mel jacobson on thu 22 aug 96
Tom Buck has reminded me to inform all of us to be careful with hot
parafin fumes... please vent everything in your studio...and do not heat wax
to the 390 smoke level and breath it for a day. (I also use a lot of
beeswax because i keep bees and it is much safer to breath... ) I did not
want to suggest that all of you buy beeswax for resist... it is very
expensive. mel
Mel Jacobson on thu 23 apr 98
i use an electric fry pan.
i keep the heat setting in the same place all the time, just plug it in.
cutting the wax with some kerosene seems to loosen it just a bit.
canning wax and kerosene just does the trick for me. and i keep my wax
brushes in the cooled wax. three are 35 years old.
mel/mn
p.s. you will find a heat setting that is just right for you....the fry pan
is rather safe with the reo/stat keeping the wax from overheating
and catching fire...
i hate hot wax in a school studio, they wreck the best brushes, ( g.d. it,
who put my best sable aquarell brush in the hot wax) spill it, and it is
a law suit waiting to happen.
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
Ruth Blake on sat 12 sep 98
I fired a load in my electric Kiln last firing pots that had waxed
bottoms. There seemed to be a lot more smoke and smell than I am used
to. Is this unusual? I had always used that wax resist that they sell in
ceramic stores but this time used hot wax.
Could it have come from the mixture of the beeswax and parafin in the
wax? This had originally been my batiking wax.
Just Curious
Ruth
mel jacobson on fri 6 aug 99
i hope this is not being `duh`... but, i have used old presto
electric frying pans for years....get them at garage sales...last
one i found was last week...2 bucks.
it has a wonderful re/ostat...you can set any temp that you
want.
i use a mixture of bees wax (i keep bees) some paraffin, and
cheap olive oil...set at about 350...and it works just great for me.
now that i am using `american shino, and trying to be like tony and sheila,
i do not use very much wax.
mel/mn
tony and sheila use canadian shino.
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
from minnetonka, minnesota, u.s.a.
Ho Say Leong on thu 23 sep 99
Hi, this is the first time I join ClayArt.
I read the paperclay articles and found out that burning paper will
harm the elements in an electric kiln, I wonder if wax will do so ?
I am using wax risist bought from my supplier and also melted candles.
W.S.Fong from Malaysia
Mark & Pauline Donaldson-Drzazga on fri 24 sep 99
----- Original Message -----
From: Ho Say Leong
To:
Sent: 23 September 1999 16:05
Subject: WAX
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi, this is the first time I join ClayArt.
> I read the paperclay articles and found out that burning paper will
> harm the elements in an electric kiln, I wonder if wax will do so ?
> I am using wax risist bought from my supplier and also melted candles.
>
> W.S.Fong from Malaysia
>
Dear W.S. Fong
you have no trouble with wax, it is used extensively to wax the bottom of
pots to stop glaze adhering, and as a resist for designing (one glaze over
another, or a glaze over a slip with the slip showing through the glaze).
You might get a bit of an odour at the early stages of firing. Have no fear
fire away to your hearts content.
Happy potting Marek
Cindy Strnad, Earthen Vessels Pottery on fri 24 sep 99
Mr.. Fong,
I use paraffin wax in my electric kiln. While I'm sure it is not good for
the elements, I do not think it does them much harm. I always keep the kiln
lid propped up and the peep holes open until the wax completely burns off.
My kiln is in a shed outside of my house. The fumes from burning paraffin
are toxic.
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
Custer, SD
Linda Blossom on sat 25 sep 99
I only use paper clay and have never had a problem with my elements, which
are coated with ITC 100. Perhaps we should hear from people with uncoated
elements. Wax has never been a problem either.
Linda Blossom
2366 Slaterville Rd
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-539-7912
blossom@twcny.rr.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Ho Say Leong
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Thursday, September 23, 1999 11:05 AM
Subject: WAX
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hi, this is the first time I join ClayArt.
>I read the paperclay articles and found out that burning paper will
>harm the elements in an electric kiln, I wonder if wax will do so ?
>I am using wax risist bought from my supplier and also melted candles.
>
>W.S.Fong from Malaysia
>
Monona Rossol on tue 28 sep 99
> Ho Say Leong wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi, this is the first time I join ClayArt.
> I read the paperclay articles and found out that burning paper will
> harm the elements in an electric kiln, I wonder if wax will do so ?
> I am using wax risist bought from my supplier and also melted candles.
