Author Topic: Built a wax dipper to coat plasticell foundation (Read 8388 times)

BeeMaster2 · « **on:** June 24, 2018, 07:31:41 pm »

Here are some pictures of the wax dipping container that I just built from metal that I had in my scrap metal bin.

The last picture is looking inside.
This project took 2 hours from start to finish.
I used 2-4x4x1/4 x 24 inch square stock. I bought them from the metal supply house the last time I was there. They were in the 50 cent/pound scrap bin.
I cut out one side of each the 4x4s, welded them together and welded on a 6x10x1/4 inch bottom plate.
I will fill it most of the way with water and then the top is filled with wax.
I have about 150 plasticell sheets that I plan on coating this evening.

iddee · « **Reply #1 on:** June 24, 2018, 08:32:37 pm »

How will you heat it to keep a desirable temp?

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 24, 2018, 11:06:05 pm »

I put it on a burner, the type used for deep frying. We just turned the gas control up, down of off. This burner has a pilot which not only makes it to turn back on but it also adds just a little heat which helps keep it hot.
Here is a picture of my granddaughter using it.

Jim

cao · « **Reply #3 on:** June 25, 2018, 01:28:44 am »

I've got an old turkey fryer pot that I've used. I picked it up at an auction for next to nothing. When I dip the foundation, I smack it on an industrial baking sheet that has a little water in it. I do that to get rid of excess wax. I also only dip half the foundation at a time(so I can hold on to it). Let it cool, then dip the other half.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 25, 2018, 08:15:54 am »

Cao,
I like the baking sheet idea. I will use that. We did about 60 sheets last night before I ran out of wax. It works pretty well when the wax is real hot. The first few that I did filled in the cells and used a lot of wax. I did not think it was going to work. Then my wife and granddaughter came out and by then it was much hotter and the sheets started dripping much better. I will use my thermal laser sensor to make sure it is at the right temperature. I think I will weld a metal ring about 3 inches down from the top and then cut a tin pan to slide over and sit on the ring. That will catch the drippings for reuse. Keeping it near the top will keep it away from the heat and let it cool. Right now a lot of wax ended up in the dirt and on the base where it vaporized.
Jim

Acebird · « **Reply #5 on:** June 25, 2018, 08:45:16 am »

Nice scrap Jim. You will have to point me where that is. Practicing your welding eh?
I am wondering if a couple of soft wall paper brushes would eliminate the dripping? One side could be mounted to the tank and the other side in your free hand. Then just pull the plastic up through the two brushes like a squeegee.

Acebird · « **Reply #6 on:** June 25, 2018, 08:47:54 am »

Quote from: sawdstmakr on June 25, 2018, 08:15:54 am

Right now a lot of wax ended up in the dirt and on the base where it vaporized.

Be careful of an explosion, especially with the grand daughter around that.

Michael Bush · « **Reply #7 on:** June 25, 2018, 09:09:56 am »

Yours is much more efficient than mine.
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/BeeCamp2018/WaxDippingFrames3.jpg

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 25, 2018, 10:13:20 am »

Quote from: Acebird on June 25, 2018, 08:45:16 am

Nice scrap Jim. You will have to point me where that is. Practicing your welding eh?
I am wondering if a couple of soft wall paper brushes would eliminate the dripping? One side could be mounted to the tank and the other side in your free hand. Then just pull the plastic up through the two brushes like a squeegee.

Here is the web site for this company:
www.alro.com

The idea if the brushes is interesting but the wax solidifies very quickly and becomes hard. I?m not sure what soft wall paper brushes are so I do not know if they would work.
Jim

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 25, 2018, 10:20:46 am »

Quote from: Michael Bush on June 25, 2018, 09:09:56 am

Yours is much more efficient than mine.
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/BeeCamp2018/WaxDippingFrames3.jpg

Thanks Michael.
Jim

Acebird · « **Reply #10 on:** June 25, 2018, 01:15:34 pm »

Quote from: sawdstmakr on June 25, 2018, 10:13:20 am

Here is the web site for this company:
www.alro.com

I thought it was a scrap dealer.

Quote

The idea if the brushes is interesting but the wax solidifies very quickly and becomes hard. I?m not sure what soft wall paper brushes are so I do not know if they would work.

The one in the tank would have to be close to the level of the wax. The one in your hand would have to be dunked between sheets to keep from solidifying.

