I never actually used a double boiler, and I bet I did it 40 times. The double-boiler idea was, indeed, a liability-elimination/reduction suggestion/recommendation/admonition. And it remains so! But all I ever did was get it hot enough to start to bibble. I once demonstrated this at an REI bike clinic (when I worked there) and got the thing really smoking, but I kept my cool and the wax penetration was so good that I'm still riding that chain, 35 years later.
First I cleaned the chain and used compressed air to blow out the chaindegreaser. I don't think it's necessary, so don't give up if that's a hurdle. The idea is not to dunk in a gunky chain, but that should be intuitive. In my early beeswax days I tried beeswax, but it's a hundred times too sticky. Then I used parrafin 95-5 beeswax, but that was mainly so I could claim "part beeswax". You have to time the removal so the wax isn't so cool that it clogs up the tooth space. Pull it out when it's syrupy, and hang it vertically to dry. I always liked waxed chains, but I'm sure they'd lose out in scientific friction tests, and there's no touching them up with wax. You can touch up with oil or chainlube. but then you have that to contend with when you go to rewax. For most people it's too much trouble, and it's certainly that way for me now (and for the last 30 years). But....you can get 800 or so miles out of a waxed chain, and if you have 5 bikes with them and ride 4,000 miles a year, rewaxing once a year isn't bad. ALWAYS USE A DOUBLE BOILER, DO IT AT LEAST 50 FEET FROM ANYTHING FLAMMABLE, DON'T LET ANYBODY ELSE OR ANY ANIMALS NEAR IT, AND WEAR AN ASBESTOS SUIT. On Feb 22, 1:45 am, Earl Grey <[email protected]> wrote: > Surprised I didn't find the definitive answer in the archives, or a > riv reader for that matter. > > The 1992 Bridgestone catalogue mentions using a double boiler, thus > 212 Fahrenheit max. > > Riv Reader Vol 1 Issue 1 says Grant uses a 400 F bath, and says the > flash point is 425 F. Also says don't do this at home (liability > reasons, one assumes). > > So, what do the extra 188 F get you? Lower viscosity and better > penetration? Has anyone found this to matter, or has anyone the > necessary scientific background to theorize upon the topic? > > Winter here is bone dry season, so it seems like the time to finally > try wax after 20 years of cycling. > > Cheers, > > Gernot -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
