easy way to refurbish tarnished copper wire?
 

I need to solder a new section of 14 gauge copper antenna wire to a
very old section of wire that is highly tarnished and very old. Other
than pulling each strand apart and attempting to sand off the tarnish
is there an easier way to remove it so that I can solder it
effectively?

Larry VE7EA
***************
remove "fake" from email address

I am told that soaking the wire in vinegar with a little salt added
shines it up nicely. This was a recent Hints and Kinks item. Buddies
tried it and say that it works. Seems to me that vinegar alone might
work, too. Good luck!

73, CJ K0CJ

Larry Gagnon wrote:

I need to solder a new section of 14 gauge copper antenna wire to a
very old section of wire that is highly tarnished and very old. Other
than pulling each strand apart and attempting to sand off the tarnish
is there an easier way to remove it so that I can solder it
effectively?

Larry VE7EA
***************
remove "fake" from email address

"Larry Gagnon" wrote in
I need to solder a new section of 14 gauge copper antenna wire to a
very old section of wire that is highly tarnished and very old. Other
than pulling each strand apart and attempting to sand off the tarnish
is there an easier way to remove it so that I can solder it
effectively?

Larry, try a solution of sulphuric acid (avalable at retail) for cleaning
and preparing copper joints for soldering. This has been used in
plumbing/pipefitting trades for decades to make a clean joint for soldering.
It should work as well on stranded copper. From your description of the old
wire condition however, your efforts would be better served by just
replacing the old wire and using all new material.

Jack
Virginia Beach VA

In article , Larry Gagnon wrote:
I need to solder a new section of 14 gauge copper antenna wire to a
very old section of wire that is highly tarnished and very old. Other
than pulling each strand apart and attempting to sand off the tarnish
is there an easier way to remove it so that I can solder it
effectively?

Soak it in Coca-Cola.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson

Vinegar and salt solution.

Larry Gagnon wrote:
I need to solder a new section of 14 gauge copper antenna wire to a
very old section of wire that is highly tarnished and very old. Other
than pulling each strand apart and attempting to sand off the tarnish
is there an easier way to remove it so that I can solder it
effectively?

Larry VE7EA
***************
remove "fake" from email address

On Wed, 5 May 2004 19:02:32 +0000 (UTC), (Geoffrey
S. Mendelson) wrote:

In article , Larry Gagnon wrote:
I need to solder a new section of 14 gauge copper antenna wire to a
very old section of wire that is highly tarnished and very old. Other
than pulling each strand apart and attempting to sand off the tarnish
is there an easier way to remove it so that I can solder it
effectively?

Soak it in Coca-Cola.

I used to pour Coke on my corroded car battery terminals. Sure cleaned
'em up. Makes ya wonder, tho', what Coke must do to your stomach :-(

Bob
k5qwg


Geoff.

Hi
we learned in science class that the acid in our stomachs is very strong
so the stomach has a protective lining !

june





Soak it in Coca-Cola.

I used to pour Coke on my corroded car battery terminals. Sure cleaned
'em up. Makes ya wonder, tho', what Coke must do to your stomach :-(

Bob
k5qwg


Geoff.

Bill wrote:

Vinegar and salt solution.


I have some stranded antenna wire which has been very corroded and a
real pain to clean up.

I tried the vinegar and salt solution recently and it works just great,
each strand is clean and easily soldered.

I have not tried the coke idea but will try to remember next time we
have some coke around the house.

Dave

"Bob Miller" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 5 May 2004 19:02:32 +0000 (UTC), (Geoffrey
S. Mendelson) wrote:

In article , Larry Gagnon
wrote:
I need to solder a new section of 14 gauge copper antenna wire to a
very old section of wire that is highly tarnished and very old. Other
than pulling each strand apart and attempting to sand off the tarnish
is there an easier way to remove it so that I can solder it
effectively?

Soak it in Coca-Cola.

