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Chain waxing
Hello,
For those interested in this, after my last inquiry about chain lubing, I decided to wax my chain by immersing it in a hot mixture of solid and liquid paraffin (with a ratio of 50% of paraffin oil). After about 600 km, including some significant rain,, must say it works pretty well. My chain still runs smoothly, and is almost perfectly clean. When needed, I can simply wipe it with some paper towel. I do not know yet when I will have to wax it again, but it seems to hold pretty well. -- Tanguy |
#2
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Chain waxing
On Wed, 6 Jun 2018 09:05:25 -0000 (UTC),
Tanguy Ortolo wrote: Hello, For those interested in this, after my last inquiry about chain lubing, I decided to wax my chain by immersing it in a hot mixture of solid and liquid paraffin (with a ratio of 50% of paraffin oil). After about 600 km, including some significant rain,, must say it works pretty well. My chain still runs smoothly, and is almost perfectly clean. When needed, I can simply wipe it with some paper towel. I do not know yet when I will have to wax it again, but it seems to hold pretty well. I've used wax on my chains for about 25 years. I've always used an old coffee can and meat thermometer with 100% parrafin wax (GulfWax, found with canning supplies). My practice has been to put it on the stove and heat it to about 250 F, then dip chains into it one at a time--fishing them out with a piece of coat hanger wire, and laying them out on old newspaper to drain a bit. Recently we moved into a house that has a glossy black solid topped range, and I didn't want to put the process onto it. So I went out last weekend and got one of these multi-cookers: https://www.amazon.com/Presto-114324...SIN=B00006IUWH It worked great. The temperature control does away with the need for the meat thermometer, and the basket allows me to drain each dipped chain before putting it out onto paper. The drain basket does away with the need to fish around in the wax for the chains (sometimes the quick links have been awfully hard to find). I'm amazed at how much easier this is, plus I can do it all in the garage and not have the potential to make a mess in the kitchen. I've always kept an extra chain for each bike, and not re-dipped until most of them need it. This new process is so much simpler, I may be dipping more often--like when each bike has a chain (rather than two) that needs waxing. -- Ted Heise West Lafayette, IN, USA |
#3
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Chain waxing
Theodore Heise, 2018-06-06 13:54+0200:
Recently we moved into a house that has a glossy black solid topped range, and I didn't want to put the process onto it. So I went out last weekend and got one of these multi-cookers: Regarding the process, since I have an induction cooktop too, I simply have the wax mixture in a glass jar, which I double-boil until it is fully liquid. I then dip the chain into it, and keep heating for ten minutes, after which until I remove it with a twisted paperclip. -- Tanguy |
#4
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Chain waxing
Tanguy Ortolo wrote:
Hello, For those interested in this, after my last inquiry about chain lubing, I decided to wax my chain by immersing it in a hot mixture of solid and liquid paraffin (with a ratio of 50% of paraffin oil). After about 600 km, including some significant rain,, must say it works pretty well. My chain still runs smoothly, and is almost perfectly clean. When needed, I can simply wipe it with some paper towel. I do not know yet when I will have to wax it again, but it seems to hold pretty well. I waxed my chain this weekend and finally had the opportunity to take the bike out yesterday. The chain is very quiet and runs quite smoothly. Shifting wasn't as precise as it was before, but I'm thinking it should come back to normal once more of the excess wax flakes off. The only downside was that I didn't clean the chain scrupulously before waxing it, and once I started sliding it around in the pot, a black cloud emanated from the chain and engulfed the bottom of the pot, completely obscuring the chain. I now have a pot of dark black wax, which I may just chuck in the garbage. Hopefully the second waxing will be less expensive. |
