Wax on water does a poor job in my opinion

… a garbage job imo

When I dye aftger cleaning. I have my wax ready to go on the part of the fire pit that is hot but not with a lot of flame. Wax and open flame to me is not a good combination. I have only used logwood dye so I have no experience with the walnuts and other plant options. My wax is as thin as I can get it w/o catching on fire. I put the traps in right after they have dried from coming out of the dye solution.They are still very hot or warm. I leave them in until they quit bubbling which to me means the wax and the trap are now the same temp. I pull them out and shake them well. I use a small file to file the wax off the dog and the pan notch.

Bryce

Potential disaster right here , all that molten wax surrounded by water. If some of that water gets on that molten wax - BOOM molten wax bath.

I appreciate the input. This will be my first due and wax. The pot in a pot looks like the way to go. Just the 200$ in wax.part that is not that appealing.

Edit. After reading above post, I would like to know the safest way to wax traps. Water and wax don't mix, fire and wax don't mix.

I would assume the most dangerous part is when you lift the trap out and it's dripping wax. If it drips on the flame that can ignite the kettle.

NEVER GET WATER NEAR MELTED WAX OR MOLTEN METAL - VERY UNSAFE.

You fellows are making it too complicated. Get some sort of metal container that you can seal when you are done. Put a big chunk of wax in there. Use a $20 laser thermometer to dial in the temperature to about 200-240 degrees. I don't let mine get any hotter than 260. Dip trap in wax long enough for the steel to equalize in temperature to the wax. Pull the trap out of the pot and shake off excess.

Forget the crock pot contraptions, fry daddy's, pots of water, and all that other hooplah. It is really simple

Exactly. I use a metal 5 gallon bucket. I think orange degreaser came in it. Just let it sit outside. Don't even need the temp gauge. When it starts to boil put first hand full of traps in. Let it start boiling again. Remove repeat until all the traps are done. Like I said in another thread I put wax on top of the dye. One step process.

I gotta ask what might be a dumb question and I realize there are many ways to skin a cat.

How are you not holding some amount of water on the steel when you pull the trap out of the water and through the wax? I find it hard to believe that you aren't either trapping mositure or having some areas where the wax isn't adhering.

Yes, Coon poo too.

I'd skip the wax altogether
rather than float it on top.

Plus you're also trapping whatever garbage floats off the traps between the trap and wax. One can pull them very slowly through the wax but it won't still give as quite a good job. Been there done that.

Hit them with a pressure washer before you do it. No trash to trap. Before internet Stanley hawbaker did it that way. Only way I have ever done it. But it's America do it however you want....
No moisture or never had a trap to rust under the dye or wax.

I did it that way back before I found out that two pots worked better too. Also way before the internet. You grow and learn sometimes. I find separate dye pot and wax pot to work better and faster for me. Didn't even see it on the Internet lol. Probably read it in FFG

Not every one has 2 pots two burners. You must be rich !!’

man that's not good I was putting some water in my wax so my traps are fully submerged only a little bit tho because I realized its seperated from the wax like oil..

Lot of us did the wax water thing but that was because we're cheap...couple pounds of wax vs 10-20 depending on how big a pot you're using or how big of traps you're waxing.

I don't like sealing the water against the steel with that method. In cold temps, the water will freeze and the wax is likely to sluff off.

That's why I wax dry traps. But if you have a little water on there and dip in pure wax it will boil off , just might need to leave it in a little longer.
It really isn't rocket surgery. I just use a old pressure cooker pot over a good hot plate.

I must be lucky then….been doing it my entire life without a problem.

That's because wax is a byproduct of petroleum...

Use pure wax to wax traps.....not a pound or two floating on dye water.

Yep...that means you have to buy more wax and use a container of the right size...so about 10lbs will be enough....and can be done safely.