I’ve never dewaxed before starting a burnout cycle, but I’m finally
setting up a dewaxer and have a few questions about the timing.
Do I let the flask sit two hours after investing before starting the
dewaxing process?
How long does it normally take to dewax a large flask? And how can I
tell if it’s done?
Then does it go right in the furnace all damp and drippy?
Sprue end up now instead of down?
And please fill me in on anything else I should know before getting
started.
Thanks so much. Orchid rocks!
I use a steam dewaxer…love them! I usually wait about an hour
before I put my newly invested flasks in the dewaxer…but that could
vary dep. on your investment? I mostly use 3x5.5 inch flasks, with a
lot of complicated pieces in it. I dewax it for 2-2.5 hrs. Because I
use wax web(vacuum casting) on the vacuum draw end, I have to turn in
2-3 times during that period to steam out the wax on the other end.
You will still have some wax residue even after 2 hrs…but that will
burn out in the kiln. The nicest thing with steam dewaxing is the
reduced amount of smoke/fumes, not to mention not having to clean out
the wax in a try in the kiln. When the water in the steamer cools,
you can just rip out the thin layer of wax floating on the surface of
the water in the reservoir.
I then start with a cold kiln…going right from the dewaxer to the
kiln, opening up…and go through the FULL burnout
Jeanne
I have been dewaxing in some old pots out on the BBQ ever since my
husband complained that he could not stand the smell of the wax
burning out in the kiln. I put the flasks suspended over the boiling
water (elevated with a colander or some rocks) and steam them until
I can’t see wax dripping out of the bottom any more. Then I put them
directly in the kiln, sprue end down, and have them sit at 300 for a
while to get the moisture out of the flasks before ramping up. I
probably over do the time, but I sit at 300 for 5 hours and then
ramp up to 1350 over the course of another five hours.
Good luck,
Carina Rossne