Re: anybody tryied depotting NST with steam?

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

Original poster: "Sundog by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <sundog-at-timeship-dot-net>

Hi Ed, All!
        I use a cheap ($3) hotplate I got at the flea market.  In my
household we go through *tons* of coffee in the big cans.  I set the lid of
the can on the burner (it's a nichrome wire in a ceramic dooley, so it don't
short out) to keep the tar off the burner.  It takes me about 3 hours total.
I pour the old tar into the coffee can.  Aluminum foil is your best friend
to prevent messes here. Some words of wisdom -
    The paint has always flaked off while depotting trannies on the hotplate
with me. Especially where the hotplate is smack up against it.
     Melted tar is hot.  Very hot.  It sticks to everything, and takes
awhile to cool off.  Getting it on you is second degree burns an the very
least.
    The fumes *STINK!*  Ventilation is a good idea.
    A fire extinguisher as a good idea. The stuff can catch fire, and safety
first.
    The NST core is usually not secured in the case.  Be careful tilting the
thing over, and beware the HV leads in there, they're pretty delicate.
    The NST core stays *HOT* long after you set it out to cool.  Hot enough
to burn the dickens outta you.  Let it set at least several hours, if not
overnight.
    Be gentle. tearing loose the HV leads sucks.

And above all, use common sense.  As my dad says, and gramps and
great-rgamps used to say, "Stupid Hurts."
                                                Hope it helps!

----- Original Message -----
From: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Friday, January 11, 2002 8:14 PM
Subject: Re: anybody tryied depotting NST with steam?


> Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>
>
> Tesla list wrote:
> >
> > Original poster: "Yurtle Turtle by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <yurtle_t-at-yahoo-dot-com>
> >
> > Actually, I melted my "tars" at between 100° - 130°F
> > (depending on the manufacturer). For depotting, you
> > simply need to soften the tar enough for it to ooze
> > out. You don't want to subject the windings to 500°!
> >
> > The steam might work, but I often left my NST's in the
> > oven for a half hour or so, then poured out some, then
> > repeated. The whole process took over an hour.
> >
> > Adam
>
> What kind of a mess did it make in the oven?  How bad did it smell when
> you were through?  I'd like to unpot a couple of small transformers but
> my wife would kill me if I messed up the oven the way I did the
> microwave (zapping a CD).
>
> Ed
>
>
>