Dave Platt wrote:
There's a paint-and-finish stripper of a similar name (Klean-Strip
Strip-X) available these days. Like the wire-"Strip-X" it contains
methylene chloride, but it has no cresol or ammonia. Its other
ingredients include toluene, xylene, and methanol, plus a thickener
(it's relatively goopy and would probably have to be wiped off of the
wire using a paper towel or Q-tip or something like that).

These chemicals all come with fire- and health-hazard warnings... if
you use 'em, do so with proper care and precautions!
=======================================
The ( potential health)problem chemicals are the C6H6-ring hydrocarbons
: toluene and xylene .

In addition to breathing the vapours , skin contact with the liquid is
outright dangerous
Most products containing these benzene/benzol derivatives are no longer
available to the public at large ,since they can cause cancer.
But.......they are very effective solvents.

Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH

On May 26, 12:43*pm, "W3CQH" wrote:
Does anybody have the name of the substance that was sold years ago for
removing the enamel coating from wires, or maybe the name of something new?
You would soak the wire in it and it would soften the coating and then you
just wiped the goop off the wire.

73's

I've always burned off the insulation with a lighter, removed the
remaining ash with a couple swipes of very fine sandpaper, and
tinned. Never had a problem yet.

Mike

On Wed, 28 May 2008 14:18:47 -0700 (PDT) Mike Silva
wrote:

On May 26, 12:43*pm, "W3CQH" wrote:
Does anybody have the name of the substance that was sold years ago for
removing the enamel coating from wires, or maybe the name of something new?
You would soak the wire in it and it would soften the coating and then you
just wiped the goop off the wire.

I've always burned off the insulation with a lighter, removed the
remaining ash with a couple swipes of very fine sandpaper, and
tinned. Never had a problem yet.

That's what I've always done, too, but the last time I suggested it,
all I heard were lots of complaints about how much easier it was to
spend a lot of time breathing odd fumes.

Yes, there certainly was a commercial product once sold for this
purpose, but I suspect the only reason it was out there was because
they knew they couldn't make much money selling "Wire Stripper Kits"
that consisted of a book of matches.

;-)

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------

The best product for stripping enamel wire is one which not many
hobbyists will have around the home: a solder pot.

Foster Transformer in Cincinnati used this method for stripping enamel
and tinning the ends of transformer leads simultaneously. All they did
was do straighten out the leads and dip the wire ends into the pot for
about five seconds.

Dave K8MN

On Jun 1, 1:24�pm, Dave Heil wrote:
The best product for stripping enamel wire is one which not many
hobbyists will have around the home: �a solder pot.

Yup. I've used them.

Of course someone might protest that the discussion is about doing the
job *chemically*....

Foster Transformer in Cincinnati used this method for stripping
enamel
and tinning the ends of transformer leads simultaneously. �All they did
was do straighten out the leads and dip the wire ends into the pot for about five seconds.

Pretty much standard in the electronics industry, really. Faster and
less costly than Strip-X for production work.

At Southgate Radio, for multiple units, an improvised solder pot is
made by heating a cleaned-out tuna can full of solder splashes over a
propane torch or stove burner(with appropriate safety precautions).
For small jobs, a blob of solder on the 100 watt American Beauty iron
does the job.

Elecraft transceiver kits (except the K3) require that you wind
toroids and strip the wire ends. They recommend the solder-blob
method, and since the wire is relatively small you don't need a big
iron. My military-surplus Weller WCTPK kit does the job very well.

73 de Jim, N2EY

wrote:
On Jun 1, 1:24�pm, Dave Heil wrote:
The best product for stripping enamel wire is one which not many
hobbyists will have around the home: �a solder pot.

Yup. I've used them.

Of course someone might protest that the discussion is about doing the
job *chemically*....

Chemically-schmemically. Do they want to remove enamel or discuss
semantics?

Foster Transformer in Cincinnati used this method for stripping
enamel
and tinning the ends of transformer leads simultaneously. �All they did
was do straighten out the leads and dip the wire ends into the pot for about five seconds.

Pretty much standard in the electronics industry, really. Faster and
less costly than Strip-X for production work.

I think I've already related the tale in r.r.a.p. that I had the
President of Ideal Tool make a call on Foster with me. His plan was to
sell one of the company's new abrasive stone type enamel removing
machines. After the kindly chief engineer showed how Foster
removed/tinned with the solder pot, the man from Ideal told me that he
didn't believe there was much of a market for his machine.

At Southgate Radio, for multiple units, an improvised solder pot is
made by heating a cleaned-out tuna can full of solder splashes over a
propane torch or stove burner(with appropriate safety precautions).
For small jobs, a blob of solder on the 100 watt American Beauty iron
does the job.

Waste not, want not. I think I'd just wait until the XYL isn't home and
heat the can on a burner of the gas stove. Doesn't it sound like
something which could go terribly, terribly wrong?

Elecraft transceiver kits (except the K3) require that you wind
toroids and strip the wire ends. They recommend the solder-blob
method, and since the wire is relatively small you don't need a big
iron. My military-surplus Weller WCTPK kit does the job very well.

I've often used a razor blade or X-acto knife to get the job done.

Dave K8MN

Dave Heil wrote:
The best product for stripping enamel wire is one which not many
hobbyists will have around the home: a solder pot.

I've used them. They work like a champ. I think we dipped them in flux
for a second too.

- 73 de Mike N3LI -

On May 28, 5:18*pm, Mike Silva wrote:
On May 26, 12:43*pm, "W3CQH" wrote:

Does anybody have the name of the substance that was sold years ago for
removing the enamel coating from wires, or maybe the name of something new?
You would soak the wire in it and it would soften the coating and then you
just wiped the goop off the wire.

73's

I've always burned off the insulation with a lighter, removed the
remaining ash with a couple swipes of very fine sandpaper, and
tinned. *Never had a problem yet.

Mike

Same idea but I use an alcohol burner like the ones that used to come
in chemistry sets. Those burners are incredably useul. Combined with a
blowpipe you can melt glass and braze small parts.

Jimmie