How Do You Extricate Wood From Its Waxy Preservative?

[Julie Moriarty]

I have a piece of Gaboon ebony (12x3x3) that is encased in a thick coat of wax. I need to resaw it into 1/4" slices. I didn't want to put it through any of the machines so I took an old jack plane and tried to shave the wax off. The wax stuck to everything and required me to clean it off every few passes. There has to be a better way!

Any help?

[Ed Weiser]

Hi Julie,
If the wax is petroleum-based then mineral spirits ought to remove it. If it's natural beeswax then turpentine will work. A plastic card scraper with either solvent may be necessary but neither should hurt the ebony and the residue, if any, will be easier on your hand tools.

[ray hampton]

will high heat remove it without drying the wood out

[Matt Krusen]

Hey Julie,
Anytime I've had a new piece of Ebony, a card scraper has taken the wax off quite well. Like Ed suggested, a little mineral spirits helps as well.

[Andrew Hughes]

I also use a card scraper to clean wax off the sides, then I leave them to dry for as long. As I can.I leave the wax on the ends until I need to use them.

[Julie Moriarty]

Thank you! I hadn't thought of a card scraper, and I never figured mineral spirits or turpentine would "melt" it.

[Chris Fournier]

It's likely paraffin, scrape it off. Use a solvent and you will drive it into the pores and create trouble down the road - glue joint failure trouble. I'd suggest that you check out the MC and keep the billet under cloth or paper once you remove the wax, it could check in a heartbeat and really cost you.

[Ed Weiser]

Unfortunately, the wax is generally applied molten so it's already in the woods pores. Light machining or scraping will be required to get the last little bit away. It will not glue or finish properly without this step.

[John Coloccia]

I usually just machine it if it's not slippery and can be machined safely. I know I know...wax all over the place, blah blah blah. I don't worry about it. I don't know of any machine that couldn't do with a bit of wax on the table or the blade. I might not try to sand it off, although truth be told I've passed it through my drum sander without any ill effects. It probably cleaned and lubed the paper, now that I think of it.

[Larry Frank]

I have used the scraper. I use it for Intarsia and so only small pieces and usually carve away enough of one surface that it is not a real problem for the finish. I only clean off the piece that I am using as I do not want the wood to dry out. It is too expensive to risk any damage to it.

[David Helm]

I've generally put my Gabon Ebony through the joiner then the planer. Works just fine.