Thanks Thanks:  0
Likes Likes:  0
Needs Pictures Needs Pictures:  0
Picture(s) thanks Picture(s) thanks:  0
Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 65
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Victoria, Australia
    Age
    74
    Posts
    5,080

    Default Machinable Wax Experiments

    Hi All,

    I had a go at making some machinable wax, and here's a bit of a run down on how it went.

    First attempt, I thought I'd try polystryene foam, since I had plenty of package foam laying about.

    Didn't work, the polystyrene didn't mix with the wax..



    Second attempt.. I followed what this guy did.. pages:machwax [Dale Short]

    Melted some wax, and added a bit of layout blue for colour



    So now , off to the supermarket to try and find some polyethylene (shopping bags) These were $2.50 per roll I think..



    These passed the polythene test, burns with a blue flame with yellow tip, smells of paraffin, drips when burning.. it has a filler of some kind to make it opaque white, but I can live with that.

    Each roll is 400grams, so I put a full roll into 3 liters of wax, I might try and add more on the next mix to see what happens..



    Now you get out the IR thermometer and try and get the temperature stabilized at around 280-320 degrees F, 450 degrees F is the self ignition temperature for the wax, so you probably want to keep under that..

    I noticed that if the wax started smoking it was getting too hot. But you have to be above the melting point of polythene 230F and keep it there for a couple of hours while the polythene mixes into the wax. You need to stir it a fair bit as well..

    It starts to thicken and goes "goopy"



    Finally pour into a mold, this is 300x200x50


    A few blocks later..



    I notice white blobs here and there through the mix, and I'll break these up and remelt them to try and get all of the polythene mixed in a bit better, might add a bit more layout blue to get a darker blue colour.

    Machines nicely for the little bit I tried..

    Regards
    Ray

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    9,088

    Default

    Hi Ray,
    Firstly, why? what makes it better than just wax? Just a stronger mix?
    Secondly, do you think the checkout plastic shopping bags polythene?( have a small mountain of them I collect for another reason)

    I guess its really something for the CNCers amongst us?

    Best part would be I can melt the swarf down and start again when I stuff up


    Stuart
    Last edited by Stustoys; 9th Apr 2012 at 04:29 PM. Reason: spelling

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Victoria, Australia
    Age
    74
    Posts
    5,080

    Default

    Hi Stuart,

    The check out bags are polythene, and would be perfect I just didn't have a whole heap of them..

    I've found some plastic foam packaging that seems like polythene that I'll try later.

    The idea is to make the wax harder and machine better.

    Regards
    Ray

    PS... why are you collecting shopping bags, the South Australian black market perhaps?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Victoria, Australia
    Age
    74
    Posts
    5,080

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Stustoys View Post
    Hi Ray,
    I guess its really something for the CNCers amungst us?

    Hi Stuart,

    As to the why?

    I'm making some patterns for an aluminium casting, and currently using blocks of MDF, and the MDF dust is something I'd like to get rid of.. so I'm hoping machinable wax will do the trick

    This is what machining MDF looks like..



    Regards
    Ray

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Perth WA
    Posts
    526

    Default

    Hi Ray,
    Here is a thread on machinable wax. There is a couple of PDF's worth reading in the thread. I have included them below.
    I believe plastic milk bottle lids make a good mix and I got hundreds by asking at work and family. Seems people want to recycle and I ended up with heaps more than I needed but unfortunately they ended up being recycled in a more conventional manner.
    Cheers,
    Rod

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Victoria, Australia
    Age
    74
    Posts
    5,080

    Default

    Hi Rod,

    Thanks for that, I'd forgotten about that thread.

    Remelting those blocks seems to have gotten the remaining polythene mixed in as well.

    Regards
    Ray

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    44

    Default

    Hi Ray, where did you source your wax from?

    Thanks

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Victoria, Australia
    Age
    74
    Posts
    5,080

    Default

    Hi Marty,

    I got it years ago, for sealing the ends of green timber, so I can't recall the exact supplier, it might have been this one Paraffin 60J Slabs - All Australian Candle Making

    But since reading that thread that RodM linked to, someone there suggested that it might be a good idea to ask Neil ( the owner of this forum, and the maker of Ubeaut wax) he probably buys the stuff in 10 tonne truckloads...

    Report back on how you go.

