When waxing traps, with the exception of flames shooting out of the pot, is there such thing as too hot? I usually get a sizzle for about 15-20 seconds but leave them in for about a minute.

Get yourself a cheap candy thermometer and heat your wax to around 250 degrees. It'll work great and will not get a scorched or burnt odor to it.

Thank you. I appreciate the help

I use a laser temp gun to keep an eye on temp. As ADC says, you don't want to scorch the wax.

I bring mine to a rolling boil, with no negative results noted.

X3 what ADC says. If it starts to feel a little slimy put a piece of rosin in it about the size of an egg and it will be harder on your traps so it lasts longer.

Are you serious Bob?

I used to wax my traps in a coffee can one at a time over a fire. Went in the house and came out to a 6 foot flame shooting out of the can. It was pretty cool to see. I'm glad I didn't have a trap in it. I still do it over a fire but I have an old dutch oven that I use.

Lol! Those are the types of things that make my wife proud of me!

I double boil mine.

Watch your temp , it will drop when you add traps. Don’t remove the traps until the temperature comes back up . This will give you a clear even coat of wax .
Good luck ,
Don

I’ve ordered new wax to replace the old that is likely scorched. Live and learn.

When I add traps it looks like adding potatoes to the deep fryer.

12 point,
Larry mentioned rosin. That's the stuff that leaks out of evergreen tree trunks or cut branches. It will also keep the wax from flaking if that is happening. You may not need a piece the size of an egg, I usually put some in but not that much.

I'm not an expert but that seems way to hot too me. I've heard if the wax is smoking it's too hot. What is the reason for getting that hot? I looked it up and wax boils at something like 600 degrees, sounds kind of dangerous. I just need it to stick to the trap.

I have a pot a little larger than my wax pot.
put a little water in the bigger pot and then set my wax pot in it..
the handles on my wax pot keeps the wax pot off the bottom a couple inches. .
never had a problem.

The trap needs to be as hot as the wax to get a good job.

That’s why I put my traps in the microwave, then take out and wax. They are definitely hot!!

I use a SS pot that holds 10 lbs of wax and a wax toilet bowl ring, on a fish cooker, with a rolling boil traps heat up FAST, and it will knock down the temp a bit. Take out 1 trap, drop in another to cook while you hang the first and grab a 3rd. Really goes quick, and the coating is really light.
Some of the bubbling is water and some is air from the trap.

You put STEEL in the microwave?????