Chain WAXing (yes it's that easy) - and other mysteries of this art!

JOSEPHWEISSERT

Zen MBB Master
I rode 12-hours in the pouring rain a year ago at Calvin's challenge. Wax held up great - had to re-wax after, but pretty impressive stuff!
I was there in the 50-degree, pouring rain with Larry. My chain wax also held up. Think about it: try spraying wax off with a hose and cold water. Not so easy.
 

RojoRacing

Donut Powered Wise-guy
I was there in the 50-degree, pouring rain with Larry. My chain wax also held up. Think about it: try spraying wax off with a hose and cold water. Not so easy.

True but when you research waxing your chain you also hear about how allergic to water a waxed chain is. Apparently those rumors are exaggerated quite a bit. I will agree that after a waxed chain gets wet it's probably more important to dry the chain since wax has no anti rust agents in it but that same can be said about an oiled chain since it's important to relube strait after riding in the wet. I only run Titanium nitrate coated chains so they are nearly rust proof from the coating alone.
 

JOSEPHWEISSERT

Zen MBB Master
True but when you research waxing your chain you also hear about how allergic to water a waxed chain is. Apparently those rumors are exaggerated quite a bit. I will agree that after a waxed chain gets wet it's probably more important to dry the chain since wax has no anti rust agents in it but that same can be said about an oiled chain since it's important to relube strait after riding in the wet. I only run Titanium nitrate coated chains so they are nearly rust proof from the coating alone.
Yeah, if I ride in the rain, I'll dump the chain in the hot wax afterwards anyway and throw on a fresh one just because it's so easy to do. My chains are also coated, so rust is not an issue for me either. As the mafia says (about chain waxing and witnesses), "Why take a chance?"
 

Bryan H

Member
To make candles, I used to heat up wax on the stove in an old style coffee can. Any thoughts on that approach vs using a slow cooker to melt the wax for the chain?
 

JOSEPHWEISSERT

Zen MBB Master
To make candles, I used to heat up wax on the stove in an old style coffee can. Any thoughts on that approach vs using a slow cooker to melt the wax for the chain?
Sounds like it would work. But a small, dedicated slow cooker only costs a few bucks.
 

ratz

Wielder of the Rubber Mallet
To make candles, I used to heat up wax on the stove in an old style coffee can. Any thoughts on that approach vs using a slow cooker to melt the wax for the chain?
Sounds like it would work. But a small, dedicated slow cooker only costs a few bucks.

Should be noted; paraffin fumes are explosive so you really don't want them building up indoors from over cooking if say for example you have anything with a pilot light; (furnace, gas water heater, fireplace, gas stove)... Having never ever fallen asleep with a chain cooking in the garage and never ever filled the garage with paraffin smoke/fumes I'm sure this not something anyone would worry about :)
 

Bryan H

Member
Thank you guys for the input. I hadn't thought about the fumes.

Though, come to think of it, my garage has a water heater ignition source.
Kitchen only has an electric stove. But I have been know to light a 2-3ft flambe now and again.

Then again probably won't be chain cooking at the same time I'm making Steak Au Poivre.
 
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Bryan H

Member
Followup question: after cleaning up the cassette and chairings, does any body dip the gear teeth in wax? Seems like rolling each gear in about a 1/4" deep wax bath would be fairly easy.

Overkill?
 

ratz

Wielder of the Rubber Mallet
There should be enough wax coming off the chain, so no need to dip cassette.
Yes overkill, In fact this will probably cause excessive wax build up in the cassette. Heat the wax, dump in the chain pull it out let it dry and put it back on. Ride, repeat when the chain starts making noise. Simple as this.

Agreed;.... Key points that only make send after you made the switch

  1. The lubing factor is for between the plates that rub as they pivot on the pins.
  2. The dirt removal comes from the wax flaking off and removing the abrasive dirts from the system
  3. Rollers are polished and hardened they can actually run dry and so can the cassette with little wear in the absense of the dirt (see #2)
  4. Wear on the cassette comes during shifting from the sides of the chain as it climbs up and down.
Hope that helps.
 

Eric Winn

Zen MBB Master
Time for bigger legs and a smaller cassette

The 36T is about 5-13/16 inches but the plastic tray is about 5-1/8 inches at the narrow width with the tub itself not much wider. I'll try and angle it and rotate the bit that doesn't get covered through a few cycles and see if that works.

What are the tub and tray dimensions of that cleaner you bought? Does it work OK? This one seems kind of cheesy. It didn't seem to be working at first with all three chains I bought so I did one and the loose cogs from my cassette and now doing the other two chains and it seems to be working OK now.

I've already got Popeye legs. It's the generous weight, years, and other odds and ends that don't work as well as they used to that is the challenge. I'm particularly mindful of an old gymnastics related knee repair from back in 1979 that is getting a bit long in the tooth too. :(

That said, I rarely use the 36T anyway, especially after riding my veto a lot. That thing takes a wee bit more work on the uphills but then switching to the V is eye opening.

-Eric
 

jond

Zen MBB Master
Speaking of waxing.........I hope the team waxed their legs for unity.

You can leave the hair on Larry. ;)

Tough gear to push north of 7% ratz especially with all the heat.

Thanks ratz for your efforts.
 

super slim

Zen MBB Master
Speaking of waxing.........I hope the team waxed their legs for unity.

You can leave the hair on Larry. ;)

Tough gear to push north of 7% ratz especially with all the heat.

Thanks ratz for your efforts.
I wonder if Larry landed all the hill climbs?
 

trapdoor2

Zen MBB Master
Waxed my first chains yesterday. Process was no big issue. Discovered that "mineral spirits" from Wal-Mart are some sort of milky eco-concoction...no longer the "mineral spirits" of my youth. They did the job...but not as good as the old stuff. Next time I will look for the 'good stuff' or just go with acetone (I guess they don't sell MEK anymore...).
I purchased a small 'crock-pot' slow cooker to dedicate to the process. Cost me $8 (on sale). I was a tad concerned that it might not get the wax up to temp but in 30 min, the wax was liquid and 180 degrees. By the time I got the chains ready to go in the pot, it was over 200F. I unplugged the pot and let it cool down a bit before I added the chains.

Otherwise, all went well. I now have a freshly waxed new chain on the V20 and a backup all packaged and ready to go.

Thanks to all y'all who contributed to this thread. Your input made my task very easy! :emoji_thumbsup:
 

Jerrye

Spam Slayer
Discovered that "mineral spirits" from Wal-Mart are some sort of milky eco-concoction...no longer the "mineral spirits" of my youth. They did the job...but not as good as the old stuff. Next time I will look for the 'good stuff' or just go with acetone (I guess they don't sell MEK anymore...)

You should be able to find real mineral spirits, MEK, and a few other chemicals at your local Home Depot.
 

trapdoor2

Zen MBB Master
You should be able to find real mineral spirits, MEK, and a few other chemicals at your local Home Depot.
Thx! Good to know. I bought this stuff at Wally-world (suddenly remembering I needed a solvent, etc.) ...not knowing it was anything but what it said on the container "Mineral Spirits". Now that I've looked at the MSDS, I find it is an emulsion of water and MS. "Friendlier" :rolleyes: It worked, but was not nearly as aggressive as the old stuff. I have almost literally bathed in MEK (which hurts, BTW)...when I was a kid learning how to spray paint, etc.
 
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