Wax Axe – the Axening

A year ago I obtained one of those electronic induction heaters, because, why not? They’re fascinating. Some blacksmiths use them to produce high point-heat, including bringing small regions of steel to welding heat in about a minute (more or less). Induction heating is also used by some craftspeople to melt/slump glass in home microwave ovens – you put a block of insulating material containing your target into your microwave and turn it on for 10 minutes. Then, if you still have a microwave oven and kitchen, you can let it cool down and examine the contents.

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Vacuum Infusion

Vacuum infusing resin into wood is a primary technique for stabilizing it. Usually, woodworkers use lightweight water-based resin like Cactus Juice, which is cured with heat after it’s soaked into the wood. Cactus Juice is good stuff, unquestionably. Sometimes, I want to experiment, anyway.

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