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Post by bblwi on Jul 20, 2007 13:43:38 GMT -6
I have 1 turkey fryer and 2 kettles that are about 32 quarts each. I have been using these to can my sweet corn, beets and tomatoes. I bought the extra kettle as was thinking about doing traps in that one.
I was thinking of maybe buying a 2nd element and then using 2 kettles for cleaning and dying and then a kettle for waxing.
Has anyone else used this system? With the heat source should one put a rack in the bottom to keep the traps off the hot bottom metal? One can control propane supply and thus heat pretty well. I feel comfortable about the wax other than the drops that may drip off the traps onto the flame. Last year I did the traps on my burn pit with wood and also did the wax on this also.
With the 32 quart size I can see some issues as if I do all my traps this way it would be 35-40 dozen. If I dipped my body grippers and water traps it would drop to about 12 dozen.
Any thoughts will be appreciated.
Bryce
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Post by Zagman on Jul 20, 2007 14:18:06 GMT -6
I use the turkey fryer for waxing, not dyeing. It works slick....ready made lid for safety and storage.
After people answer your questions, here's another. I was going to take the bottom inch or two out as recommended by others to get rid of the crud at the bottom, adding new clean wax to the pot.
How the heck do you get that big block of wax out of the fryer?
Freak told me to whack it with a hammer.....now my pot looks like it went through WWII, and the wax is still stuck inside......
He said to add cold water.....will try that as well.
Zagman
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Post by mikespring on Jul 20, 2007 14:26:06 GMT -6
Heat the pot first.. then tip it over and the wax slides out.(weed burner works well for this procedure)
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Post by bobwendt on Jul 20, 2007 14:48:27 GMT -6
or just set it in the summer sun upside down. probably would only take a few minutes. I don`t dye anything anymore, havn`t for 20 years at least, but do wax everything in a big square roaster about 2 feet long a nd 15" wide and maybe 8" deep. I can do 5-7 traps at a time. on 2 hot plates. get this, I`m still using the same wax for about 20 years now too, just keep adding 5-10 lb more each yar. the mud is probably 2" deep in the bottom. so much for worrying about diggers etc. but I do an excellent hi pressure wash on my traps first and then let dry thouroughly befor waxing. the mud is just I dunno what. I guess rust flakes, and some dirt as it is gritty. it must not stink tho as diggers are almost non existant.
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Post by garman on Jul 20, 2007 15:13:51 GMT -6
I use a turkey fryer for dying and waxing use an old canner for dying a small amount of traps or for a large amoune a washtub or garbage can (need to get a 1/2 of a 55 gallon drum) then a large spaghetti cooker to wax. works perfect, regulates heat well and yes some rock, bricks etc. in the bottom is a good idea.
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Post by Freak( Jim V.) on Jul 20, 2007 18:08:44 GMT -6
Dude , I said TAP it around the edges. LMFAO I have never had a problem getting mine out. Will try this weekend and probably be hard as he$$ now that I said that.
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Post by Bob Jameson on Jul 20, 2007 18:25:01 GMT -6
the wax once it cools in the pot for a day or so it should just drop out unless you have irregular sides on your container. The wax blok should release readily but it may have a little vacuum in it but should nonetheless come out. Or like Jimmy says tap it litely with a rubber mallet or such.
Hey Mike Spring I remember who you are now. LOL Wont never forget ya...!!!! LOL
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Post by lynxcat on Jul 20, 2007 20:59:41 GMT -6
It'd work FINE...just NOT FOR ME... it'd take me 2 weeks to get er done.. lol lynx
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Post by robertw on Jul 20, 2007 21:23:59 GMT -6
I use a gas (Fish cooking) burner to wax and dye my traps with.
I only chip the mud off of the bottom of my wax about every third year or so, normally about two inches deep by then. If your traps are clean when you wax them....It takes alot of traps to accumalte much debris or "mud" in the bottom of your wax pot (I'm guessing maybe 1200 traps).
One thing that does fill a wax pot full of debris though is if you dye your traps with walnut hulls! I do love the smell of walnut hulls boiling in trap dye though.....brings back a lot of fond child hood trap line memories!
