Wax Removal

Heat Gun Method

 

There are many pysankary who swear by the heat gun.  It is a tool used in embossing, and provides more heat that a hair dryer, and does not blow a lot of air in the process. 

These tools are sold by many craft stores and sites, and some pysanka suppliers carry them, too.  I have now had a bit of experience with them, having purchased one in 2011. DO NOT use these with full eggs; the heat causes the liquid white to expand, and forces it out through the shell.  This makes quite a mess, causing the dye to become blotchy and forming small excrescences on the egg.


PREPARATION:  Plug in the and turn it on.  Double check to make sure that the drain hole is open, with no membranes or wax plug in the way.

PROCEDURE:  As with blow dryers, there are two approaches to using the heat gun: hold the egg in one hand, or place it on an absorbent surface.

In the first instance, hold the egg in one hand, wrapping it with paper towel. Aim the heat gun at the egg and heat.  It can get quite hot, so be careful to not burn your fingers. (A glove or mitten might not be a bad idea.) When the wax begins to melt, wipe.  Continue, bit by bit, until the entire egg has been cleaned.

In the second instance, place your egg on an absorbent surface, like paper towels or a coffee filter, and make sure tit can’t roll away. Point the gun at the egg and blast away.  When the wax gets watery and starts to slip off, turn off the gun and wipe the egg down.

If there are any small smudges of wax remaining, you can choose to remove them with Mineral Spirits or Goo Gone.

If you are removing wax from etched eggs, make sure to coat the egg with a vegetable oil first (I use olive oil).




  Hair Dryer        Hot Oil




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Removing the Wax with a Heat Gun