Home made wax lube for chains

[EddieV]

Has anyone tried the formula from the website of Oz cycle on youtube ? 

 

yes, been using it for a while .... and it works well.

Have now bought Reitzer's Technical oil (http://www.reitzer.co.za/reitzerbrand/reitzertechnicaloil) to mix with the candle wax (melted candles). My next batch will be the first with Reitzer's. Hopefully it will work well.   

My top-up mixture with Xylene isn't perfect yet, but hopefully the new oil will make a difference.  

[Maaknplan]

Presumably when you mention lamp oil, it’s not normal paraffin? Closest lamp oil I can find is the stuff mixed with citronella to keep the mozzies away. Where have you bought lamp oil?

As far as I know it is Paraffin oil, also known as liquid paraffin.

You can get it at the pharmacy

[RobertWhitehead]

Do you just use the two waxes or do you add the Xylene as well? 

 

Wax for the Win!

Melted candles + lamp oil. Play with the mix till it is the consistency shown in the video. Winner winner chicken dinner.

Make sure you degrease a non-wax chain thoroughly before waxing it in the pot, or else the grit and grime will end up in your fancy mix. I have lost a batch like that.

[Vetplant]

Do you just use the two waxes or do you add the Xylene as well? 

I don't add Xylene no. I just make the wax+oil mixture and leave it in the pan/pot for when I need it. I then heat it up on the stove till it liquefies, drop the chain in, let it "cook" for 1 min and then remove the chain, wipe off the excess, allow to dry and cool before fitting it back on the bike.

 

It lasts quite long, so no need to top-up in between, which is what the Xylene mix would be for if I understand correctly. Removing the chain and dropping it in the pot/pan is easy enough on my bikes

 

 

EDIT: needed more of an answer.

Edited December 12, 2019 by Swift&Aero

[RobertWhitehead]

Cool, thank you. I'm going to try it over the holidays 

 

 

I don't add Xylene no. I just make the wax+oil mixture and leave it in the pan/pot for when I need it. I then heat it up on the stove till it liquefies, drop the chain in, let it "cook" for 1 min and then remove the chain, wipe off the excess, allow to dry and cool before fitting it back on the bike.

 

It lasts quite long, so no need to top-up in between, which is what the Xylene mix would be for if I understand correctly. Removing the chain and dropping it in the pot/pan is easy enough on my bikes

 

EDIT: needed more of an answer.

[Azi]

How safe is it when adding the paraffin to the wax if doing this on a gas stove?

[lechatnoir]

How safe is it when adding the paraffin to the wax if doing this on a gas stove?

 

flammable liquids over an open flame? I'm going with a no on this one... but I guess that's what Youtube's for... 

[EddieV]

How safe is it when adding the paraffin to the wax if doing this on a gas stove?

 

I've asked the exact question before on another thread here before. In the meantime I experienced the full "Darwin awards" effect when I dropped the chain whilst taking it out the pot on the gas-stove. Pot caught alight - big scare - big flames - but just dropping the lid back on the pot and all good again.         

 

Just keep the lid handy - and try not to splash. Maybe better yet. Turn the stove off when dropping and retrieving the chain from the wax.     

[jimmycool]

GCN has done a few good videos about waxing a chain on YouTube. I have yet to try it but I am keen to give it a go.

[DieselnDust]

How safe is it when adding the paraffin to the wax if doing this on a gas stove?

 

 

Not safe at all. The vapour will ignite

[EddieV]

How safe is it when adding the paraffin to the wax if doing this on a gas stove?

 

 

Not safe at all. The vapour will ignite

 

 

 

I've asked the exact question before on another thread here before. In the meantime I experienced the full "Darwin awards" effect when I dropped the chain whilst taking it out the pot on the gas-stove. Pot caught alight - big scare - big flames - but just dropping the lid back on the pot and all good again.         

 

Just keep the lid handy - and try not to splash. Maybe better yet. Turn the stove off when dropping and retrieving the chain from the wax.     

 

I've done it on the gas-stove a few times and was uneventful until as above I dropped the chain and splashed the liquid over the side. But agree, the risks is rather large that it could ignite - although not as flammable as 93/95 octane.  

[Vetplant]

I've done it on the gas-stove a few times and was uneventful until as above I dropped the chain and splashed the liquid over the side. But agree, the risks is rather large that it could ignite - although not as flammable as 93/95 octane.  

Funny you should mention that, the OzCycle guy says petrol is the best way to de-grease your chain before waxing.

 

He has a thing for flammable substances it seems...

[V12man]

How safe is it when adding the paraffin to the wax if doing this on a gas stove?

Stand back when you use the fire extinguisher on it.... hot burning wax creates evil burns

[DieselnDust]

I’ve had a pot of Paraffin wax vapors ignite. It’s not a easy fire to extinguish. Best way is too remove the gas flame. Or stand well back when using a fire extinguisher.

Now I use an electric stove. Gas is an accident waiting to happen and insurance won’t compensate for the stupidity.

I knew it could happen but wanted to see if it would. It did and it was unpleasant

[V12man]

I’ve had a pot of Paraffin wax vapors ignite. It’s not a easy fire to extinguish. Best way is too remove the gas flame. Or stand well back when using a fire extinguisher.

Now I use an electric stove. Gas is an accident waiting to happen and insurance won’t compensate for the stupidity.

I knew it could happen but wanted to see if it would. It did and it was unpleasant

Wait till you see what happens when that vapour is under pressure in a nearly closed contain... the end results are horrifying - best avoided.

[DieselnDust]

Wait till you see what happens when that vapour is under pressure in a nearly closed contain... the end results are horrifying - best avoided.

 

 

been there got the t-shirt (well whats left of it...)

 

All part of my wild ride through life. It was little surprise to my teachers that I ended up engineering booomie stuff