Something like this with soft bristles.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/DQB-11930-Wallpaper-Smoother-Brush-12-in-Hardwood-Handle/47752769?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1210&adid=22222222227035010496&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=75437291314&wl4=pla-175419567394&wl5=9005291&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=112353941&wl11=online&wl12=47752769&wl13=&veh=sem
Maybe a heat gun would help to keep it melted.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 25, 2018, 02:28:24 pm »

Ace,
This is a metal supplier. I go to their scrap bin and got those and many other pieces. The steel is 50 cents and the stainless is $1.00 a pound.
Jim

Acebird · « **Reply #12 on:** June 25, 2018, 05:15:09 pm »

You can't beat that. How did you cut the square tubing? I would expect it to spring all over the place

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 25, 2018, 11:14:25 pm »

You are right and I was expecting it to. It popped up about 2 inches. I reduced the amount of spring on the second one by cutting 95 % the end section, I left one inch of metal on the bottom to keep the sides together.
Jim

Acebird · « **Reply #14 on:** June 26, 2018, 09:04:46 am »

OK what did you cut it with?

Oh, on your next one (you will probably be making these for other beeks) cut out the side that has the welded seam. That is going to have them most stress in it.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 26, 2018, 08:30:33 pm »

Quote from: Acebird on June 26, 2018, 09:04:46 am

OK what did you cut it with?

Oh, on your next one (you will probably be making these for other beeks) cut out the side that has the welded seam. That is going to have them most stress in it.

I cut them with a 7 inch and a 4 inch cutting wheel. The 7 inch is in a circular saw and the 4 inch is in a grinder.
If I cut on the weld side won?t it have even more stored energy when I cut it?
Jim

Acebird · « **Reply #16 on:** June 26, 2018, 08:47:47 pm »

Quote from: sawdstmakr on June 26, 2018, 08:30:33 pm

Quote from: Acebird on June 26, 2018, 09:04:46 am
OK what did you cut it with?

Oh, on your next one (you will probably be making these for other beeks) cut out the side that has the welded seam. That is going to have them most stress in it.
I cut them with a 7 inch and a 4 inch cutting wheel. The 7 inch is in a circular saw and the 4 inch is in a grinder.
If I cut on the weld side won?t it have even more stored energy when I cut it?
Jim

I would say not. The other three sides will have equal stress no matter what. It may not make much of a difference in the end but I cut the welded side out if I am looking to make a U out of square or rectangular tubing. However what you did came out great.
I was wondering if you used a torch. It cuts like butter when you get things right.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 26, 2018, 10:02:06 pm »

Thanks Ace.
I did not use my cutting torch because I have not bee able to cut very well with it. I even bought a new tip trying to get it to work.
Jim

sc-bee · « **Reply #18 on:** June 26, 2018, 11:28:26 pm »

I am sure you have seen this same video... not sure i did not post it before. I have been looking for a CD rack. I bought a 35 gal drum and cut down below the first rim but I dont have enough wax to fill it high enough yet. I also defaulted to the turkey fryer for $20 bucks at Academy sports.

In the video I think he states keep the water/wax to a roll... that would definitely be with taking care with the yuggins and adults too

The few I have experimented with, the roll mixes the wax with some water and you get a more even coat vs a thickness that fill the cells entirely and therefore use less wax...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuKM24t3r6M

Acebird · « **Reply #19 on:** June 27, 2018, 08:31:12 am »

Quote from: sawdstmakr on June 26, 2018, 10:02:06 pm

I have not bee able to cut very well with it.

Go to a fabricator and pick their brain. It requires the right pressure settings for the tip you use. Then the tip has to be at the right distance. Next is steady hands. I usually have to make a guide that holds distance and keeps the tip from shaking all over. When you get it right you will love the torch.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #20 on:** June 27, 2018, 02:48:12 pm »

Quote from: sc-bee on June 26, 2018, 11:28:26 pm

I am sure you have seen this same video... not sure i did not post it before. I have been looking for a CD rack. I bought a 35 gal drum and cut down below the first rim but I dont have enough wax to fill it high enough yet. I also defaulted to the turkey fryer for $20 bucks at Academy sports.

