http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/ Home Foundrymen's discussion forum on home metal casting Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:24:23 GMT scobeyguy http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40063 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40063 Hi Steven, Before I begin, let me assure you, I was in the very same position as you are now, at one time, we all were. When I first started learning the Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:49:42 GMT dlcranston http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40062 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40062 The place I get machinable wax is http://www.freemansupply.com/MachinableWax.htm That is their business. I have no connection, but use their wax quite often. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:40:29 GMT STEVEN SQUIER http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40061 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40061 No, that wan't me with the tree.  Thank you for the link and advice- I'm wanting to try it this week while on vacation if I can find the time.   I would love Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:36:14 GMT tjwal http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40060 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40060 I've been collecting milk bottle tops so I could try this out. In the meantime while looking at Grizzly's catalog I see they sell machinable wax at reasonable Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:17:59 GMT Dave http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40059 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40059 If you are doing small pieces, I think you would be better off doing investment casting. They sell a commercial product to do this but some people use plaster Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:22:20 GMT STEVEN SQUIER http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40058 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40058 Thank you all for sharing your ideas and thoughts.  I'm glad I asked before I tried, because it sounds certain I was destined for failure trying to use the Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:58:10 GMT Aaron Pasteris http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40057 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40057 Space is quite easy to create - just mix large amounts of stress with copius amounts of money. The problem is that while the conversion efficiency varies it is Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:17:38 GMT scobeyguy http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40056 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40056 Hi Yvan, Yes, I once had that problem. Let's see now, I have to give up my tools or my hobbies, OR the wife. I never did miss that woman! Gary Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:02:07 GMT Joseph Feldmann http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40055 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40055 Bad news, Gary-    According to the wife, the only way to create space is to eliminate tools or hobbies. While I have been desperate for space before (& will Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:12:57 GMT scobeyguy http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40054 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40054 Hi Howard, Yep, now it makes better sense. In fact, it seems to me that there is a very fine line between, "wax" and various plastics. For the last six hours Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:12:23 GMT Stone Tool http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40053 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40053 Gary: I mis-worded that..... I was told you could melt paraffin, and dissolve LDPE into it to make a machinable wax....... Is that better wording? It Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:34:45 GMT Pierre Coueffin http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40052 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40052 If you are looking for machinable wax recipes the Gary Overman Charity Wax series looks pretty good: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:11:53 GMT Tim Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40051 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40051 FYI: Milk jugs are HDPE (check the recycling label on the bottom), margarine tubs and etc. I believe are PP (polypropylene, recycling #5). Both can be Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:03:26 GMT scobeyguy http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40050 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40050 ... Hi Howard, I don't know about LDPE turning into wax, I would think LDPE when melted, is still LDPE. However, about six months ago I tried an experiment Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:13:42 GMT Stone Tool http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40049 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/message/40049 A friend of mine just told me something I didn't know.... that you can melt LDPE into melted wax (low density polyethylene) for a nice machinable wax. LDPE