Foundation making

[mbc]

I spent a bit of time this evening converting wax into foundations using herring plates and an old mangle, most enjoyable and productive!

 

[Amari]

Good work! What are herring plates please?

 

[JamezF]

Good work! What are herring plates please?

As far as I'm aware they're a pair of (metal?) plates carrying (in this case) the foundation pattern such that a sheet of wax can be placed between them, then pressed (using the mangle) to emboss the pattern into the wax.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Good work! What are herring plates please?

crockery for kippers

 

[Olivia9801]

crockery for kippers

Excellent and well done. Are you going to put the wire strengtheners in as well? How much wax in weight did you start off with??

 

[JamezF]

How much wax in weight did you start off with??

That would be interesting to know. My first efforts with my silicone mould were around 120g per sheet whereas Thorne suggest about 75g per sheet with theirs (which is close to identical as far as I can see). Mine are improving as I get more practiced though.

I'd also be interested to know how you cut them to size. I have one of those heated foam-cutting wires that I'm tempted to try, and failing that a hot knife of some sort.

(I'm making this stuff up as I go along. Can you tell?)

James

 

[JamezF]

As far as I'm aware they're a pair of (metal?) plates carrying (in this case) the foundation pattern such that a sheet of wax can be placed between them, then pressed (using the mangle) to emboss the pattern into the wax.

In fact, if you zoom in on the photo, I believe there's one half of the set of plates behind the large stack of foundation.

James

 

[Parsonage Bees]

I'd also be interested to know how you cut them to size.

Pizza cutter.
Wax needs to be warm.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Pizza cutter.
Wax needs to be warm.

as long as the wax is not so cold as to be brittle, it will work in just ambient room shed temperature

 

[JamezF]

as long as the wax is not so cold as to be brittle, it will work in just ambient room shed temperature

I might have to sit it in the airing cupboard for a while then. "Shed temperature" has turned a little brisk over the last few days.

James

 

[mbc]

Good work! What are herring plates please?

A pair of hard but slightly flexible plastic sheets embossed with comb pattern, excellent 1970's technology still going strong, I can't find anything equivalent available new.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Those sheets look better than mine. Maybe I'd get better, more consistent thickness if I mounted the silicon sheets on some plywood and ran it through a mangle. ?
Not that I have a mangle.

 

[pargyle]

Those sheets look better than mine. Maybe I'd get better, more consistent thickness if I mounted the silicon sheets on some plywood and ran it through a mangle. ?
Not that I have a mangle.

and good luck finding one these days ! Anyone below 60 won't even know what a mangle is .., let alone what it was originally used for ! Ours went in the late 1950's along with the ribbed wash tub, the washboard and the dolly !

 

[pargyle]

I spent a bit of time this evening converting wax into foundations using herring plates and an old mangle, most enjoyable and productive!

My goodness that mangle has seen some action ! Is it electric or a handle one ... do you make flat sheets first and then press them ?

 

[JamezF]

Anyone below 60 won't even know what a mangle is

Raises hand. Under 60 and not only know what a mangle is and its original purpose, but even have one, stuffed in the back of the workshop somewhere Sadly it had been rather savagely attacked by woodworm by the time it came into my possession, but I live in hope of making it functional once again.

James

 

[Garry R]

I had a mangle I wanted for wax making - but found it wasn't needed. Also fairly important it is not too worn.

I also had a metal foundation press which was excellent but for some reason every now and again the wax would stick to it even though I used fairy liquid release agent. Never found out why but the silicone ones do not have that problem - no release agent needed. Also the metal plates take an age to cool while silicone doesn't,

As regards cutting to size - make up a plywood template the right size and cut round it. I generally remove the foundation sheet and place it on a glass chopping board, reload the mould and then cut the previous sheet which is still pliable using a stanley knife. It speeds the process up no end.

 

[JamezF]

Hmmm. I wonder if I could laser cut it?

James

 

[Garry R]

Sadly it had been rather savagely attacked by woodworm by the time it came into my possession, but I live in hope of making it functional once again.

This seems to be your role in life and I applaud you. Same here!!!! Mend and make it better.

 

[pargyle]

Raises hand. Under 60 and not only know what a mangle is and its original purpose, but even have one, stuffed in the back of the workshop somewhere Sadly it had been rather savagely attacked by woodworm by the time it came into my possession, but I live in hope of making it functional once again.

James

They are now much prized by the hand car wash people ... dig it out of the shed - £100 or so on ebay - that's a few sheets of foundation ! Find me a couple of pieces of beech the right size and the wormy rollers are easily replaced.