Ok, so I got another transformer rapped and I don't want to heat up the wire to burn off the Varnish.

I thought ok before I solder the wires to the pins, I can scrape the wires with a razor or draw with sandpaper.

But what about finger nail polish remover or Lacquer thinner?

How do you do it?

kv

 

I just scrape it with my pocket knife.

 

me im lazy and use either sandpaper or a needle file depending on the gauge of wire used.....

 

Same thing, I usually use a Box cutter blade if the gauge takes it.
Max.

 

Hello,

Some use a torch to burn the coating away:
http://community.klipsch.com/forums/p/139941/1421812.aspx

Bertus

 

I mentioned this to my Daughter how big of a pain it was scrapping. Plus, I didn't like the thought of removing any copper Sandpaper etc.

I said it's a Lacquer on the wire, suddenly she thought finger nails and said finger nail polish remover, then I said I have some lacquer thinner.

I thought with all the experienced members this might cue someones memory and such.

Maybe, I'll just experiment on a cutoff.

Thanks,
kv

 

Overheating can cause oxides to form on the wire and increase resistance once soldered (if the solder sticks well). Scrape it off is best.

 

Overheating can cause oxides to form on the wire and increase resistance once soldered (if the solder sticks well). Scrape it off is best.

I'm thinking now that you said that, if solder bond to the surface much like paint, maybe sandpaper is the way to go, although scrapping does much the same thing.

It's just easier to get more of the wire at a time by drawing thru sandpaper.

Edit: I think I have some emery.

 

I'm thinking now that you said that, if solder bond to the surface much like paint, maybe sandpaper is the way to go, although scrapping does much the same thing.

It's just easier to get more of the wire at a time by drawing thru sandpaper.

Edit: I think I have some emery.

Yes, scrape was a general term for any mechanical method instead of a thermal method. The exact coating and wire gauge kind of determines what mechanical method (and which coarseness/fineness of sandpaper/Emory works best (or even a blade sometimes works best for larger wires and rubbery coatings.

 

I remembered, when I was doing Heating & Air-conditioning back in the 80's, emery was preferred before sweating a joint.

Here's a pic

 

Ok, so I got another transformer rapped and I don't want to heat up the wire to burn off the Varnish.

I thought ok before I solder the wires to the pins, I can scrape the wires with a razor or draw with sandpaper.

But what about finger nail polish remover or Lacquer thinner?

How do you do it?

kv

A company I once worked for bought in vacuum impregnated transformers, the laquer was pretty impenetrable.

Their solution for cleaning production quantities was a short stub of bolt shank with a just bigger than the wire dia' hole drilled slightly off-centre. Put that in the chuck of a pillar drill and some poor sap has to stand there all day feeding it transformer wires.

In the UK; we have Oxley Developments who market varios resin disintegrator solvents, or Nitro-Moores paint & varnish stripper.

 

A company I once worked for bought in vacuum impregnated transformers, the laquer was pretty impenetrable.

Their solution for cleaning production quantities was a short stub of bolt shank with a just bigger than the wire dia' hole drilled slightly off-centre. Put that in the chuck of a pillar drill and some poor sap has to stand there all day feeding it transformer wires.

In the UK; we have Oxley Developments who market varios resin disintegrator solvents, or Nitro-Moores paint & varnish stripper.

In the other Forum I posted in this is one of the things someone said.

Finger nail polish, lacquer thinner, even "aircraft" paint remover won't work. Assuming you are using magnet wire that is not solderable, I would use either scrapping or a molten salt bath (KOH or NaOH). A little NaNO3 (10% to 20%, not critical) added helps enormously. The reaction is quick and the wires come out bright copper.


John

Edit: I can't post his picture of his "Hot Pot"

 

That molten salt bath is incredibly dangerous. Kind of like sticking you finger in a solder pot. Your skin will come off just about as quickly as the enamel.

 

Lacquer thinner [ the label ] is a blend of several rather potent solvents... Ergo the best bet, is to abrade the coating with 800 grit wet-or-dry emory paper folded in half, and gently draw the end of your wire out of a pinch a few times, and then rinse w/ the lacquer thinner on a "Q" tip...

Burning, will degrade the copper, and make it brittle, especially in some finer guages...

 

Lacquer thinner [ the label ] is a blend of several rather potent solvents... Ergo the best bet, is to abrade the coating with 800 grit wet-or-dry emory paper folded in half, and gently draw the end of your wire out of a pinch a few times, and then rinse w/ the lacquer thinner on a "Q" tip...

Burning, will degrade the copper, and make it brittle, especially in some finer guages...

I ended up using emery, 400 was to slow, 800 might work real well.

 

That molten salt bath is incredibly dangerous. Kind of like sticking you finger in a solder pot. Your skin will come off just about as quickly as the enamel.

I'll stay away from that, he is really into chemistry. I'm a hack.

Leave that to the professionals.

kv

 

Here's a winders tool you can make for cleaning wires. Make different sizes. From a heavier blade for heavier wires. For fine wires I just burn carefully then touch up with fine sandpaper.

 

Here's a winders tool you can make for cleaning wires. Make different sizes. From a heavier blade for heavier wires. For fine wires I just burn carefully then touch up with fine sandpaper.

I'm thinking, this tool with a load of emery, on each side, might work.

Thank you.

kv

Edit: By your suggestion, burning first, Excellent

 

Be careful with fine wire using a blade because if you nick the wire it will be very susceptible to breaking at that point.

There are solvents specifically intended to remove the enamal from wire. I think the one we used when I was at NIST (haven't used it in a couple decades, so may not be around any more) was simply called Strip-X. You just opened the bottle, dipped the wires into it, removed them and recapped the bottle. The solvent was like a thin paste so a film of it stayed on the wires. Then you waited for a few minutes and wiped them clean with a paper towel or tissue and you were ready to solder. A bottle of that stuff just lasted forever. I was there for three years and several groups used the same bottle and it had pretty much the same amount in it when I left as when I started.

Having said that, it was nasty stuff that you didn't want getting on you and you didn't want to go breathing the fumes, but since it was open-dip-close and then wipe a tiny amount off it was quite tame in practice.

 

I use an open pair of wire strippers..I lay the top jaw of the strippers on the wire and just drag it off. I do not close the stripper, just use the contoured edge of the jaw to scrape it off. When I'm done on the top side, I turn the wire over and do the other..