Christopher Greenman on sun 9 apr 00
Hi all,
I am using a mixture of paraffin and sometimes mineral oil (70 % par. 30% mo)
which is kept hot =300-350 degrees F. I have a colleague that is complaining
about the fumes. I need to know anything about the danger of wax fumes. The
information in the archives is that parafin can coat the lungs but under what
conditons? I much prefer hot wax to the commercial cold wax. ...and would
rather use 50 paraffin and 50 kerosene....but that will have to wait.
Shouldn't the fumes from parafffn be similar to fumes experienced with
melting parfin for canning, candle burning/ making or even buring those fake
logs which are mostly made of paraffin ( I believe that these "logs"must be
producing bad air)?? Is there a safe temperature for melting wax without
getting fumes?
Thanks always for clayart.......
Christopher Greenman
Alabama State University
Kelldogn@aol.com
Cindy Strnad on mon 10 apr 00
Christopher,
I melt my paraffin wax at 250 F., and use pure paraffin--no mineral oil. I
believe you can probably melt it lower if you add the mineral oil, but that
will take some experimenting. Your colleague is probably more sensitive to
the fumes than you are. Paraffin wax fumes (even fumes from wax that hasn't
reached combustion point) can be very irritating. Sometimes they give me a
headache when I go out to have a look at the kiln before the wax has all
burned off.
At any rate, you need the wax hot enough to coat your pots well, but
300-350F is too hot, IMO. You'll get a lot less stink if you heat to 250F,
and I find this temp works better for me than a higher temp anyway. Too hot,
and the wax sinks into the pores of the clay and doesn't resist as well.
Cindy Strnad
earthenv@gwtc.net
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
Hank Ray on mon 10 apr 00
Hello...
Try using 50/50 Paraffin wax and 99% pure Paraffin oil ... it could be at the
dinner table and you can't smell it ... if it starts to smoke at all it is to
hot...
Pete in Oklahoma....
Don Goodrich on tue 11 apr 00
Hey Christopher,
Last time I checked, my wax melted at about 170 degrees F. If you're
keeping it at 300+, you're gonna get fumes. Maybe you should invest in a
low-temperature hot plate.
Don Goodrich
goodrichdn@aol.com
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