melt pot blew like a geyser

[Tess]

Went & looked at the presto pots, found the $20 one but didn't get it. I'd like to get the model w/spicot that some of you have talked about. Wal-mart didn't have it. Otherwise, whatta ya'll do..dip out the wax?

The spigots have to installed, or you can buy them on Ebay already modified. Also bear in mind like Bruce said the prestos Are also direct heat, but more controlled. SO keep an eye on the temp!!

Oh and NEVER put the lid on it. I never cover mine. I get dust in there, but IT just sits on the bottom of the presto, and I just wipe clean when it empties every so often!!

[Donita]

Glad you are ok....it happened to me ONCE.....I keep my overdip wax in an old stainless steel champagne bucket....perfect size....and melt in a DB.....well ..one day it exploded. I found that if I start the heat a little cooler and COVER the pot it doesn't happen. I heard an explosion of sorts today in my big Weck canner, but I had the heavy lid on so no harm was done....I had left about 2 inches of wax in the bottom and then put more slabs on top of that. When people think that they can just go an make candles because "it must be a fun hobby".....I want to choke them.....we all have to work so hard and learn so much. I once met a woman in Idaho who bought some candles from me. She said she used to be a candlemaker and had a business but wouldn't make candles anymore. She came home from work, put on her wax, direct heat....changed her clothes and the next thing she knew her house was on fire, burned down and she was severly burned.....scarey....she was only out of the room for a short period of time, but wax is flamable. Please be careful. I am the OLD ONE on the board.....so I can act like a mother.

[Pam W]

Oh and NEVER put the lid on it.

that's a good tip cause I probably would have!!

[sharyl55]

You can have eruptions with a presto also. That's what happened to Lin. The lesson I learned from Lin;s experience was to slowly heat up the wax then poke relief holes in my hurricane wax. You can wipe and wipe the molds off before pouring your hurricane wax back into the pot but odds are some water will get into the pot.

For all the newbies out there. NEVER put any kind of pot of wax directly on a burner. The few minutes it takes the water to get hot in a double boiler isn't worth the hazards.

[Tallbabydoll]

I've never had an explosion, but have had plenty of spills. Glad to hear that nothing really serious happened.

fo works great to break down and remove wax. Credit cards, putty knives, pretty much anything with a thin flat edge works pretty well at removing wax. From the hood I'd try using a heat gun or hair dryer on the opposite side of the metal from where the wax is. Heat the metal so the wax just wipes off, then use some remover/fo to remove any remaining residue. HTH

[SatinDucky]

Thankfully you're not hurt!

I have had this happen in a presto pot before too. But then I helped it by poking a hole The pot was full and wax was hard. I turned it on about 190. The bottom melts ALOT faster than the top or sides. I decided to poke holes in the wax. Never thought about the heated wax underneath needing to expand UNTIL I poked the first hole and ol Faithful blew! Luckily not too much had melted under there yet, so the mess wasn't too big...lol.

[Molly]

I'm SO glad nothing worse happened to you or your kitchen!!!!!!

[cindylou]

Wow! That is scarey. Glad you are ok.