anybody else fried a variac

[jmonty-at-flash-dot-net (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

Burned up my first variac last night and was wondering if they can 
be rebuilt. I think it was rated at about 15 amps and since I bought 
it used I am not sure what condition it was in in the first place.
 I took the rotating plate with the carbon contact off and it looks like 
the fingers that connect the rotating part to the stationary ring on 
the main body are burnt back pretty badly. The ring  that these 
fingers contact looks  a little burnt too.
Sure hate to add it to the scrap bin. (Got a 25amp that I'm gonna 
use but I need a spare.)
Thanks for the comments

Jeff Montgomery
Palestine, Texas