>
> W.S.Fong from Malaysia
_______________________________________________________
Sorry for such a long delay in answering, but I've been out of town. I saw
some of the answers you got and they were confusing. Some said "fire away"
and others said "the wax fumes are toxic."
They are both right: As far as the kiln is concerned: fire away. It wont
hurt the elements very much at all.
But don't breathe the odors that come off the kiln. Some of the chemicals
commonly seen from burning wax in a kiln are acrolein, formaldehyde and other
aldehydes, carbon monoxide, and more. Some of these are toxic in various
ways and some are associated with causing cancer.
But many of these substances come off in lesser amounts even when you don't
fire wax. Toxic chemicals are emitted at all stages during firing from both
clays, glazes, and from the paper in your paper clay. The important thing
is to have good kiln ventilation always. Then it doesn't matter much what
you fire.
ANd the wax is a good test. If you can smell the wax burning, it is time
to figure out a way to get better ventilation. I hope this helps.
Monona Rossol
Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety
181 Thompson St., # 23
NYC NY 10012-2586 212/777-0062
Tannaz Farsi on fri 19 nov 99
hello there,
can anyone recommend a good wax that can be used on rough, ashy pots?
thanks,
-tannaz farsi
tannaz@well.com
Cindy Strnad on sat 20 nov 99
Tannaz,
I assume you're talking about a wax finish? If so, try Future acrylic floor
wax.
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
Custer, SD
Millie Carpenter on thu 1 jun 00
Ivor
the box of wax that I have says for canning and candle making. where
does one get the microcrystalline wax? and does it say
microcrystalline wax ? now after reading the information from your
"Dictionary of Science and my Organic Chemistry Made Simple" I really
do understand why the glaze doesn't always bead up and roll off of the
different commercial wax resists and why my mish mash of left over
candles and odd hunks of wax that I get an yard sales doesn't always
work right.
Millie in Md. where the sun is bright and the weeds are growing faster
than the grass
Kathy Forer on mon 26 feb 07
Speaking as someone who only narrowly averted disaster after wax in a
covered double-boiler combusted when I removed the lid -- having left
it on when I abandoned the studio to attend to my ailing dog who had
run off, -- an electric crockpot or cheap rice cooker substitutes
nicely for the more flammable frying pan, or even double-boiler which
can boil down.
An electric crockpot or rice cooker maintains a constant temperature
after melting and is safer than the other methods. I got big one on
ebay that had been de-accessioned by Quiznos (or perhaps stolen from
them?). A friend gave me a smaller one she never used.
Kathy Forer
Rimas VisGirda on mon 14 feb 11
I use wax extensively in my work for a technique called WAX INLAY. I have f=
ound that commercially available waxes are not all the same nor do they act=
the same, at least for my purposes. Here's what I know... Wax and/or wax r=
esist can be many things... Ceramically there is the traditional paraffin t=
hinned with kerosene in an electric skillet or some such heating device to =
keep it fluid, does not work well for me. There are also a number of commer=
cially available emulsified waxes that can be used as a resist. Back in the=
day, 1970's, there was only one wax resist available (to my knowledge); it=
was a cream colored, water soluble liquid that was opaque when wet and dri=
ed clear. It needed to be dry to resist properly, it was made by 3M and cal=
led Ceramul-A. 3M manufactured it for some industrial purpose other than st=
udio ceramics. Around the late 70's or early 80's 3M stopped manufacturing =
it and a bevy of waxes were developed and/or adapted from industry
that tried to serve the same purpose. I remember a milk-white wax that got=
frothy if you shook it, an oily wax that came in a pan, and an assortment =
of others along with a green-colored liquid. None of them worked very well =
(for me) with the exception of green liquid wax. Maybe 10 or so years ago C=
eramul-A came back on the market and is currently available. Although a few=
of the other liquid types are also available, I found this out as I teach =
workshops in various parts of the country and try the wax that is available=
in the studio... For my purposes, WAX INLAY, the Ceramul-A and green wax w=
ork the best. The wax at AMACO and Continental Clay is Ceramul-A, there are=
