Re: [ATM] Re: ATM tested today at lunch!

["B. Bainbridge" <brianb@u.washington.edu>]

I usually melt in a coffee can double boiler. If there's a reason not to
do it, somebody oughta tell me.


On Mon, 19 Jan 2004, Woodchuck wrote:

> On Mon, 19 Jan 2004, c f wrote:
>
> > I will continue tonight with the 9 micron, and then make a second hydorstone
> > tool and melt the lap.  A question on melting the lap though,  can I melt
> > this in a clean tin can sitting inside of hot water on my stove for a few
> > hours?  kind of like a double boiler for making fudge candy.  has anyone
> > tried this?  honestly,  my wife would see me to my grave if I used her crock
> > pot to melt this stuff lol lol
>
> Probably not hot enough.  You want it freely flowing, else it will
> puddle and lump up on the tool substrate, will be too thick in the
> center, may not adhere well...
>
> A cheap single-burner electric hotplate from WallyWorld or (better)
> a yard/flea/auction sale is what you want, in my opinion.  If you
> find yourself addicted to melting and pouring pitch, or like to buy
> expensive stuff first, keep an eye skinned on eBay and snipe a
> laboratory-type hotplate.  Some brands of hotplate are actually
> safe!  Ceramic top lab ones are best, worst are those with exposed
> coiled heating elements, if such can still be found in Nannyland.
> Ones that look like a single element from an old electric stove
> [home-making possibilities here, note, visit the junkyard where old
> stoves go to die in your locale -- get element, dial, resistors,
> heat-proof wire] are intermediate; they can still cause a fire if
> some pitch spills on them and they are set at a high temperature.
> Run a ground wire, obviously.
>
> Puting some asbestos board [whatever they sell in its stead] twixt
> hotplate and saucepan is a nice trick.
>
> Real men use a blowtorch.  Hint: your fire insurance company does
> not insure Real Men.  Another hint: heating things in tin cans leads
> to burnt fingers.  Get a small stainless steel sauce pan from Goodwill.
> Pitch burns hurt bad, and you can't wipe the stuff off.  (Immerse burned
> body part in ice water on the spot!)
>
> Dave
>
> _______________________________________________
> ATM mailing list http://www.atmlist.net/
>