"Paul WIlson" wrote in message
...
Hey,
I sometimes need to cast waxes that are just a little too thin.
I'm told I can brush on Elmer's glue to thicken the areas that need
thickening. The idea is that it'll burn-out just like wax and you can put
it where you need it. You can paint it on and it forms a thin layer that
dries quickly.

That's a new one for me, I may give it a try sometime.

The trouble is that such glues are water soluble. A few times the casting
didn't turn out well because the water-based investments dissolved the
glue
resulting in a bad looking surface.

There are two kinds of Elmers glue. School glue which is water soluble when
dry and Elmers Glue All which is not. You will probably have to go to a
store that sells wood working supplys for the Glue All. If it is to thick
to work with you can thin it with water to the consistancy you desire.

I tried commercial "disclosing wax" - a wax with the consistency of cold
cream - but it doesn't sit properly or flow to cover a thin surface.

Disclosing wax is made to fill minor voids in a pattern and sometimes to
show high places.

Any tricks of the trade?


PW

It's going to depend on what you are building up. Shank, prongs, a thin flat
piece, the entire pattern, the type of pattern, amount of detail etc.
etc.... Perfect purple will work for thin layers of wax as it flows well,
however it will not work for prongs and fine detail. It is also applied hot
so results will depend a great deal on your skill and usually do require
further finishing. For the entire pattern you may be out of luck unless your
Elmers Glue solution works.


TS