no doubt other suppliers that sell that type as well. I find that the gree=
n wax is superior to the Ceramul-A but it has a quirk in that even when it =
"looks" dry (becomes transparent) it does not resist well until it has sat =
overnight... whereas the Ceramul-A is as resistive as it will get
immediately upon drying... Regards, -Rimas
Rimas VisGirda on tue 15 feb 11
I am happy with the wax I'm using, Ceramul-A, I was just trying to say that=
=3D
there is more than one "white" wax on the market and they do not all act t=
=3D
he same. Also the green wax I was referring to may or may not be the green =
=3D
wax currently at Continental. I used it 25 years ago and can't remember whe=
=3D
re I bought it, although I've been a client of Continental Clay since the l=
=3D
ate 70's -early 80's (when they were MN Clay) when I taught in MN and have =
=3D
remained a client since... I stopped using the (old) green wax when Ceramul=
=3D
-A became available again because I didn't have the patience to wait for th=
=3D
e required drying time. That's all. Regards, -Rimas=3D0A=3D0A--- On Tue, 2/=
15/1=3D
1, Lee wrote:=3D0AHave you tried mixing beeswax wi=
th=3D
paraffin?=3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 That is was batik people use.=3D0A=3D0AOn M=
on, Feb 14, =3D
2011 at 12:37 PM, Rimas VisGirda wrote:=3D0A> I use wax=
e=3D
xtensively in my work for a technique called WAX INLAY. I have found that c=
=3D
ommercially available waxes are not all the same nor do they act the same, =
=3D
at least for my purposes. Here's what I know... Wax and/or wax resist can b=
=3D
e many things... Ceramically there is the traditional paraffin thinned with=
=3D
kerosene in an electric skillet or some such heating device to keep it flu=
=3D
id, does not work well for me. There are also a number of commercially avai=
=3D
lable emulsified waxes that can be used as a resist. Back in the day, 1970'=
=3D
s, there was only one wax resist available (to my knowledge); it was a crea=
=3D
m colored, water soluble liquid that was opaque when wet and dried clear. I=
=3D
t needed to be dry to resist properly, it was made by 3M and called Ceramul=
=3D
-A. 3M manufactured it for some industrial purpose other than studio cerami=
=3D
cs. Around the late 70's or early 80's 3M stopped manufacturing it and a be=
=3D
vy of waxes were developed and/or adapted from industry=3D0A> =3DC2=3DA0tha=
t trie=3D
d to serve the same purpose. I remember a milk-white wax that got frothy if=
=3D
you shook it, an oily wax that came in a pan, and an assortment of others =
=3D
along with a green-colored liquid. None of them worked very well (for me) w=
=3D
ith the exception of green liquid wax. Maybe 10 or so years ago Ceramul-A c=
=3D
ame back on the market and is currently available. Although a few of the ot=
=3D
her liquid types are also available, I found this out as I teach workshops =
=3D
in various parts of the country and try the wax that is available in the st=
=3D
udio... For my purposes, WAX INLAY, the Ceramul-A and green wax work the be=
=3D
st. The wax at AMACO and Continental Clay is Ceramul-A, there are no doubt =
=3D
other suppliers that sell that type as well. I find that the green wax is s=
=3D
uperior to the Ceramul-A but it has a quirk in that even when it "looks" dr=
=3D
y (becomes transparent) it does not resist well until it has sat overnight.=
=3D
.. whereas the Ceramul-A is as resistive as it will get=3D0A> =3DC2=3DA0imm=
ediate=3D
ly upon drying... Regards, -Rimas=3D0A>=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A-- =3D0A--=3D0A=
=3DC2=3DA0Lee Love =3D
in Minneapolis=3D0Ahttp://mingeisota.blogspot.com/=3D0A=3D0A=3DC2=3DA0"Ta t=
Ir na n-=3D
=3DC3=3DB3g ar chul an tI=3DE2=3D80=3D94tIr dlainn trina ch=3DC3=3DA9ile"=
=3DE2=3D80=3D94that is=3D
, "The=3D0Aland of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land flue=
nt=3D
=3D0Awithin itself." -- John O'Donohue=3D0A
Snail Scott on mon 7 mar 11
On Feb 28, 2011, at 12:04 AM, Karin Givon wrote:
> Color your Wax Resist? Maybe try a little bit of some Mason stain or
> other...
I'd avoid using a refractory colorant and risk having it
survive firing. Why pay the extra $$ anyway? Food
coloring burns out cleanly, as does fabric dye, coffee,
Kool-aid, and many other colorants. If in doubt, use
a red color - they are pretty much guaranteed to NOT
be refractory! My personal favorite: the sugarless
Kool-aid packets at 10 cents each: they smell fun,
and also make a great hair dye (and finger dye, and
workbench dye, etc, etc,,,
-Snail
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