Wax Tablet Making

Nowadays, if you need to write something down, you can reach for a notebook, a tablet or even your phone, but the Romans didn't have those luxuries. The Romans lived day-to-day with limited resources, and out of necessity, they had to discover ways to be clever with what they had. Through this process of discovery, they created a renewable form of writing implement – the wax tablet.

The wax tablet is a simple creation. It resembles a wooden box lled to the brim with molten wax. This wax is allowed to harden to create a solid, but malleable surface. The tablets are simple enough to use, simply scratch whatever you wish to write into the surface of the wax. When you're done, reheat the surface to erase it, then reuse it. Repeat ad nauseam.

How to make your own Roman-inspired wax tablet

Materials

• Balsa wood

• A thin sheet of plywood (3mm)

• Wood glue

• A small amount of clay

• Wax pellets

Tools

• Cutting mat

• Craft knife

• A pot to heat the wax up in

• Sandpaper (120 grit preferable)

Method

1. Cut the plywood to roughly the size of an A6 piece of paper. You can cut it larger if you wish, but you will need more wax and balsa wood.

2. Measure the balsa wood against the plywood rectangle and cut four strips of the balsa wood to create a border around the outside of the plywood. Each piece should be the same length as a side of the plywood minus the width of the balsa wood.

3. Once you have prepared your balsa wood, glue each strip down around the outside using the wood glue so that each strip butts up against the next strip.

4. Wait for the glue to dry completely. If possible, clamp the balsa wood strips down so they don’t slip.

5. Once the glue has dried and is rmly attached, sand the outside edges of your wax tablet to remove any sharp corners.

6. Once the corners are smooth, press a small amount of clay along the inside seam of the tablet, where the balsa wood meets the plywood. This is to prevent any leaks later, so make sure to seal it thoroughly.

7. Heat the wax pellets until they have melted completely. The wax will be very hot, so be careful not to scald yourself.

8. Once the wax has melted, transfer some of the wax into a pourable container. Lay your tablet at on a table, balsa wood side up, and carefully pour the wax into the centre.

9. Allow the wax to dry completely, this may take an hour or so. The wax will change from clear to opaque as it dries. Try not to disturb or touch it during the process, so that your tablet can dry at.