#5
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Chain waxing
On Wed, 6 Jun 2018 13:18:53 +0000 (UTC),
Ralph Barone wrote: Tanguy Ortolo wrote: Hello, For those interested in this, after my last inquiry about chain lubing, I decided to wax my chain by immersing it in a hot mixture of solid and liquid paraffin (with a ratio of 50% of paraffin oil). After about 600 km, including some significant rain,, must say it works pretty well. My chain still runs smoothly, and is almost perfectly clean. When needed, I can simply wipe it with some paper towel. I do not know yet when I will have to wax it again, but it seems to hold pretty well. I waxed my chain this weekend and finally had the opportunity to take the bike out yesterday. The chain is very quiet and runs quite smoothly. Shifting wasn't as precise as it was before, but I'm thinking it should come back to normal once more of the excess wax flakes off. The only downside was that I didn't clean the chain scrupulously before waxing it, and once I started sliding it around in the pot, a black cloud emanated from the chain and engulfed the bottom of the pot, completely obscuring the chain. I now have a pot of dark black wax, which I may just chuck in the garbage. Hopefully the second waxing will be less expensive. Oh, let me add that even with 100% parrafin wax, it becomes dark and opaque after a use or two. I think it may be from dirt or wear debris from the chain itself. -- Ted Heise West Lafayette, IN, USA |
#6
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Chain waxing
On 2018-06-06 06:32, Theodore Heise wrote:
On Wed, 6 Jun 2018 13:18:53 +0000 (UTC), Ralph Barone wrote: Tanguy Ortolo wrote: Hello, For those interested in this, after my last inquiry about chain lubing, I decided to wax my chain by immersing it in a hot mixture of solid and liquid paraffin (with a ratio of 50% of paraffin oil). After about 600 km, including some significant rain,, must say it works pretty well. My chain still runs smoothly, and is almost perfectly clean. When needed, I can simply wipe it with some paper towel. I do not know yet when I will have to wax it again, but it seems to hold pretty well. I waxed my chain this weekend and finally had the opportunity to take the bike out yesterday. The chain is very quiet and runs quite smoothly. Shifting wasn't as precise as it was before, but I'm thinking it should come back to normal once more of the excess wax flakes off. The only downside was that I didn't clean the chain scrupulously before waxing it, and once I started sliding it around in the pot, a black cloud emanated from the chain and engulfed the bottom of the pot, completely obscuring the chain. I now have a pot of dark black wax, which I may just chuck in the garbage. Hopefully the second waxing will be less expensive. Oh, let me add that even with 100% parrafin wax, it becomes dark and opaque after a use or two. I think it may be from dirt or wear debris from the chain itself. It doesn't sound very healthy for the chain to soak it in dirty wax. I clean my chain thoroughly using interdental toothbrushes. My wive found a brand at Costco that is more rigid than the usual ones so the job goes faster now. First used for my teeth, then later some day for a chain. Afterwards scrubbing with an old regular toothbrush, followed by a good wipe-down with Kleenex. Once the chain is really shiny I apply White Lightning Epic Ride. If you shake the bottle well the waxy stuff in it dissolves and thus gets onto the chain as well. I use a Q-Tip to dab it onlto the links, then gently wipe off any excess with a Kleenex. That way a road bike chain can run 150-250mi between cleanings depending on whether I ride more roads or more bike paths. Gets dirtier on roads. 40-50mi on the MTB, mostly on dirt trails. The upside is that this method does not require me to take the chain off the bike which I would really dread. -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ |
#7
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Chain waxing
Does Joerg have a sense of humor or is he just basically nuts? In a single paragraph he's proved the entirety of my thesis that the neurosis of chain-cleaning is a religious rite.
On Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 3:35:23 PM UTC+1, Joerg wrote: I clean my chain thoroughly using interdental toothbrushes. My wive found a brand at Costco that is more rigid than the usual ones so the job goes faster now. First used for my teeth, then later some day for a chain. Afterwards scrubbing with an old regular toothbrush, followed by a good wipe-down with Kleenex. Once the chain is really shiny I apply White Lightning Epic Ride. If you shake the bottle well the waxy stuff in it dissolves and thus gets onto the chain as well. I use a Q-Tip to dab it onlto the links, then gently wipe off any excess with a Kleenex. |
#8
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Chain waxing
On 07/06/18 00:35, Joerg wrote:
It doesn't sound very healthy for the chain to soak it in dirty wax. Doesn't seem to make any difference as far as I can tell. I clean my chain thoroughly using interdental toothbrushes. My wive found a brand at Costco that is more rigid than the usual ones so the job goes faster now. First used for my teeth, then later some day for a chain. Afterwards scrubbing with an old regular toothbrush, followed by a good wipe-down with Kleenex. Once the chain is really shiny I apply White Lightning Epic Ride. If you shake the bottle well the waxy stuff in it dissolves and thus gets onto the chain as well. I use a Q-Tip to dab it onlto the links, then gently wipe off any excess with a Kleenex. That way a road bike chain can run 150-250mi between cleanings depending on whether I ride more roads or more bike paths. Gets dirtier on roads. 40-50mi on the MTB, mostly on dirt trails. The upside is that this method does not require me to take the chain off the bike which I would really dread. Wow. I leave the original chain lube on from the manufacturer to begin with. That probably lasts 1000km or more. I just checked a chain I put on in January. It's done over 3200km and "stretched" 1/8 of an inch over 50 inches, or about 0.25%. I've wax lubed it twice since I installed the chain, about every 1000km. There has been road works where I live for two months, so every ride I have to cross several hundred metres of dirt in each direction. I've also cycled some gravel roads for fun. I don't dread taking the chain off my bike because I use a Connex quick link, and once it is removed, it facilitates much easier cleaning of other parts, like the rear derailleur jockey wheels for example. -- JS |
#9
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Chain waxing
On 2018-06-06 16:21, James wrote:
On 07/06/18 00:35, Joerg wrote: It doesn't sound very healthy for the chain to soak it in dirty wax. Doesn't seem to make any difference as far as I can tell. I clean my chain thoroughly using interdental toothbrushes. My wive found a brand at Costco that is more rigid than the usual ones so the job goes faster now. First used for my teeth, then later some day for a chain. Afterwards scrubbing with an old regular toothbrush, followed by a good wipe-down with Kleenex. Once the chain is really shiny I apply White Lightning Epic Ride. If you shake the bottle well the waxy stuff in it dissolves and thus gets onto the chain as well. I use a Q-Tip to dab it onlto the links, then gently wipe off any excess with a Kleenex. That way a road bike chain can run 150-250mi between cleanings depending on whether I ride more roads or more bike paths. Gets dirtier on roads. 40-50mi on the MTB, mostly on dirt trails. The upside is that this method does not require me to take the chain off the bike which I would really dread. Wow. I leave the original chain lube on from the manufacturer to begin with. That probably lasts 1000km or more. I just checked a chain I put on in January. It's done over 3200km and "stretched" 1/8 of an inch over 50 inches, or about 0.25%. I've wax lubed it twice since I installed the chain, about every 1000km. There has been road works where I live for two months, so every ride I have to cross several hundred metres of dirt in each direction. I've also cycled some gravel roads for fun. KMC factory lube lasts me a about 500mi on the road bike but not on the MTB. There the chain becomes noisy after 50mi no matter what. Most singletrack is very dusty in this area and the chain gets a good dose of water when crossing little creeks. I don't dread taking the chain off my bike because I use a Connex quick link, and once it is removed, it facilitates much easier cleaning of other parts, like the rear derailleur jockey wheels for example. I also have a KMC quick disconnect on the MTB but it's not very easy to get off. BTW, I found the old Sachs-Sedis 7-speed chains to be the best in terms of rubustness and service life. Even better than the Wippermann chains I used before. Unfortunately they are no longer made :-( -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ |
#10
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Chain waxing
On 6/6/2018 7:35 AM, Joerg wrote:
snip I clean my chain thoroughly using interdental toothbrushes. My wive found a brand at Costco that is more rigid than the usual ones so the job goes faster now. First used for my teeth, then later some day for a chain. Afterwards scrubbing with an old regular toothbrush, followed by a good wipe-down with Kleenex. Once the chain is really shiny I apply White Lightning Epic Ride. If you shake the bottle well the waxy stuff in it dissolves and thus gets onto the chain as well. I use a Q-Tip to dab it onlto the links, then gently wipe off any excess with a Kleenex. That way a road bike chain can run 150-250mi between cleanings depending on whether I ride more roads or more bike paths. Gets dirtier on roads. 40-50mi on the MTB, mostly on dirt trails. The upside is that this method does not require me to take the chain off the bike which I would really dread. OMG, is anyone really spending that much time on chain maintenance?! Get yourself a Park chain cleaner (or some other brand). Fill it with kerosene and run the chain through it. Repeat with clean solvent until the chain runs clean. Unless the chain is in the solvent, and moving, you won't get it clean on the inside. When it's clean, lubricate it with a foaming chain lube. Above all, avoid hot wax. http://nordicgroup.us/chain/ |
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