Before dopping a stone, I heat it in a small toaster oven set very low. I've never measured the temperature of the oven, but am guessing maybe 175F. I am able to handle the stones with my bare fingers when they come out, but they are quite warm (much warmer than they would get from sitting on the dop-pot). This may not be appropriate for all stones (opal, and perhaps others), so be careful. I heat agates and jaspers this way with no problems, though.

I use regular green wax heated in a commercial dop-pot (Rock Rascal). I made a collection of dopsticks for myself using brass tubing (1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 in.), a tubing cutter, and a flaring tool. I just put the flared end of the stick right into the dop-pot, let it warm up, use it to pick up some wax, then dop it onto the warm stone that I've pulled from the oven. This works very well for me and the stones don't normally come off the sticks until I want them to.

Although some folks re-use their dop-wax, I've found that it doesn't bond as well if it's re-used. I think you can add a little shellac to used wax to rejuvenate it for continuous re-use, but I've never tried that.

From Sam K - November 12, 2009 at 04:26:29

Message: 68530