I used to pour Coke on my corroded car battery terminals. Sure cleaned
'em up. Makes ya wonder, tho', what Coke must do to your stomach :-(

Bob
k5qwg


Geoff.



Try throwing up on you battery terminals; I think you'll find that your gut
contents are more acidic than Coke.

If you want some serious acidic cleaning, just buy some Muriatic acid at the
local hardware store, typically only about $5 per gallon. This is really
hydrochloric acid, and does a really great job removing rust from steel or
corrosion from other metals. Be extremely careful, this is as active a
cleaner as you can readily buy. Use it full strength. The fumes are
dangerous, and it works fast, sometimes too fast. Get some old Pyrex trays
and bowls to work in, and get a pair of long barbecue tongs to hold your
items.

Not enough danger in HV or RF? Then expand into chemistry!


Ed
WB6WSN

I have a hard enough time throwing up in the toilet when the need
calls....it's like sneezing while urinating!!


"Ed Price" wrote in message
news:1XHmc.19673$fE.6293@fed1read02...

"Bob Miller" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 5 May 2004 19:02:32 +0000 (UTC), (Geoffrey
S. Mendelson) wrote:

In article , Larry Gagnon
wrote:
I need to solder a new section of 14 gauge copper antenna wire to a
very old section of wire that is highly tarnished and very old. Other
than pulling each strand apart and attempting to sand off the tarnish
is there an easier way to remove it so that I can solder it
effectively?

Soak it in Coca-Cola.

I used to pour Coke on my corroded car battery terminals. Sure cleaned
'em up. Makes ya wonder, tho', what Coke must do to your stomach :-(

Bob
k5qwg


Geoff.



Try throwing up on you battery terminals; I think you'll find that your
gut
contents are more acidic than Coke.

If you want some serious acidic cleaning, just buy some Muriatic acid at
the
local hardware store, typically only about $5 per gallon. This is really
hydrochloric acid, and does a really great job removing rust from steel or
corrosion from other metals. Be extremely careful, this is as active a
cleaner as you can readily buy. Use it full strength. The fumes are
dangerous, and it works fast, sometimes too fast. Get some old Pyrex trays
and bowls to work in, and get a pair of long barbecue tongs to hold your
items.

Not enough danger in HV or RF? Then expand into chemistry!


Ed
WB6WSN

In message , Larry Gagnon
writes
I need to solder a new section of 14 gauge copper antenna wire to a
very old section of wire that is highly tarnished and very old. Other
than pulling each strand apart and attempting to sand off the tarnish
is there an easier way to remove it so that I can solder it
effectively?

I used to use something known here in the UK as "Baker's Fluid" . It's a
mixture of zinc and ammonium chloride. The salt and vinegar trick
mentioned below works, but it depends how bad the tarnishing is.

Brian GM4DIJ
--
Brian Howie

"Bill Turner" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 7 May 2004 01:39:32 -0700, "Ed Price" wrote:

Try throwing up on you [sic] battery terminals

__________________________________________________ _______

Just when I think I've heard everything...

--
Bill, W6WRT
QSLs via LoTW



Hmmm, didn't mean to offend, nor to imply that this was the preferred
method. However, my entire comment was "Try throwing up on your battery
terminals; I think you'll find that your gut contents are more acidic than
Coke."

This was an invitation to empirical inquiry, engendered by the original
poster's tired old comment about how Coke must really do horrible things in
your tummy, since it is also able to act as a metal cleaner.

Hams have no special dispensation to be ignorant about chemistry.


Ed
WB6WSN

On Sat, 8 May 2004 05:05:56 -0700, "Ed Price" wrote:

This was an invitation to empirical inquiry, engendered by the original
poster's tired old comment about how Coke must really do horrible things in
your tummy, since it is also able to act as a metal cleaner.

Hams have no special dispensation to be ignorant about chemistry.

