Butchers Wax? and Shop vac question

[Mark Rios]

Two questions if I may.......

1) I remember reading a thread where someone mentioned that David Marks uses butchers wax for his torsion box. This is to prevent glue from sticking to the surface I assume? What is butchers wax and where does someone get it? Is there a better product to use for the MDF surface of a torsion to prevent glue, liquids and other stuff from damaging the top?


2) I attached a set-up to my Kreg K3 for the dust collection. I used an adaptor to go from 1 1/4" to 2 1/2" for my shop vac. When I hook up my shop vac while it is running, the pitch of the motor goes way up (smaller opening + tiny holes in the jig = restricted air flow, as you folks are well aware). Do I need to add an attachment to let more air in so as not to burn up my vac? Or will the vac be ok? BTW, 8 year old Ridgid 4.25 hp, 12 gallon shop vac.

Before I had the adaptor hooked up I used my house vac, a Hoover upright, and attached the accessory hose. I know that the Hoover doesn't move a ton of air so it must not take too much to suck up the drill shavings from the pocket holes. Any advice?

Thanks very much for your help.

[Tim Clark]

I can answer #1.

Butchers wax (same as Johnson's and/or bowling alley wax) is silicone free and dries and buffs to a nice hard finish. It makes your work surface very slick and doesn't mess up your work piece finish. I keep my TS top, planer tables, etc. covered with it to both make feeding material easier and to protect it from the basement environment.

You can get it pretty much any place that sells flooring care (cleaning, etc) products. I got mine at the BORG for about $6 (in the finishing section).

[Richard Wolf]

Just as a note; Butchers wax is not used in the meat cutting industry but was invented by Charles Butcher to protect furniture.

Richard

[Norman Hitt]

Does Butchers Wax dry out to a harder finish than Johnson's? The last couple of cans of Johnson's I've bought, just never seem to get past the semi soft stage, never get that dull hazy dry look like it used to which was when I always started using the power buffer to kind of burn it in on CI for a nice hard finish that would last quite a while.
Note: I have never been able to find Butcher's here, no one seems to know what I'm talking about.

[Tim Clark]

Does Butchers Wax dry out to a harder finish than Johnson's?

I have Butcher's Bowling Alley Clear Paste Wax and it gives me a nice hard finish. Don't know if it gets harder than Johnsosns. Go bowling sometime and check out the finish on the lanes. I only use it on my tools so far and it keeps 'em slick and rust free on top.

My HD had it in the finishes section near the minwax. Most places that carry floor care products will have it or Johnsons.

[Steven J Corpstein]

Here is the online link to Butcher's Wax. I've been using the Butcher's Boston Polish since my Father gave me a .LB can 20 years ago. Best wax I've ever used for wood and it is excellant at waxing saws, etc..

http://www.bwccompany.com/

[Luther Oswalt]

Steven,
Thanks for the URL. I guess that I never knew what "Butcher's Wax" really was until I read this. Very good site.
Leo

[Tom Spallone]

In my first introduction to woodshop in 7th grade, our teacher's method of finishing was Sand, Stain, Poly, Butcher's wax.

The Stain and Poly has gone through it's various stages of change but 30 years later, EVERYTHING get's at least two coats of Butcher's wax.

Love the smell too.

[Norman Hitt]

Thanks, Steven, I'm gonna give it a try.

[Kent Fitzgerald]

The answer to question #2 depends on the design of your vac. Some vacs rely on the exhaust airflow to cool the motor. Restricting the air intake could cause overheating. Other vacs (e.g., Fein, maybe others) have a bypass which allows the motor to receive cooling air, even if the intake is blocked.

I'm not sure about your Ridgid vac, but unles the instructions specifically say that there is a cooling bypass, I would play it safe and create some vent holes to allow more airflow.

[Ed Labadie]

Butchers should be available at your local Ace Hardware.
Same shelf as the Johnsons paste wax.

Ed