The Hot Tub of Queso/Waxed Chain Thread

[Roxtar]

But this does seem convenient.

See, I disagree. If you watch the video, this requires not just a higher temp, it requires 120*C for ten minutes, no more/no less. You then have to let the temp drop to 70*C, no more/no less, and then remove immediately.
IOW, instead of walking away, you now have to stand there monitoring the entire process.
Just feels the opposite of convenient.

At least it does to me.

Oh well, at least it sounds like cool tech.

[Dantheman]

I hope this doesn't mean they're going to stop making their chain stripper, because that stuff works great.

[J. Barron DeJong]

See, I disagree. If you watch the video, this requires not just a higher temp, it requires 120*C for ten minutes, no more/no less. You then have to let the temp drop to 70*C, no more/no less, and then remove immediately.
IOW, instead of walking away, you now have to stand there monitoring the entire process.
Just feels the opposite of convenient.

At least it does to me.

But that’s just the first time. So you maybe spend a bit of more active time on the initial chain prep, but you didn’t have to mess around with procuring solvents, containers, disposal of solvents, waiting for solvents to evaporate if you don’t have a compressor (or using a hair dryer, but that’s active time).

Like I said, I don’t have any issue with doing the initial chain prep. To start waxing I had everything I needed at home except for wax and a crockpot (well, had a crockpot, but the wife wouldn’t have been thrilled if I commandeered it for waxing).

But I still see this as lowering the barrier to entry for some people. Maybe even if it was just a mental barrier.

I guess I should watch the video to answer this, but is he dropping to 70 to get the wax to start hardening to try and keep as much as possible within the chain, or is that needed for the strippping procedure somehow? I’ve seen other Silca videos where he lets the temp drop, but ZFC says it’s unnecessary, and there’s no way I’m farting around with that when I do my waxing. Just pull it out of the hot wax.

[Roxtar]

Yeah, I don't know. I actually asked, in the comments section, if you now have to always take the wax up to 120 and back down for rewaxing.
I assume so, since the Strip Chip takes the wax melting rate higher. I doubt that condition goes away.

[Roxtar]

I hope this doesn't mean they're going to stop making their chain stripper, because that stuff works great.

Yeah, I was going to comment on that. Don't they already have a great product that cleans the chain in about ten minutes and doesn't affect the waxing process?

[J. Barron DeJong]

Yeah, I don't know. I actually asked, in the comments section, if you now have to always take the wax up to 120 and back down for rewaxing.
I assume so, since the Strip Chip takes the wax melting rate higher. I doubt that condition goes away.

If the Strip Chip impacts how you need to go about future waxing, then for sure that would be a big inconvenience. Hopefully not the case.

My assumption was that the Strip Chip has a higher melting point than the wax, so needed the higher initial temp to get it to completely melt, but then once that material mixes with the rest of the wax, and reacts with the factory lube, you’re left with a mixture that has a melting point close to normal wax and the high temps are no longer needed.

[Roxtar]

Well, agree or disagree, choices are good. Isn't that what this thread is all about.

All together now, "Kumbaya, my Lord, Kumbaya..."

[XXX-er]

A lot of science that may or may not be correct. Even if it is, I see it as a solution to a non-existing problem.
Is cleaning a new chain once really that much of a problem? Enough to buy an expensive heating pot and having to be that exacting with the process?
Drop chain in can of gasoline, swish it around. Drop chain in alcohol, swish it around. Literally a few minutes of "work". And it's only done ONCE, over the entire life of the chain.

One thing I love about hot queso is the simplicity. Turn on the crock pot and walk away. Drop chain in and walk away. Remove chain at your convenience and hang to cool.
Cheap, easy, simple.

In the name of simplifying the one-time cleaning, they complicated the overall process, and made it way more $$.

Not seein it. Not even close.

Coil your chain up in a jar and cover with naptha AKA white gas, in the morning your chain will be very clean with no oil or grease stains and dry very fast

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

I get a new process being annoying if you already have a system for waxing, but looking at it the opposite way: if stripchips were the norm from the beginning, and someone "invented" a new process to clean factory chains that required a trip to the hardware store for solvents, using mason jars, and maybe a trip to the hazardous waste disposal facility, I'm pretty sure I'd think that person was nuts.

Anyways, I'm not really shilling for this Silca setup as I at first thought the stripchip might lower the barrier to me finally waxing the bikes in the family I still use lube for, but those bikes don't need new chains, so it not really the right thing for that.

[Roxtar]

Coil your chain up in a jar and cover with naptha AKA white gas, in the morning your chain will be very clean with no oil or grease stains and dry very fast

And then a quick swish in alcohol to remove the last little bit of film.

