Wax potting at home

[zizyphus]

I'm a serial modder, and have lots of odd wiring / switching schemes, and I habitually magnet swap as part of my chasing tone. In the process of mag swapping, I have a few pups that I've mag swapped so many times that I think I've think I've made them microphonic.

I've seen youtube vids of people was potting at home. Quite frankly, it looks pretty straight forward, but anyone who is proficient at something can make that thing look easy.

What are the pitfalls I should be aware of? Is it as easy as it looks?

 

[ehdwuld]

Just hot enough to melt the wax
Damage if too hot

If it smokes it's too hot

Get a dial meat thermometer

Use an old pan or crock pot

Tie the pickup wire to a spoon or something so it wont drop into the pot

When you think it's ready wiggle it round to see if any air bubbles come out

 

[Sam SG]

I think you need a double boiler...a pot for the wax suspended in a large pot that boils the water to heat it.
Ive never tried it. Its the exact wax formula ratio id be interested in.
I have an old Teisco guitar kicking around with a microphonic DeArmond pickup Id like to pot.

 

[ICTGoober]

The chance of fire is HIGH, even on an electric range. Trust me - I know. Beeswax or paraffin burns EASY.

I started out in the 70's using a double boiler (a small pan inside a larger pan). The wax never gets hotter than the boiling water. However, about 25 years ago I bought a small Crockpot, which is excellent for potting pickups. Use the low setting, and you're good to go. No need for a thermometer, but use a timer. 10 minutes should be good, and all the bubbles should have stopped coming out of the pickup. I bought blocks of paraffin years ago, and I only change the wax in the pot when it starts getting gray (from all the crud in the pickups). Let them drip on paper towels, and then wipe off the extra while the wax is still warm. Bonus - no chance of fire.

 

[Chistopher]

The chance of fire is HIGH, even on an electric range. Trust me - I know. Beeswax or paraffin burns EASY.

Especially on an electric range. The temperature response on those things is far from linear. The difference between 5 and 6 on my stove is larger than the differences between 5 and 2

 

[idsnowdog]

I have a mason jar filled with wax. I repott quite often with good success.

 

[jeremy]

ive done the double boiler and it works fine, these days i use an electric heated pot meant for hide glue set to about 145F. its basically a little crockpot. i use 70% paraffin 30% beeswax, or thats what i started with. i ran out of bees wax so its probably like 80/20 now. i believe lindy fralin only uses paraffin these days

 

[Chistopher]

If you are purely experimenting, I've often pondered if you could just dip them in room temperature butcher block conditioner. It's just beeswax and mineral oil. Perhaps not the best for warmer climates.

 

[jeremy]

if itll seal the coils at room temp, itll also drip out at room temp. thats why wax works so well. once it cools down, it stays in place

 

[Chistopher]

The mineral oil partially evaporates, so I don't think it'll drip.

I'll try it when I get a cheapo pickup to test it on

 

[Sam SG]

Now on the opposite.
When you want to remove some potting wax from a heavily potted pickup....
What is that process?

 

[jeremy]

hair dryer, care, and patience, but its doesnt really work well

 

[ICTGoober]

SO... you want to put the toothpaste back in the tube? Good luck.

 

[AdrianSD]

How I did it: had the wax in a 400ml beer jug sitting on 2 wooden blocks in a larger bowl filled with water. On electric on 6 or thereabouts, with a meat thermometer, making sure the temperature hovers between 62-65 Celsius. Bought the paraffin - actually white non scented candles - from a craft store. No big deal, just need some patience and extra care.

 

[jeremy]

SO... you want to put the toothpaste back in the tube? Good luck.

yeah, ive not had much luck unpotting a pup. if you could create a vacuum and hold temp at 150F, maybe?

 

[Sam SG]

SO... you want to put the toothpaste back in the tube? Good luck.

YOU CAN DO THAT????
Serious I have a 6yr old and its all over my bathroom sink. Id like to know this trick
Please tell......

 

[jeremy]

you can! its just not worth the hassle

 

[ICTGoober]

Candle wax doesn't make a good potting wax, but drive on.

 

[AdrianSD]

Candle wax doesn't make a good potting wax, but drive on.

Why?

 

[marcello252]

Why?

it doesn't perfectly penetrate the windings , anyway it works in most of the cases and it's however better than an unpotted pickup if it gives you problem (I always think unpotted pickups sound better, but I recognize there are environments where they are a PITA to work with) .

I often used inexpensive ikea small flat candles, put them in a clean empty beans metal can, the can in a pot with hot/nearly gently boiling water, the pickup suspended with a wire attached to a pair of crossed iron wires resting over the can. be careful to keep separated wax and water! even small drops make a dangerous mess.

When the wax in the can is transparent immerse the pickup, see the bubbles emerge, keep it there strictly fo the time you seem to see no further bubbles, extract the pickups , gently and carefully wipe it until the wax is hot with a soft cloth.

done.