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Post by sRc on Dec 21, 2006 22:51:03 GMT -6
Is it OK to just pressure-wash and re-wax?
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Post by Steve Gappa on Dec 22, 2006 8:43:22 GMT -6
yes- I do it severla times a seaosn- but the car washes here are naiemic with their pressure, so unless you have your own pressure washer, you might find your local carwash doesn't cut it.
What I do is this- lay traps out on a board and hit with jet spray on hose. Hit them once, flip them over. Then I toss them into a washtub with a shot of bleach, a shot of dawn soap, and let soak until I get home the next day.
Take out o nthe board again, hit with the jet to rinse them, and good enough, I wax.
Have had no poblems with digouts, standbacks, etc.
Redid most of my WY traps in just such a fashion before starting here, and once during the season here.
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Post by bobm on Dec 22, 2006 11:25:57 GMT -6
Typically I boil in dishwasher detergent, then boil in walnut hulls, wax and set. Midseason this year I boiled in dishwasher detergent, rinsed in a bucket of fresh water, wax and set. Clearly I contaminated the wax as nearly every set has had digging at them. Time for new wax!
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Post by trapperjoemo on Dec 22, 2006 12:26:07 GMT -6
On this wax subject... I have about 2 1/2 gallons of wax. I`ve used a few years now, but mostly just on traps for trapping in the water. I`m thinking I may have contaminated my wax also. I was thinking of re-doing the canine traps soon if things don`t improve. Assuming the traps are contaminated with "dirty" wax, will the car wash take that wax off, and the soak like Steve suggested? Or do I need to boil again and pour off the old wax water? Then, since I only have one brick of wax here at my disposal, would it be worth my time to melt it on clean water to coat the traps as I pull them out? Or, would NO wax be better than water/wax method? The traps are #2 Bridgers OS with aftermarket rubber pads.
Joe
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Post by bobm on Dec 22, 2006 12:56:25 GMT -6
I've contaminated my wax before and the only thing that worked was reboiling everything and then re-dying. I'm sure it's something particular to me and they way I do things but, the only time I have not had trouble with digging is when I've dyed with walnut hulls. I've tried both purchased dyes and no dye at all and seem to get digging problems. Stange huh!?!?
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Post by stickbowhntr on Dec 22, 2006 12:58:54 GMT -6
Don't WASTE your time with the wax on the water method you'll never get a good coat of wax that way.If you can't get enought to use just wax alone don't even bother to wax.
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Post by Steve Gappa on Dec 22, 2006 16:25:20 GMT -6
only time I have digging to speak of, is rusty traps.
I'm not a wax saver- for $20, I can start each season with fresh.
you have to reboil to take off wax.
the bleach and dawn removes 99.999% of skunk, etc odors from traps (I say this becasue if I can't smell it, good enough) never had any contamination problems, but as I said...wax is cheap compared to one missed canine.
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Post by trapperjoemo on Dec 22, 2006 18:51:26 GMT -6
Steve, What kind and what volume of wax do you use? How much wax (and where) do you get it for $20.00. What do you use for a wax pot?
Good info.
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Post by Steve Gappa on Dec 22, 2006 18:53:46 GMT -6
3-4 big chunks fills my pot 1/3- and that allows me to dip 3 traps at a time.
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Post by blakcoyote on Dec 23, 2006 1:47:36 GMT -6
This year I was short on traps,so I'd just hose them off with a garden hose after a catch or 2,leave them sit in my dye(cold)overnight,pull out and let dry,and wax,didn't have a problem with digging at all.
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Post by billkasten on Dec 23, 2006 5:49:34 GMT -6
What Steve says is true its cheap insurance to use fresh wax every year. The main reason is wax will pick up particals of rust and dye from the traps ,thats why you should rinse after dyeing . After you use your wax and it cools down dump it out of the container and you'll see what I mean .You'll have a layer of black residue on the bottom .This stuff has a burnt smell either remove it or buy new.
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Post by thebeav2 on Dec 23, 2006 10:42:47 GMT -6
And that's the reason I don't dye my traps anymore. It's a wast of time and money and It does nothing for your wax.
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Post by trappnman on Dec 23, 2006 10:53:22 GMT -6
but those dyed and waxed traps sure look pretty all in a row.
I do believe that dye DOES protect traps. Gopher traps undied over the years, vs the ones I toss in each year, is quite apparent on the rust build up. Granted no wax, but it proves to me dye alone does cut down rust. So- I look at dye as a second layer of protection from chewed on traps.
As far as effectiveness in trapping, I agree with Gary.
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Post by trapperjoemo on Dec 24, 2006 0:23:24 GMT -6
Steve, sorry to keep "digging" for the answers, but.... what IS a "big chunk" of wax? Is it coming from a trap supply dealer or what? All the wax I`ve ever gotten from trap suppliers came in brick form, and 3 of those in a 2 1/2 - 3 gallon pail won`t begin to cover 3 traps. So I`m looking for the source of the wax I guess.? And what size "pot" are you melting wax in?
Joe
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Post by Steve Gappa on Dec 24, 2006 6:39:48 GMT -6
standard turkey pot, you can buy trappers wax in10 lb chunks.
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Post by coalminer on Dec 24, 2006 20:35:37 GMT -6
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Post by RonMarsh on Dec 25, 2006 7:05:24 GMT -6
I use old wax to make fire starters. cut carboard in 3 to 4 inch wide strips with the vains going across the strip. Roll and tape the carboard. Dip the end in hot wax, the wax will boil up through the vains and out the top. Remove and let cool. It is now ready for the fire place, or deer fire.
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Post by trappnman on Dec 25, 2006 7:07:38 GMT -6
I've used both walut and sumax berries ot dye traps- both I just toss in the water and then bring to a boil.
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Post by Possum on Dec 25, 2006 7:53:38 GMT -6
I guess I'm one of the few who still uses the F-1 dye.
When I pull a trap which has made a catch, I re-boil for 10 mins or so, which I think "cooks" off the smells pretty well, then dunk the trap in a bucket with Formula 1 in it and set it on a grate to dry. The hot trap dries the water-based F-1 in about 10 seconds and the next day I toss the trap into the "clean" trap container and don't hesitate setting it.
No problems with rust, digging or anything else. (And my wax pot never bursts into flames.)
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Post by coalminer on Dec 25, 2006 19:50:04 GMT -6
trappnman, how many walnuts to say 10 gallons of water??
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