Hi Folks, The disclosing wax of which I know, is a hard powdered
wax which is dusted on the chewing surface or adjacent teeth of
a wax-up (tooth or portion of a tooth) to ‘disclose’ where the
chewing surfaces or the contacts of the existing teeth touch the
wax tooth. The disclosing wax is then brushed off. Wax is
used, because any tiny bit of residue remaining on the wax-up,
will cast without porosity.
Regards,
Skip
Skip Meister @Skip_Meister
Orchid Jewelry Listserve Member
N.R.A. Endowment &
Certified Instructor
in all disciplines
Certified Illinois D.N.R.
Hunter Ed, Instructor
ICQ 37319071
I’ve been experimenting with using disclosing wax to improve some
waxes taken from some very old, deteriorating molds (I don’t have the
original models). My goal is to get smoother castings so that I can
make a new mold of those designs. Anyway, I like the way that
disclosing wax smooths things out, but I soon found that there are
lots of tight places on these designs where my fingers don’t fit.
And steel wax tools didn’t seem to apply the wax very smoothly. What
else might work to apply disclosing wax in tight spots?
Miniature model makers use tiny tools for smoothing places on their
models. Try some miniature sites online and see what they have in the
way of tools that would be useful.
Hello Kathey: I have applied it and the slightly warmed the wax
sometimes between the palms of my hands. The disclosing wax will flow
at very low temps and will smooth itself out. Takes some practice.
Michael R. Mathews, Sr.
Hello Kathy. Have a couple ideas for doing any number of things in
those tight spots. First would be the good old Orange Stick of
manicure fame. You can change the shapes and keep several handy for
many uses. The steel tool might hold the wax better if you’d pull
tightly over it a bit of nylon stocking. Those too are so handy to
have pieces of to polish and smooth wax.
We have some rubber tipped “brushes” that we get from Douglas and
Sturgess (888-278-7883 or 415-896-6283 in San Francisco). These
have a “paint Brush handle” with a rubber tip (tips come in about 4
different shapes and at least 3 sizes). Not cheap but we use them a
lot for working clay, soft “filler wax” (home made), morticians wax
(great filler wax, you can possibly order it via your local
mortician, yah weird I know, but you do what have you have to
do!!!). Also make your own tool(s) as needed from what ever you
think might do what you want. Sometimes “carved” tongue depressor
sticks, pop sickle sticks, rolled paper lollypop sticks, pieces of
RTV or heat vulcanized rubber attached to a handle, just all sorts
of things that might do what you are trying to get done.
I have improvised to smooth wax. I got several sets of dental tools
and carved the ends in shapes to suit very tight spaces.
One of my favorite tool materials is bamboo. Chopsticks and
toothpicks. They can burnish, smooth, and even have used to polish
metal after putting in my hand- piece chuck and spinning in rouge.
The tips of toothpicks are sharp, but they can be carved to be flat,
cut at angle, or have the nose smoothed with fine paper.
There is nothing that works better in the polishing of gallery
details and bezels.
I buy my toothpicks from asian grocery stores.
Frif
Where spring flowers are sprouting, They seem to not know it is still
winter.
For finishing both injection wax and carved wax, try burnishing the
waxes with shaped and highly polished metal wax burnishers. These wax
burnishers can be made from old cast off or new low cost imported
dental tools . Cheep Low Tech .
Another source of wax burnishing tools can be made from 1/8 " brass
brazing rods from any welding supply source. In fact many wax working
tools can be fabricated from the harder steel 1/8 " welding rods
which are available at the same source.
These 1/8 in rods are commonly covered with a flux coating which can
be easily removed. Then shape these rods by hammering and or filing
them to the rough shape desired. Then polish them to a full high
shine with Tripoli and Rouge .
The highly polished points can be used to burnish a fine surface on
waxes . For a lubricant, I use spittle, but other wax polishing
media can be used. When the injection waxes begin to soften, set them
aside to cool or drop them into a bowl of cold water.
I use alligator clips which have the tips of the jaws cut off and
shaped to fit around the main wax injection sprue ( commonly 1/8 " )
The alligator clips other end are fitted inside round magnets ( 1 X
1 " pot magnets ) This allows many waxes to be held for wax build up
and wax welding as well as shaping and polishing.
These magnetic , injected wax holders can be stuck on a steel
surface such as a bench block or ring mandrel and act as a very
flexible holder which can be changed in a moment. They can also be
hand held with a finger gently supporting the wax
Remember the goods - Good ( Attitude, Light, Chair and Posture )
Another simple and cost effective way make wax burnishers and
scrapers is to use up your old steel clothes hangers that you get
from the dry cleaners. The wire is about 3/32" (2.5 mm) diameter. To
make it wider and/or flatter, simply heat a small piece until it is
red hot and flatten on an anvil or other suitable surface. Then
shape with a grinder or file and polish on a sharpening stone and
emery. The piece can also be bent to any desired angle to fit into
those awkward places. To make it more comfortable to use, mount in a
3/8" - 1/2" (10 - 13 mm) dia. wooden dowel. They’re not high speed
tool steel, but work well on wax.