    Regards
    Ray

    PS.. If you choose to use layout blue for the colouring, add it before you start melting the wax, the stuff I've got uses acetone as the solvent, and you don't want to go adding acetone to hot wax, it will bubble up and possibly overfow.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Nth Qld
    Posts
    687

    Default

    This is interesting reading Ray, thanks for the tip. I need some wax like this as I'm running out of my older stuff.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    9,088

    Default

    Hi Ray,
    Tried anything else yet?
    I'm thinking of the first batch being 5kg wax, 600-700g plastic bags.
    I have 50g of chrome yellow pigment that I was going to mix up for spotting but as I have some CanodeI might tip some pigment in and see what color I get.(or does that sound like a bad idea?)
    Also have you tried "gluing" blocks together to make larger ones? I'm wondering just what size to make the model, I'd be thinking about making some sort of slipform form to make multipour blocks but I think that would be a little over the top if its easy enough to stick two blocks together with a little extra melted wax.

    Also does the melting/mixing smell much?

    Stuart

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Victoria, Australia
    Age
    74
    Posts
    5,080

    Default

    Hi Stuart,

    Experiment and see... I thought about using canode, but the bottle of layout blue was closer... the canode blue (or yellow) might not mix with the wax, but try it and see..

    I haven't tried "gluing" blocks together, but I don't see why not.

    I made a box out of MDF, but I think the teflon coated baking trays are a better bet, if you can get ones that are the right size that is..

    The smell is that burning waxy smell, so it's best done outside, as far as I can tell none of the stuff is toxic or gives off toxic fumes, but allow for something to cover the pot if the stuff catches fire.

    I think the more polythene you can get in there the better (the harder the end product will be) , but it takes time to mix, at least 2 hours I guess.

    Regards
    Ray

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    melbourne, laverton
    Posts
    1,910

    Default wouldnt you know it

    dont tell me paraffin wax is useful and expensive
    aaron.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Nth Qld
    Posts
    687

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Stustoys View Post
    Hi Ray,
    Tried anything else yet?
    I'm thinking of the first batch being 5kg wax, 600-700g plastic bags.
    I have 50g of chrome yellow pigment that I was going to mix up for spotting but as I have some CanodeI might tip some pigment in and see what color I get.(or does that sound like a bad idea?)
    Also have you tried "gluing" blocks together to make larger ones? I'm wondering just what size to make the model, I'd be thinking about making some sort of slipform form to make multipour blocks but I think that would be a little over the top if its easy enough to stick two blocks together with a little extra melted wax.

    Also does the melting/mixing smell much?

    Stuart
    Isn't green Chrome oxide a polishing abrasive?, it might be like tipping a fine abrasive into your wax that could dull, or at least polish your cutters as they machine the wax. I have an old jar of sodium fluorescein powder which I think is solvent soluble, would make the plastic a dishwashing detergent fluorescent green.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    9,088

    Default

    Hi Ray,
    Sorry I think I confused you. I meant adding some chrome yellow powder pigment for mixing with oil(?) to make paint.
    The only eletric elements I have are inside...... might just have to wait until the boss is at work and the weather is fine so the doors etc can be open.

    I might try putting the bags through a paper shreader(though I dont hold out much hope for that idea)


    Hi Aaron,
    There is a guy in Bentleigh or Port Melb selling parraffin, $100 for 25kgs

    Hi Graziano,
    I dont think its really chrome oxide(I can only find green and black chrome oxide).
    Earth Pigment 50g Chrome Yellow / Bright Mars Yellow | eBay This is the stuff


    fluorescent green would be great! lol

    Stuart

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    9,088

    Default

    Well here is my first effort.
    The yellow was working great until I started to add the bags. I was expecting to loose some color but not all of it. Maybe if I'd added enough yellow it would have worked but I'm fine with grey. Maybe next time I'll sort the bags by color lol.
    5kg wax
    710g bags.
    I gave it over two hours at about 320F and there was still the odd little lump. I gave up and poured it through a sieve.
    Not sure how to go about testing it?
    In a "drop a knife into it" test it seems to only go in about half as far and the lefts over's "snap" more like hard plastic than wax.

    The block is 340 x 200 x 70mm with a 13mm drip in one side from shrinkage.

    With luck I'll get a minute tonight to drop it on the mill.

    Stuart

Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Machinable Wax??
    By John H in forum METALWORK GENERAL
    Replies: 29
    Last Post: 22nd Aug 2009, 12:25 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •