Removing wax from bronze?

[Araich]

I have to strip fresh wax off a large bronze (to rework)... does anyone have suggestions about what to use? I need it clean enough to re-patinate.

[Alec]

Foundry manager I greatly respected said wax has to be sand blasted off.

[sculptorsam]

Araich, here's an excerpt from a post by fritchie in the Patina Supplier and Methods thread (page 2):

"If you do decide to remove wax and go from there, I’ve found that it is necessary to scrub the area (maybe the whole sculpture in your case) with a good wax solvent such as xylene (hardware store) or perhaps naphtha (same source, but quite flammable). Unless all the wax is removed from a section, the solution will bead and not “wet” the surface or be effective."

Let me know if you try it, I may have to do the same myself. Though for other reasons, I'm considering having the piece re-sandblasted as well.

[EJB]

I once attended a patina workshop where the method was to burn off the wax using the propane torch, let it cool, soft wire brush to remove any ash, reheat to patina temp and apply. Seemed to work o.k. Sandblast is probably more thorough.

[warren01]

From the autobody side of car painting, there is a product called Prep-Solve. It is used to remove the waxes and grime on paint surfaces before sanding or painting. I have used it to remove waxes on some of my pieces. Not a fun or cheap job but it works. Getting in the cracks and pin holes a battery power tooth brush (Oral spin) works the best. You can buy the product from autobody paint supply stores.

http://www.performancecoatings.dupont.com/dpc/en/us/html/prodinfo/chromasystem/H-19295_3919S.pdf


warren