Removing paraffin

I recently inherited a large amount of exotic woods that have been dipped in a waxy substance, I'm assuming paraffin wax.

What is the best/easiest method to remove the paraffin?

Thanks, Craig

Reply to
Craig
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I hope you understand why it was coated; it would be a shame to ruin it all.

Reply to
Wade Lippman

Tough one... Put it in the freezer for a few hours the scrape off what you can. Put some brown paper or paper towels over it then use an old iron on it. Can't think of any solvent off hand.

Reply to
SWDeveloper

Would mineral spirits work? Andy

Reply to
Andy

I've used a Hyde paint scrapper, like the one in the link below, to good effect for that task. Generally takes it right off with little effort.

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Reply to
Swingman

Yes, removing the paraffin could make the wood split or crack. Best to leave it on until you are ready to use it.

Reply to
Phisherman

"Craig" wrote in news:1176149770.919894.325900 @p77g2000hsh.googlegroups.com:

Woodturners mount it on the lathe, and turn it away. Is this the type of stock you got? Because the lathe tools don't mind it at all.

Mineral spirits, VMP naptha or similar usually will dissolve the remnants after a gentle scraping with whatever is at hand. It's a common approach to slowing down the drying of the materials.

Patriarch

Reply to
Patriarch

Fire. Takes it right off.

Reply to
CW

Paraffin means petroleum fraction. Any other lighter petroleum fraction should work.

Reply to
Father Haskell

Google "paraffin solvent". Many results there include mineral spirits, xylene, and hexane. I've never had reason to do it, but as other posters suggested, gently remove the big stuff by hand (scraper), then rinse off the rest with a solvent. Multiple light rinses probably better. Maybe follow with a scraper for the little that's left in the grain. Some parrafin that's used medically for local heat treatments includes something like baby oil in it, and it comes off the skin a lot easier than that without it. If you try heating, as one poster suggested, maybe a quick wipe with it would help, but it may just soak in farther. Let us know your results.

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I recently inherited a large amount of exotic woods that have been dipped in a waxy substance, I'm assuming paraffin wax.

What is the best/easiest method to remove the paraffin?

Thanks, Craig

Reply to
<Joe

I thought about that, but questioned if the paraffin woould penetrate into the wood. Might be better to scrape and/or sand it off.

Reply to
SWDeveloper

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