[XXX-er]

I came upon naptha/ white gas cuz it was what was in the shed so I gave it a try,

the chain looks completely clean and dry

don't see any film on the chain,

so how do you remove the alcohol film ?

[J. Barron DeJong]

I came upon naptha/ white gas cuz it was what was in the shed so I gave it a try,

the chain looks completely clean and dry

don't see any film on the chain,

so how do you remove the alcohol film ?

There’s no oil film left from alcohol because it’s not a hydrocarbon. White gas probably has a small amount of heavier hydrocarbons (light oil) remaining from distillation (?) that don’t evaporate as readily as 100% pure Naptha, potentially leaving a film.

I use Coleman fuel and then rinse in alcohol, just to be safe. But if any oil film is being left from the fuel it’s extremely minimal.

[XXX-er]

Removing shipping grease by rinsing with naptha works very well

Rinsing the rinse with alcohol might be overthinking

its a chain

[J. Barron DeJong]

Removing shipping grease by rinsing with naptha works very well

Rinsing the rinse with alcohol might be overthinking

its a chain

Well, the idea is that any oil film left behind will prevent the wax from properly adhering, significantly degrading performance/longevity, and the alcohol rinse would remove that film.

But that would be a bigger issue if using a heavier solvent like mineral spirits instead of white gas.

[Roxtar]

I just add the alcohol dip because it's so easy. I use alcohol so often that I always have a container of it next to the bench. Just drop in the chain and pull it out. Drys almost immediately.
Might be unnecessary but really just no reason not to.

[XXX-er]

So Goggle tells me naptha is already really pure,

" The main difference between naphtha and mineral spirits is that naphtha is used more in industrial applications that require more purity. The solvent is made from higher grade petroleum distillates, which can make using the solvent for DIY projects more expensive when compared to using mineral spirits. "

some dentist reading this might think he needs to hop in the Bimmer and drive 1/2 an hr to buy a bottle of alcohol when he doesnt need to

[J. Barron DeJong]

Nah, dentists can afford the complete Silca package with custom crockpot and Strip Chips.

For real though, I do think the alcohol rinse probably isn’t necessary with Naptha/White Gas, but I already have it so it’s not much effort.

I’d definitely recommend it if using Mineral Spirits as your initial solvent.

[XXX-er]

" Coil your chain up in a jar and cover with naptha AKA white gas, in the morning your chain will be very clean with no oil or grease stains and dry very fast "

I havent tried mineral spirits but i have been recommending ^^ naptha AKA white gas

[J. Barron DeJong]

" Coil your chain up in a jar and cover with naptha AKA white gas, in the morning your chain will be very clean with no oil or grease stains and dry very fast "

I havent tried mineral spirits but i have been recommending ^^ naptha AKA white gas

I know, but most (all?) of the wax companies talk about using mineral spirits.

[XXX-er]

I supose if there was a can of mineral spirits in the shed I would also be talking about mineral spirits

instead i been talking about white gas ever since I discovered it 6 yrs ago

[Dee Hubbs]

The step that nobody talks about is breaking the loose wax off of the chain.
I have a jockey wheel bolted to the work bench, and I loop the stiff chain around the pulley wheel and run the chain back and fourth breaking all the loose wax off of the chain before I mount it on my bike.
This lessens the amount of flaked off wax that ends up on the bikes frame.

[J. Barron DeJong]

I run it around my garage cabinet handles, letting all the flakes mess up my benchtop.

There’s a reason I didn’t last as a bike mechanic…

[XXX-er]

The step that nobody talks about is breaking the loose wax off of the chain.
I have a jockey wheel bolted to the work bench, and I loop the stiff chain around the pulley wheel and run the chain back and fourth breaking all the loose wax off of the chain before I mount it on my bike.
This lessens the amount of flaked off wax that ends up on the bikes frame.

I had my road bike on a trainer in doors and the bits of squirt would flake off on the floor so i pulled apart a beer case to put under the drive train and catch all the wax bits

[Dee Hubbs]

I run it around my garage cabinet handles, letting all the flakes mess up my benchtop.

There’s a reason I didn’t last as a bike mechanic…

My pulley is bolted to the side edge of my work bench. I set the wax crock pot on the floor below the pulley, and the wax flakes drop right back in to the pot.

[Roxtar]

some dentist reading this might think he needs to hop in the Bimmer and drive 1/2 an hr to buy a bottle of alcohol when he doesnt need to

Naa, any good dentist would be swishing his chain in a can of Johnny Walker Black.

To break the links loose I clamp a short length of 1" PVC in the vice to pull the chain around.