Potting and removing wax

[pulpadded]

When I pot humbuckers, I have had difficulty getting them clean after. I have taped the front with masking tape but it often gets in poles, between coils, and stuck in the corner of the pickup where the leads connect, which is visible and difficult to remove. How do you clean up after a picked is potted?

[Helmholtz]

I wrap the PU in tissues while the wax is still liquid after potting, allow to soak and unwrap before cooling down.

[mozz]

I preheat before potting. When you remove it from the wax bath, most excess should drip off. If it's not, chances are the pickup is only potted on the outside and is too cool, that's why the wax solidifies so quickly. Could be the wax mixture too. These Hold Heet hide glue pots are great but i don't know if you can buy them anymore.

[big_teee]

I use a commercial grade hand hair dryer.
Just heat up the surface wax and wipe it off.
Works slick.
T

[Chuck H]

What mozz and big_teee said.

If you're at temp when the pickup is removed the excess will drip off. If it doesn't do this acceptably then heating with a hair dryer to re melt surface wax and wiping with a cloth works a treat. I'm a little proud that I've come to these same answers on my own and these experienced guys use them as method. Anyway,.. This is a backup to the replies for what has worked regarding your question. +1

EDIT: If your pickups aren't daraining such that they have wax buildup on the outside I'll speculate that you don't have sufficient internal temperature for proper potting at the inside of the coils. If your wax is liquid then let it sit. Provided the temp doesn't compromise the magnets. Which is a pretty tall consequence. Potting pickups ins't a race. It's a method. Not so hot that it can compromise the parts but enough time to allow penetration.

EDIT 2: It's been a long time since I potted a pickup and my rig is pretty clunky (a modified coffee maker). But IIRC I targeted 150°F (65.5°C). Since my coffee maker hot plate is not as gentle as a double boiler or dedicated hot wax pot I have a couple of wooden sticks in the pot that I set the pickups on to elevate them from the bottom. At this temperature any magnets used in guitar pickups should be safe. I think an hour in the wax was recommended but IME it never takes that long. About thirty minutes and the whole pickup should be hot enough for penetration and 90% of the exterior wax will drain off when the pickup is removed or can be wiped off while the pickup is still hot.

[kayakerca]

I preheat before potting. When you remove it from the wax bath, most excess should drip off. If it's not, chances are the pickup is only potted on the outside and is too cool, that's why the wax solidifies so quickly. Could be the wax mixture too. These Hold Heet hide glue pots are great but i don't know if you can buy them anymore.

Couldn't agree more. IMO, preheating the pickup up to near the temperature of the wax pot is key to getting the pickup potted as deep as you need and provide for easy cleaning of the exterior wax from the bobbins when they are removed.