Labeling blanks sealed with paraffin wax

[Dave Mount]

I have a fair stable of turning blanks that are completely covered in paraffin wax. Many are unusual woods, and many are very dense woods that actually need the wax seal to keep from checking as they dry ever so slowly.

My question is about marking them for the long term with info on species, acquisition date, moisture content, etc. In addition to being wax covered, many are very dark woods, so black sharpie doesn't really cut it. Painter's or masking tape often fails after a year or so. I tried the "paint pens" (e.g., liquid silver) and the ones I got don't like writing on wax. Up to now, the only effective method I've found is nail polish. It's fine for a few crude letters, but not for any details. Right now I use short codes and have a cheat sheet, but I'd like to do something that is more obvious to someone that doesn't know my codes.

Suggestions?

Thanks.

Dave

[Prashun Patel]

I leave a small section unwaxed and write with sharpie. For dark woods, white pencil works or blue tape - but on the raw wood. I usually rough my blanks and wax everything but the bottom of the tenon. That’s where I write everything.

[William C Rogers]

I usually use china markers over green wood sealer. You can get them in colors. Guessing they would work on paraffin.

[John K Jordan]

I use the green 3M Scotch 2060 tape for hard-to-stick-surfaces. Advertised to stick to rough masonry, etc. I use it on turning blanks, waxed or not and for many other things on the shop and at the lathe, for example securing turnings to a jam chuck. This is NOT the green painters tape with weak adhesive you find at the big box stores. I write on the tape with an extra fine Sharpie. Prob my all time favorite tape.

We also use it in the house for a variety of things, such as labeling things going into the freezer.

[Ricc Havens]

I use standard 1" wide cream colored/beige masking tape. but I wrap the tape around the whole blank tightly so it sticks to itself instead of the wax. A pen or marker shows up well on standard masking tape.

[Brian Brown]

Same problem. I write all the information on a Post it sized note, lay it on the blank, and wrap it with pallet wrap. It is transparent, and I can still read the note through the plastic. It also helps keep the blanks from sticking together when it gets hot.

[Ted Calver]

You might try aluminum plant labels securely pinned into a portion of the blank you know will be removed

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I stopped using wax some time ago. I have become very fond of using Titebond to seal ends and billets. Titebond III works best. Original also works great. I first heard of using Titebond from the proprietor of Old Standard Wood Fulton, MO.

[John K Jordan]

I stopped using wax some time ago. I have become very fond of using Titebond to seal ends and billets. Titebond III works best. Original also works great. I first heard of using Titebond from the proprietor of Old Standard Wood Fulton, MO.

That's a nice tip. Dave apparently already has waxed blanks and want's to label them. Any thoughts on that? Can you write directly on the dried glue or easier than on paraffin wax?

JKJ

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Maybe more wax from a sealing wax candle and coded embossing. Or type from letter punches pressed into sealing wax. Or just a paper note pasted on with melted wax?

Decoupage with hot wax seems to be a possibility.

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I will experiment with writing on Titebond.

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[Brian Deakin]

I do not know if this is a good idea but this was my first thought

Use a letter/number punch to mark a code on the blank
Example coc 15 A 22
Compile a list on your computer coc 15 A 22 = Cocobola 15% mosture April 2022
You could the take moisture readings over time and record them on your computer to create a time line
This method would have the follwing advanages
It would create a live archive of all the wood you own
You could add addtional information such as size, orgin ,price
Have a sepeate list for bowl and spindle blanks
You could record the loaction in the shop where the blank is stored
You would have acess to the list on your phone
You could use the list to swap wood with other turners

The amount of detail you employ is to use my dads words .....up to you

[Edward Weber]

Same problem. I write all the information on a Post it sized note, lay it on the blank, and wrap it with pallet wrap. It is transparent, and I can still read the note through the plastic. It also helps keep the blanks from sticking together when it gets hot.

+1
Standard post-its and clear packing tape have worked well for all of my blanks, nothing "special" to do or buy.

[Bernie Kopfer]

[QUOTE=John K Jordan;3211388]That's a nice tip. Dave apparently already has waxed blanks and want's to label them. Any thoughts on that? Can you write directly on the dried glue or easier than on paraffin wax?

I’ve been using PVA glue for several years instead of any wax based sealer. Seems to dry faster and with less cracking. And yes it can readily be written on etc.

[Paul Williams]

Milwaukee sells a marker they seem to claim will mark on any surface. I haven't tried it on wax yet, but it certainly sticks to things that a Sharpie doesn't.

[Dueane Hicks]

I just loop a piece of masking tape, write info on it, then use a small tack to stick it on the blank