Will these melt paraffin wax?

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Microworld Steve
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Will these melt paraffin wax?

#1 Post by Microworld Steve » Sun Feb 14, 2021 8:59 pm

Do these electric wax warmers get hot enough to melt paraffin wax for specimens for use with microtomes?
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jimur
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Re: Will these melt paraffin wax?

#2 Post by jimur » Mon Feb 15, 2021 3:32 am

I haven't used one like it, but a coffee warmer will melt paraffin so I imagine this would as well. The problem will be in controling the temp.
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Microworld Steve
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Re: Will these melt paraffin wax?

#3 Post by Microworld Steve » Mon Feb 15, 2021 4:23 am

jimur wrote:
Mon Feb 15, 2021 3:32 am
I haven't used one like it, but a coffee warmer will melt paraffin so I imagine this would as well. The problem will be in controlling the temp.
I'll put some in one of those paper cups that you use with the wax and see if it melts. If it does, I'll try pouring it into the specimen holder and microtome it. All I can do is try.
If I can't see it with my microscope, it ain't worth looking at. :D

BramHuntingNematodes
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Re: Will these melt paraffin wax?

#4 Post by BramHuntingNematodes » Mon Feb 15, 2021 4:25 am

If you have an incandescent light bulb and an adjustable lamp a 60w will melt a whole big jam jar of the stuff just put it close
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BramHuntingNematodes
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Re: Will these melt paraffin wax?

#5 Post by BramHuntingNematodes » Mon Feb 15, 2021 4:27 am

Oh the other advantage of heat from above is that you can just melt the top of the wax and the sample will drop to where the.wax is right at the melting temperature.
1942 Bausch and Lomb Series T Dynoptic, Custom Illumination

MicroBob
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Re: Will these melt paraffin wax?

#6 Post by MicroBob » Mon Feb 15, 2021 8:33 am

There are different types of paraffin for embedding. Leica Paraplast plus is what I use and it contains DMSO to get quicker infiltration. It mustn't be heated above 62°C and melts not before 56 or 58 °C. So I have to keep it withing a narrow and even temperature range to fully melt it and not overheat it. I use a cast aluminium cooking pot on a hot plate, heat isolation on the outside. The vessels I use are small jam jar 53ml and coffe cream pots from stainless steel. A hot plate is useful anyway so this might be a good approach for you too.

Bob
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mrsonchus
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Re: Will these melt paraffin wax?

#7 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Feb 15, 2021 8:46 am

Hi, here's a post I made re my wax-oven that may help.
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Greg Howald
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Re: Will these melt paraffin wax?

#8 Post by Greg Howald » Sun Feb 28, 2021 4:21 pm

If you put it in xlol - xylene, the paraffin will melt. No more than room temperature required. I saw that somewhere, tried it, and it worked.
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mrsonchus
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Re: Will these melt paraffin wax?

#9 Post by mrsonchus » Sun Feb 28, 2021 4:37 pm

Hi, yes wax will dissolve/melt in xylene or a limonene-based agent such as the Histoclear that I use.
But, this is only the wax antemedium, for infiltration prior to embedding then sectioning pure molten wax has to be used...
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Microworld Steve
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Re: Will these melt paraffin wax?

#10 Post by Microworld Steve » Sun Feb 28, 2021 7:05 pm

If I was doing this on a large scale, I would invest in a Lee Melting Pot with a bottom pour that's used for melting lead for molding bullets and dedicate it to melting paraffin wax for embedding specimens for my microtome.

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