Waxed Wood

[Bruce Cohen]

I just received a nice board of black and white Ebony from Cook Wood. It's encased in wax, I guess to prevent checking as it probably was air dried.
I never encountered this and am at a loss as how to remove the was coating. I hears about using a card scraper, naptha, acetone, and a whole bunch of other ugly solvents, all this seems like way too much work and in the case of solvents, bad smells and hazardous vapors (although I would use a proper respirator.
Somehow, running the board thru the thickness planer sounds like it would create a royal mess to the blades, and would probably ruin them.

I would appreciate any help you guys can supply.
Bruce

[Joe DeFazio]

I just received a nice board of black and white Ebony from Cook Wood. It's encased in wax, I guess to prevent checking as it probably was air dried.
I never encountered this and am at a loss as how to remove the was coating. I hears about using a card scraper, naptha, acetone, and a whole bunch of other ugly solvents, all this seems like way too much work and in the case of solvents, bad smells and hazardous vapors (although I would use a proper respirator.

Hi Bruce,

I would use the card scraper to remove about 99% of it, and then mineral spirits (which are not as toxic as some other solvents). I don't remember using the no-odor variety, but is would be worth a try. The wax is soft, easy on tool edges, and the boundary between the wax and the ebony will be very easy to feel with the scraper. I don't think this will take very long (depending somewhat on the size of the wood).

You will probably have to work the surface (whether by machine or by hand tools) at some point as you dimension the ebony for whatever you will use it for, so that might be the time/way to remove that last 1% of the wax.

Joe

[cabinetman]

Hi Bruce,

I would use the card scraper to remove about 99% of it, and then mineral spirits (which are not as toxic as some other solvents). I don't remember using the no-odor variety, but is would be worth a try. The wax is soft, easy on tool edges, and the boundary between the wax and the ebony will be very easy to feel with the scraper. I don't think this will take very long (depending somewhat on the size of the wood).

You will probably have to work the surface (whether by machine or by hand tools) at some point as you dimension the ebony for whatever you will use it for, so that might be the time/way to remove that last 1% of the wax.

Joe

+1. Scrape off as much as possible. Mineral spirits, or any solvent will dissolve the remaining wax. The downside is that with doing that the thinned wax will permeate the wood and some of that you may not get out. Of course you always have the C4 or WP option.

I don't order items that come waxed because of that problem. Machining and sanding during a project will also remove some, and then you still have the finishing agenda.

.

[Bruce Cohen]

+1. Of course you always have the C4 or WP option.


.

Cab, my man,
There ain't no way in H$$$ that I'm going to blow up a piece of wood that cost more than a car I once owned. And isn't Willie Peter a bit of overkill??? Although, it would melt the wax.

Otherwise, thanks for the help.

Joe, many thanks for the intelligent advice, at least you're not lost in the land of "Black Pajamas"

[Joe DeFazio]

Joe, many thanks for the intelligent advice, at least you're not lost in the land of "Black Pajamas"

I have a glue gun, a heat gun, and an HVLP gun. Does that count?

[Bruce Cohen]

When I posted this question on the forum, I also emailed Cook Wood as to the best way to remove the wax sealing. Here's their reply:

Hi,
A razor blade or cabinet scraper are ideal choices for wax removal. The wood has dried for 3 years but still is a sensitive wood that requires care. I would remove wax from the faces and edges but keep the ends sealed. Watch the wood daily to see if it is checking. If it does put the wood in sawdust to slowly dry the wood. Let me know if you have more questions! Thanks


Sincerely,
Chris
Cook Woods
1-877-672-5275

So not only is their product great, but they have some nifty customer support (I emailed them late Fri afternoon.

If you're looking for some special wood, check out their web site, and no, they didn't pay me to say this..

Bruce

[Black wallnut]

Hey Bruce do you have a link?

[guycox]

When I turn a big leaf maple burl, I can't scrape the bark edge so I've used hot water. The water isn't pulled into the cells since they have already collapsed so the wood dries out quickly after the wax removal -- this can also be hurried along with a dunk in some denatured alcohol. I'm hesitant to use the mineral spirit on the wood to remove the wax since it causes the wax to seep into the wood and make the area adjacent to the bark difficult to sand. Hot water doesn't carry the wax into the wood.

[Russianwolf]

Was going to post about not removing the wax from the ends. Alot of the Ebony species that are sold these days are cut green and wax immediately. They dry EXTREMELY SLOWLY with the the wax. Once you scrape the faces use a moisture meter to help monitor it, don't be surprised if you get readings in the 25+ range at first, even after 3 years.

[Bruce Cohen]

Hey Bruce do you have a link?

Mark, its cookwoods.com

Check it out they're up in your neck of the woods (no pun intended)
Bruce

[Bruce Cohen]

Mike,

Thanks for the tip, now I have to go out and buy a moisture meter, my wife will love that, but I'll blame it on you

Bruce

[Joe DeFazio]

Mike,

Thanks for the tip, now I have to go out and buy a moisture meter, my wife will love that, but I'll blame it on you

Ebony is so dense that it may be difficult to to get pins into it without chipping. So, you might want to consider a pinless moisture meter.

I have a meter with pins, but the relatively little ebony I use is so old and acclimated that I don't have to measure its moisture content. However, I wouldn't want to try to push those pins into ebony. Might take a sledgehammer (or some of C-man's C4 ).

Joe

[Bruce Cohen]

Joe,
I was just thinking along those lines, now that you mentioned, I can blame you to the wife when she REALLY gets pissed, as the pinless cost even more.
Thanks, I needed a scapegoat.
Bruce

[Joe DeFazio]

Ba-aa-aa!