Re: More destroyed NST's How do I remove stubborn tar?

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <FutureT-at-aol-dot-com>

In a message dated 1/17/01 8:15:46 PM Eastern Standard Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com 
writes:

> Many sources say one can melt out the core and most of the tar by putting it
>  into an oven at 200 degrees. Mine sat there for hours at 250 degrees and it
>  was still hard as a rock. Nothing even began to melt until 300 degrees and
>  that was only half. The rest was like concrete.
>  

Garry,

If it's a Jefferson NST, they often use a silica filling material in
the tar.  It tends to not liquify for this reason.  In any case 200
degrees is not enough.  It's a lot of work depotting those
beasts.  I did two of them, but I'll probably never do another one.

I often work them over with a propane torch outdoors to soften
the tar, which I then remove with a screwdriver (carefully).

John