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Post by liveoak on Oct 27, 2022 18:07:09 GMT -5
What am I doing wrong ??
So I'm having a problem.
First I couldn't get the dop wax to release from an aluminum dop stick (long story)
But then I couldn't get it to also release from a cab and dowel.
Is my dop wax too old ? (at least a couple years old)
Or what ?
Am I not holding my mouth right ?
I don't want to snap the nice LLanite in half !
Any suggestions ? Note- the freezer is plenty cold supplying ice for my wine
Patty
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Post by stardiamond on Oct 27, 2022 18:19:40 GMT -5
I don't use wax. I use superglue. In the past, I would freeze and snap. Rarely, the dop would take a divot out of the back of the cab. I no longer snap. I use a chisel xacto blade with the flat side against the dop. I tap,tap,tap the blade holder with something and the cab comes loose without damage.
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Post by liveoak on Oct 27, 2022 18:27:52 GMT -5
That's not helpful to me right now - I have a cab on a dop stick WITH wax. Hoping someone has an idea to get it loose I don't want to snap it in 1/2
BTW- I've done that in the past & trying to do better.
Thanks, Patty
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brotherbill
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2018
Posts: 388
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Post by brotherbill on Oct 27, 2022 18:32:05 GMT -5
If the freezer doesn't work then you should soften the wax with heat
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realrockhound
Cave Dweller 
Chucking leaverite at tweekers
Member since June 2020
Posts: 4,498
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Post by realrockhound on Oct 27, 2022 18:36:40 GMT -5
Brother bill nailed it. Winner winner chicken dinner
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Post by stardiamond on Oct 27, 2022 18:40:38 GMT -5
I was suggesting that the same technique would work with wax or glue.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 27, 2022 18:44:44 GMT -5
That's no helpful to me right now - I have a cab on a dop stick WITH wax. Hoping someone has an idea to get it loose I don't want to snap it in 1/2
BTW- I've done that in the past & trying to do better.
Thanks, Patty
A lot of people will put the dopstick and cab in the freezer, and leave it there overnight. The cab will most likely pop off of it's own accord by morning. A lot of people that dop with CA do this, too, works the same way. It may be helpful to place it in a sandwich bag or wrap it up in something first, so it doesn't do anything crazy while in your freezer when it does pop off, lol. Report back if that doesn't work. Edit to add - Yes, what Brother Bill said. Heat to soften the wax. Put the dopstick and stone in a container of hot water. |
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Post by liveoak on Oct 27, 2022 18:56:33 GMT -5
Thank you all,
Tom suggested to leave it overnight - although usually 15- 30 min is enough, so I'm curious why it's different this time.
I did finally get the wax off the aluminum one by heating it on my dop pot, so that's a good back up So if it doesn't work overnight in the freezer then I'm going to try brotherbill suggestion, and heat it .
Thank you - I will report back.
Patty... feeling pretty frustrated over it !
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Post by rockjunquie on Oct 27, 2022 19:13:38 GMT -5
When I have had stubborn wax on the back of a cab, I've pulled it out of good freezer soak and run a blade under the edge. That usually pops it off.
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AzRockGeek
has rocks in the head
Member since September 2016
Posts: 703
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Post by AzRockGeek on Oct 27, 2022 19:36:09 GMT -5
Acetone will disolve the dop pretty quick as well.
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Post by jasoninsd on Oct 27, 2022 19:54:33 GMT -5
Purple mailboxes stick out in a snowstorm!
(*Has nothing to do with your actual question...just thought I'd post something in here!)
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 27, 2022 20:01:03 GMT -5
liveoak Patty, you've got some good dop wax!  I know you're frustrated, but leaving it the freezer overnight usually will do it. It's usually the stone that's causing it. There are 2 different materials in Llanite and one is more porous than the other. The porous one is the culprit, I think. Anyway, if it's still on there in the morning, any of the above suggestions will work. What I usually do is heat my exacto knife blade and slice it off the dop with the heat. You have to heat the blade a few times depending on the size of wax, but that's my method. Take any wax left on the cab off with some denatured alcohol or acetone.