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Post by scott kimball on Jul 20, 2007 21:45:47 GMT -6
Heat the pot first.. then tip it over and the wax slides out.(weed burner works well for this procedure) Thanks mike this could have gotten good.just joking mark LOL
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Post by Bristleback on Jul 21, 2007 0:40:29 GMT -6
Bryce, I use an 80 qt pot to dye, I use a JET burner, this will boil water in a hurry........I give the traps a good "car washin" after season to clean them up, but guess still ol fashioned a bit as I still dye.
As to waxing, I use a turkey pot, a stainless steel pot, not aluminum, had an aluminum pot get TOOOO hot one time, fold in, seconds from a disaster.......NEVER again. I use a regular turkey cooker for a heat source and since the near accident have always had a wire lead thermometer in my wax........I know exactly how hot the wax is. I have an electric thermometer which has a HIGH temp ALARM and a timer.......I'd have to check the size of my wax pot, I may go bigger some day as 4 #3 is about all it will handle at a time. Dying is a cinch, waxing takes a little time. I too can't remember the last time I changed wax, cut off the bottom, like Bob says, just add more wax.........diggings not been an issue either.
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Post by jim on Jul 21, 2007 4:19:39 GMT -6
I had this picture on here before, a lot of old propane tanks around with the new regulations on them,just be sure there isn't any gas in them and cut the top off, makes a very sturdy pot and the cost is almost zero, also got an old burner from a water tank for free from the junk yard. jim
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Post by Freak( Jim V.) on Jul 21, 2007 4:31:34 GMT -6
I rig 3 burners under a cut down 55 gallon drum to boil traps , then have regular turkey pot to wax.Waxin is fast. I get new ones throughout the year as I see them on clearance cause they really dont seem to last too long.
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Post by mikespring on Jul 21, 2007 5:56:49 GMT -6
I did not say to melt the wax...just heat the pot up enough by running the weed burner back and forth and the wax will slide out.
Left quite the impression on ya Bob J I see....What was in that white jug you were passing around??? tasted good, but it sure put a hurtin on me!!!
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Post by Bob Jameson on Jul 21, 2007 7:00:23 GMT -6
Gosh Mike it was just eggnog with some secret spices added to it from the lure shed.Kind of sneaks up on a man doesnt it.
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Post by robertw on Jul 21, 2007 8:10:36 GMT -6
Jim, Thank you so much for the propane tank / pot idea!!!! I have half a dozen of the old 100 pound cylinders out at the farm with bad valves in them! A VERY GOOD IDEA!!
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Post by billcat on Jul 21, 2007 11:05:46 GMT -6
Before you wax traps, heat a rod or handle (doesn't need to be any hotter than to melt its way into the wax) of some kind and stick it in the cold, solid wax. Let cool completely. When you heat the pot for waxing, the wax around the edges melts first. Lift the big block of wax out as soon as its free and clean the pot and whatever goobers are on the bottom of the wax block. Put the block back in and go ahead with the waxing. Add new wax as needed to bring it back to the level you want.
Needless to say, be careful about getting hot wax on you. If you get some drips on your boots, they'll be waterproof.
Bill
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Post by Maineman on Jul 21, 2007 19:12:25 GMT -6
IWhat was in that white jug you were passing around??? tasted good, but it sure put a hurtin on me!!! Ditto on the hurting...The white stuff came after the 2 bottles of homemade wine/lure, and beers... ;D I also use the turkey frier for waxing...been using the same wax for 5 years...Is there a preoblem with just adding wax to the pot? Fill me in... Dave Z
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Post by stickbowhntr on Jul 21, 2007 19:42:38 GMT -6
RObertW...One thing that does fill a wax pot full of debris though is if you dye your traps with walnut hulls! I do love the smell of walnut hulls boiling in trap dye though.....brings back a lot of fond child hood trap line memories!!!
me too, now that made me feel old !
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Post by fishadict on Jul 21, 2007 20:14:54 GMT -6
I have been accused of taking too good of care of my equipment, and I have to admit it is true. I use a canning pot on a propane burner for a wash boil - 15-20 minutes gets most of the wax off at a rolling boil. Traps then go in a dye pot on another burner for an hour at simmer or just below. Next day I heat wax on a Coleman stove in a stock pot that has a cover. I like the coleman stove because I can keep the flame very low to avoid over-heating the wax. With the stock pot I wax traps singly, then hang on hooks until the wax solidifies. I am only doing a hundred or so small footholds, so if one had more to do they could upsize their pots.
With the wash boil, then simmer, the traps are really clean when they go in the wax, so I just add wax each year to bring it up to the level I want.
fa
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