Hi Ed,

Then the following instruction would be suitable:
http://www.realscience.breckschool.o...5/Website.html
wherein it states:
"Parietal cells in the stomach lining secrete HCl. The pH level of
the stomach ranges from 1.5 to 3.5. The molarity of the HCl is then
approximately 0.01 M.
... "Coca Cola is acidic because the reaction between carbon
dioxide and the other ingredients of the soda produces carbonic acid.
Coca Cola Classic has a pH of 2.5..."

Brian Howie wrote:

In message , Larry Gagnon
writes

I need to solder a new section of 14 gauge copper antenna wire to a
very old section of wire that is highly tarnished and very old. Other
than pulling each strand apart and attempting to sand off the tarnish
is there an easier way to remove it so that I can solder it
effectively?


I used to use something known here in the UK as "Baker's Fluid" . It's a
mixture of zinc and ammonium chloride. The salt and vinegar trick
mentioned below works, but it depends how bad the tarnishing is.


Make sure to clean that wire off really well after soldering it. All
these suggestions are basically putting acid flux on the wires.

- Mike KB3EIA -

Richard Clark wrote:
On Sat, 8 May 2004 05:05:56 -0700, "Ed Price" wrote:


This was an invitation to empirical inquiry, engendered by the original
poster's tired old comment about how Coke must really do horrible things in
your tummy, since it is also able to act as a metal cleaner.

Hams have no special dispensation to be ignorant about chemistry.


Hi Ed,

Then the following instruction would be suitable:
http://www.realscience.breckschool.o...5/Website.html
wherein it states:
"Parietal cells in the stomach lining secrete HCl. The pH level of
the stomach ranges from 1.5 to 3.5. The molarity of the HCl is then
approximately 0.01 M.
... "Coca Cola is acidic because the reaction between carbon
dioxide and the other ingredients of the soda produces carbonic acid.
Coca Cola Classic has a pH of 2.5..."


coca cola also has phosphoric acid in it

yodar

YODAR wrote:
coca cola also has phosphoric acid in it

Used to etch glass?



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

YODAR wrote:
Richard Clark wrote:
On Sat, 8 May 2004 05:05:56 -0700, "Ed Price" wrote:


This was an invitation to empirical inquiry, engendered by the original
poster's tired old comment about how Coke must really do horrible things in
your tummy, since it is also able to act as a metal cleaner.

Hams have no special dispensation to be ignorant about chemistry.


Hi Ed,

Then the following instruction would be suitable:
http://www.realscience.breckschool.o...5/Website.html
wherein it states:
"Parietal cells in the stomach lining secrete HCl. The pH level of
the stomach ranges from 1.5 to 3.5. The molarity of the HCl is then
approximately 0.01 M.
... "Coca Cola is acidic because the reaction between carbon
dioxide and the other ingredients of the soda produces carbonic acid.
Coca Cola Classic has a pH of 2.5..."


coca cola also has phosphoric acid in it

yodar

So do beer, jams and jellies, and cheeses.

Pphosphoric acid is a week acid, and the pH of Coca Cola is still 2.5.

What's your point?

--
Jim Pennino

Remove -spam-sux to reply.

Cecil Moore wrote:
YODAR wrote:
coca cola also has phosphoric acid in it

Used to etch glass?

You're probably thinking of hydrofluoric acid.

Phosphoric acid is a rather common food flavoring agent.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove -spam-sux to reply.

On Sun, 09 May 2004 16:35:39 GMT, YODAR wrote:
... "Coca Cola is acidic because the reaction between carbon
dioxide and the other ingredients of the soda produces carbonic acid.
Coca Cola Classic has a pH of 2.5..."
coca cola also has phosphoric acid in it

Hi OM,

I was going to point that out, but hit the send button while fumbling
among the keys.

Phosphoric acid is a very good metal brightener. I used it when
cleaning shipboard equipment for Gov. contracts. I recall one fellow
in our group who picked up a coffee cup to use it as a solvent holder,
poured some in, and immediately dissolved the bottom right out. It
was as though he poured it straight through a sleeve.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC