Machinable wax is an extremely hard wax that has been formulated to deliver exceptional machining properties including high resolution detail. Since it is harder and has a higher melting temperature than most other waxes, machinable wax can be machined, cut, or shaped using standard metalworking or woodworking equipment. High quality surface detail and dimensional accuracy are possible. Machinable Wax is ideal for verifying CNC machining programs. It can also be used to produce accurate molds and prototypes. Machinable Wax is available in both blocks and cylinders. We stock the most commonly requested sizes and can usually provide alternate sizes on request.

Machinable wax offers distinct advantages over other prototyping materials for some applications. The product is environmentally friendly and the shavings produce no harmful dust or hazardous odors. The material is self-lubricating and easy on tooling.

Machinable wax can be recycled. The shavings and unused pieces of material can be re-melted and formed back into useable material. This attribute can substantially reduce the cost of using machinable wax over other materials. We've put together a short video that will give you a few idea and show you what to expect if you want to try recycling yourself. LINK TO RECYCLING VIDEO >>

The self-releasing properties of machinable wax make it an ideal choice to use as a master model. Epoxies and polyurethanes can be poured directly onto the wax surface without the need for sealers or release agents. You can also bond machinable wax pieces together by using a cyanoacrylate adhesive (Super Glue, Crazy Glue, etc.) or for smaller pieces a spray on adhesive such as the #90 Hi-Strength Spray Adhesive from the 3M company can work well.

Suggested Machining Information and tips for Machinable Wax:
Some small CNC machines can't reach the RPM or feed rate shown below. That's okay. Using a small cutter under 1/2" diameter, you can get great results with spindle speeds as low as 1000 RPM and feed rates as low as 10 inches per minute. Generally, you'll get the best results by using a cutter design and spindle speed that allows you to effectively clear the chips from the cutting area. Cutters with fewer flutes or teeth and deep gullets are generally better for clearing chips. If you are running at high spindle speeds or using cutters smaller than .050", you might benefit by using compressed air, a vacuum, or coolant as a way to remove the chips from the cutting area. Ineffective chip removal or too-deep cuts will often result in "compaction" or a poor surface finish.

(This example was obtained using 1/2" end mill. If you slow down the feed rate then you can reduce the RPM):

• Roughing: Spindle speed 3,000 rpm at ~ 100 inches per minute
• Finishing: Spindle speed 8,000 to 10,000 rpm at ~ 40-100 inches per minute

Regarding coloring... It is a misconception that the color of machinable wax represents its hardness characteristics. Some manufacturers produce wax materials in different hardnesses and use different dyes to indicate their hardness. You can not compare one color of wax to another manufacterers product and hope to understand any of its material properties. The only way to compare hardness or any other property of a wax blend is to compare its specifications. We provide a lot of detail on our product so that you can make an accurate assesment. There may be a benefit to using the blue coloring as an aid to enhance visual accuity.

Specifications for our Blue Blend Machinable Wax:

Extremely hard, hybrid platicized wax blend. Recommended for high resolution CNC milling and turning. This wax is somewhat more flexible than our gold blend when milled in small pieces. Available in small, medium and large pieces. This wax is not considered carveable.

• Hardness: 50-55 (Shore "D" Scale)
• Penetration @77 deg. F, 150g (dmm) = 13.0
• Flexibility: Low
  
• Specific Gravity: 0.92
• Specific Density: 0.03472 pounds / cubic inch or, 0.9137 grams / cubic cm
  
• Flash Point (COC): 575 degrees F
  
• Softening Point: 226 degrees F
• Drop melting point = 227 degrees (F)
  
• Volumetric Shrinkage (for recycling, from melting point to room temp): 5%
  
• Ash content for lost wax casting applications is low (.0054%)
• Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (in./in. ºF): 9.5 x 10^-5
• Coloring: blue dye, permanent, oil base

Specifications for our Gold Blend Machinable Wax:

Extremely hard, hybrid plasticized wax blend. Recommended for high resolution CNC milling. Works better when using extremely small milling cutters ( less than .050") and high spindle speeds. Available in small and medium size pieces. This wax is also considered to be carveable. This wax is more "stiff" (and brittle) than the blue wax and so it may produce a better "chip-break" with small cutters, especially if you are not using liquid or air coolant. May be a better choice when machining extremely small or thin pieces of material (example: impellers, heat sinks, thin walled items, delicate jewelry, etc..) since it doesn't bend as much as our blue wax. Excellent choice for lost wax casting applications. Because of it's special characteristics, it is not available in pieces thicker than 4 inches.

Even though we call this our gold blend, the actual color is similar to caramel.

• Hardness: 53-58 (Shore "D" Scale)
• Penetration @77 deg. F, 150g (dmm) = 13.0
• Viscosity (Brookfield Thermosel) @300F = 2029CPS (20RPM); @260F 3625CPS (10RPM)
• Flexibility: Extremely low
  
• Specific Gravity: 0.99
• Specific Density: 0.03472 pounds / cubic inch or, 0.9137 grams / cubic cm
  
• Flash Point: 575 degrees F
  
• Softening Point: 230 degrees F
• Drop melting point = 231 degrees (F)
  
• Volumetric Shrinkage (for recycling, from melting point to room temp): 5%
  
• Ash content (ICI 1.0) for lost wax casting applications is low ( <0.015%)
• Coloring: brown/yellow dye, permanent, oil base