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Post by liveoak on Oct 27, 2022 20:02:41 GMT -5
Purple mailboxes stick out in a snowstorm! (*Has nothing to do with your actual question...just thought I'd post something in here!) That could be useful knowledge, the next time it snows I'll have to keep that in mind.
Patty
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Post by liveoak on Oct 27, 2022 20:07:13 GMT -5
liveoak Patty, you've got some good dop wax! I know you're frustrated, but leaving it the freezer overnight usually will do it. It's usually the stone that's causing it. There are 2 different materials in Llanite and one is more porous than the other. The porous one is the culprit, I think. Anyway, if it's still on there in the morning, any of the above suggestions will work. What I usually do is heat my exacto knife blade and slice it off the dop with the heat. You have to heat the blade a few times depending on the size of wax, but that's my method. Take any wax left on the cab off with some denatured alcohol or acetone. I love ya Robin, thanks for the added info . All I can think of is the shattuckite coming off the dop in pieces & not wanting to repeat it.
Overnight & then heat if that doesn't work, sounds right.
Thank you for explaining that it's likely the stone, not the wax.
Patty
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Post by liveoak on Oct 27, 2022 20:08:35 GMT -5
Acetone will disolve the dop pretty quick as well. I never heard that about acetone with dop wax - another trick to try - THANK YOU,
Patty
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Post by liveoak on Oct 27, 2022 20:09:50 GMT -5
When I have had stubborn wax on the back of a cab, I've pulled it out of good freezer soak and run a blade under the edge. That usually pops it off. Thanks Tela, NOT this time - I don't want to admit how many times I've tried !
I guess a good night in the freezer & we'll see
Patty
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Post by Pat on Oct 27, 2022 20:27:02 GMT -5
On the rare occasion I use dop sticks, I use metal dop sticks like big headed nails with flat tops.
I lay the nail on a firebrick and let the cab end hang over the edge of the brick, but prepare the area so the cab can’t roll off onto the floor.
I use a mini butane torch to heat the nail. That loosens the glue/wax, the cab will slowly drop off; looks like slow motion.
The freezer method mentioned above also works well. Good luck! A tenacious cab would be very frustrating.
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,060 
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Post by gemfeller on Oct 28, 2022 1:48:58 GMT -5
I don't know what sort of wax you're using, but an overnight soak in denatured alcohol should do the trick. It dissolves most waxes and I use it to remove any wax that sticks to cabs after dopping. Heating in water as suggested will also work, though overheating can ruin some stones. I usually put dopped cabs in the freezer for 15 minutes or so and it always does the trick for me. Can't imagine what's causing your cab to be so stubborn.
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Post by liveoak on Oct 28, 2022 9:42:33 GMT -5
Thank you to everyone for all the input, & an apology to stardiamond, as I said I was a bit frustrated over it, but shouldn't have jumped you  .
In the end, all night in the freezer did not release it.
My standard is to use a razor blade between the cab & the green wax- but no go.
So I tired one thing I read back in the archives - thermal expansion.
I put my frozen cab/dop stick under hot running water & it popped off, with only a small amount of wax to scrape.
Needless to say I was relieved, as I thought the Llanite cab came out nice.
The round stromatolite was good and stuck with dop wax onto the aluminum stick.
I finally just left it on my dop station to heat up - and it finally softened enough
that I could hold it with a glove & scrape off the softened wax with a razor blade, from each surface.
Never had such troublesome cabs, but a good ending.
Thanks again for everyone's help and encouragement.
Patty
Patty.... thinking to buy new wax anyway- 2 problems in one day is two too many !
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 28, 2022 10:44:29 GMT -5
Glad they came off intact! Pretty stones.  |
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