Re: Fw: Aaaaaaa!! My NST is toast! Salvage tips?

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

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <steve.tami.andrews-at-att-dot-net>

i have trisd several different ways the best i have found is {do this outside
only the fumes are killer}get a heat gun from lowes,homedepot ect heat and
scrape...heat and scrape.everytime i have tried the cold chisel method i
allways end up gouging a winding or a wire breaking off with a chunk of
epoxy..after all that if it can be repaired you will need to put it back in 
tar
or oil
 >
 > ----- Original Message -----
 > From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2002 9:23 PM
 > Subject: Re: Aaaaaaa!! My NST is toast! Salvage tips?
 >
 >
 > > Original poster: "Mark Broker by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
 > <mbroker-at-thegeekgroup-dot-org>
 > >
 > > I forget the technical term, but "goo" would tend to imply something along
 > > the lines of warm caramel or chocolate,
 > > and not the more epoxy-like substance described.
 > >
 > > The chiselling technique works best if the compound is very cold.  If you
 > > live in a cold climate, place it outseid for
 > > a couple days.  If not,  place it in a COLD freezer.  If you can turn the
 > > freezer down to the lowest setting, it will
 > > work better.  I've heard of people taking a large hammer and just smashing
 > > the thing really hard.  The majority of
 > > the resin then breaks into chunks, leaving only a little to be picked off
 > > the core and windings.
 > >
 > > Good luck!
 > >
 > > Mark Broker
 > > Chief Engineer, The Geek Group
 > >
 > >  >I removed the steel case but it made no difference, which suggests that
 > >  >it's shorting to the core. I tested to see if I could melt the potting
 > >  >compound, but it burns instead of melting. It is a very hard brittle
 > amber
 > >  >substance so I guess it must be some kind of thermosetting resin, not
 > tar.
 > >  >So that rules out the oven trick.
 > >  >
 > >  >My plan is to carefully chisel the resin off and see if I can find where
 > >  >it's arcing. If I accidentally trash the windings while chiselling (more
 > >  >than likely) plan 'B' is to just set fire to the whole lot in a trash
 > can
 > >  >in the yard. That way I should be able to salvage the core and I can try
 > >  >winding my own transformer. I know it's easier to just get another NST,
 > or
 > >  >a couple of MOTs, but I fancy the challenge.
 > >  >
 > >  >Is this going to work? Does anyone know a better way? Can I salvage the
 > >  >core like that or will the heat from the fire mess up its magnetic
 > >  >properties? Your $.02 would be much appreciated. Merry Christmas!
 > >  >
 > >  >Steve C.
 > >  >
 > >  >
 > >  >
 > >
 > >
 > >
 >