 PM »

Mmmmmmmmmmm? I have yet to come across reeds which are gaffa-taped in! Must be a work of art?
It's to cover up the flowers innit... :|glug
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Winston Smith

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #13 on: July 17, 2020, 01:05:14 PM »

I'm shocked! Didn't you know that roses grow on you?
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Psuggmog Volbenz

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #14 on: August 02, 2020, 10:31:02 AM »

You might consider making your own. If I were to build one I would use the following components: wax melting vessel, heating element, relay or SSR, PID controller, thermocouple, and power supply. With this setup, you can select the desired temperature using the controller, which switches the heating element on/Off via the relay, based in a feedback loop with the thermocouple located in proximity to the heating element. The power supply depends on power and current requirements of controller and heating element and mains voltage.
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Steve_freereeder

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #15 on: August 02, 2020, 10:51:23 AM »

You might consider making your own. If I were to build one I would use the following components: wax melting vessel, heating element, relay or SSR, PID controller, thermocouple, and power supply. With this setup, you can select the desired temperature using the controller, which switches the heating element on/Off via the relay, based in a feedback loop with the thermocouple located in proximity to the heating element. The power supply depends on power and current requirements of controller and heating element and mains voltage.

I suppose it's possible that in these Covid19 times people might have a lot of time to spare, but for myself, I would definitely not want to go to all that trouble and expense when I can obtain a perfectly good piece of kit for £15. It can have pink unicorns with flower head dresses on for all I care, but that would not bother me one bit. If it does the job that's good enough for me.

http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,25780.msg306993.html#msg306993
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Kimric Smythe

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Re: wax melter
« Reply #16 on: August 02, 2020, 09:25:38 PM »

I'm sure you can put Sponge Bob or My Little Pony stickers over the flowers to taste.
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