In the video I think he states keep the water/wax to a roll... that would definitely be with taking care with the yuggins and adults too The few I have experimented with, the roll mixes the wax with some water and you get a more even coat vs a thickness that fill the cells entirely and therefore use less wax...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuKM24t3r6M

I think I can reduce the level of the water/wax and then I might have enough room to smack it into the side wall. This would save a lot of wax. I would then have to double dip them.
Thanks.
Jim

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #21 on:** June 27, 2018, 02:52:25 pm »

Quote from: Acebird on June 27, 2018, 08:31:12 am

Quote from: sawdstmakr on June 26, 2018, 10:02:06 pm
I have not bee able to cut very well with it.
Go to a fabricator and pick their brain. It requires the right pressure settings for the tip you use. Then the tip has to be at the right distance. Next is steady hands. I usually have to make a guide that holds distance and keeps the tip from shaking all over. When you get it right you will love the torch.

I have actually used this torch to cut 1/4 inch steel on my cattle trailer. It worked pretty well. Of course my buddy set it up. I have the Audel Welders Handbook. I have tried using it for the settings but the cuts usually fill in with molten steel.
Jim

Acebird · « **Reply #22 on:** June 27, 2018, 06:04:14 pm »

Quote from: sawdstmakr on June 27, 2018, 02:52:25 pm

I have tried using it for the settings but the cuts usually fill in with molten steel.
Jim

I would say the flame is too hot or you are cutting too slow. Obviously if you go to fast it stops cutting. That is where the skill comes in. Keeping the cutting speed constant.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #23 on:** June 27, 2018, 07:28:00 pm »

The flame must be too hot. I have moved very quickly, to the point that it stops cutting and the metal was still filling in the cut. I think the tips that I have are for thicker metal than I am cutting.
Jim

Acebird · « **Reply #24 on:** June 27, 2018, 07:43:18 pm »

You don't need much for 1/4 steel.

Johnny · « **Reply #25 on:** July 01, 2018, 11:18:28 pm »

Set your oxygen guage to 40 psi or a little more.It sounds to me that you don't have enough air pressure to blow the molten out of the cut.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #26 on:** July 02, 2018, 04:24:30 pm »

Quote from: Johnny on July 01, 2018, 11:18:28 pm

Set your oxygen guage to 40 psi or a little more.It sounds to me that you don't have enough air pressure to blow the molten out of the cut.

I will try that. I know I had the pressure much lower than that.
The torch cut fast and then about a half inch behind the cut it would close up.
Does that mean anything?
Jim

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #27 on:** July 11, 2018, 08:19:02 pm »

Update. I finally collected enough wax, out of my solar wax melter, to finish waxing the 60 sheets of plasticell. I did not fill the dipping pot all the way and I was able to slap the excess wax off of the plasticell. This worked so well that I still had wax in the pot when I was done. Thanks for all of the inputs, they helped.
Jim

Acebird · « **Reply #28 on:** July 11, 2018, 09:49:57 pm »

Quote from: sawdstmakr on July 02, 2018, 04:24:30 pm

Quote from: Johnny on July 01, 2018, 11:18:28 pm
Set your oxygen guage to 40 psi or a little more.It sounds to me that you don't have enough air pressure to blow the molten out of the cut.
I will try that. I know I had the pressure much lower than that.

I agree with the higher pressure but keep in mind the oxygen is not an air blast it is meant to burn up the steel. If the steel is melting and recombining then it is too hot or the tip is too big.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #29 on:** July 11, 2018, 11:05:36 pm »

Thanks Brian. The tip is probably too big. As soon as I get my tanks filled, my buddy is going to give me some training on cutting.
Jim

Dabbler · « **Reply #30 on:** July 12, 2018, 08:22:02 am »

I thought this chart might help with both the tip size and O2 pressure questions.

I believe tips can vary with manufacturer so you probably need to find a chart for your torch.

Acebird · « **Reply #31 on:** July 12, 2018, 08:35:23 am »

Then apparently 40 is way too high.
How do you adjust the preheat O2 when the source is common?

Dabbler · « **Reply #32 on:** July 12, 2018, 08:49:28 am »

The preheat pressure is only applicable for 3 hose torches.

Acebird · « **Reply #33 on:** July 12, 2018, 09:29:07 am »

I missed that. But I got to thinking if the acetylene pressure was set correctly the mixture is going to be set by the oxygen valve to get the right flame. When that happens then the pressure must be right. The first oxygen valve would be wide open so the cutting pressure would be what the tank regulator was at.