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Thread: Butchers Wax? and Shop vac question

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
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    Modesto, CA
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    Butchers Wax? and Shop vac question

    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.
    Mark Rios

    Anything worth taking seriously is worth making fun of.

    "All roads lead to a terrestrial planet finder telescope"

    We arrive at this moment...by the unswerving punctuality...of chance.

  2. #2
    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).
    Tim

    Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend. Inside a dog it's just too dark to read.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
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    Harrisburg, NC
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    Just as a note; Butchers wax is not used in the meat cutting industry but was invented by Charles Butcher to protect furniture.

    Richard
    Last edited by Richard Wolf; 03-26-2006 at 10:42 AM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Odessa, Texas
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    Is Butcher's Harder?

    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.
    "Some Mistakes provide Too many Learning Opportunities to Make only Once".

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Norman Hitt
    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.
    Tim

    Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend. Inside a dog it's just too dark to read.

  6. Butcher's Wax link

    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/
    Steven

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Alachua, FL
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    170
    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

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Pearl River, New York
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    57
    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.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Odessa, Texas
    Posts
    1,567
    Thanks, Steven, I'm gonna give it a try.
    "Some Mistakes provide Too many Learning Opportunities to Make only Once".

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Lehigh Valley, PA
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    410
    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.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Mid Michigan
    Posts
    468
    Butchers should be available at your local Ace Hardware.
    Same shelf as the Johnsons paste wax.

    Ed

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