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Advice needed on stripping enameled wire

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Gary McKelvie

Advice needed on stripping enameled wire

Hi to the list,

Was wondering if anyone has any tips for stripping the enamel off the
enameled wire for coils,transformers etc.
I find that using the hot blob of solder method wasteful of solder
and not 100%, so am currently using a mixture of a lighter flame and
the solder technique which seems to be better than just the blob of
solder method..

So is there a better way or how do you do them?

73 Gary G7USC

Gary McKelvie
G7USC
Web : www.garym.org.uk
Mobile : +447968501863
MSN Messenger : [hidden email]
So Long and Thanks for all the Fish

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Don Wilhelm-3

Re: Advice needed on stripping enameled wire

Gary,

In the interest of obtaining a better tinning of the leads as an end
result, I would suggest that you continue to 'waste solder' and use the
solder blob method.

While a lighter flame will remove the enamel, in my experience that
technique leaves a residue that inhibits tinning the leads.

It is the tinned lead that is the end goal - without proper tinned
leads, one will end up with a malfunctioning transceiver.

73,
Don W3FPR

Gary McKelvie wrote:

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Brett gazdzinski-2

RE: Advice needed on stripping enameled wire

The best way I came up with was to place the toroid on the edge
of the table, and to hold it in place I used a roll of electrical tape
with the spool of solder on top.
The wires hang over the edge, and I bend them down somewhat.
I turn up the heat on the soldering station then do the 'blob'
starting from the cut end of the wire and working up to real
close to the core, then clean the iron and work down from the core
feeding new solder the whole time.
I inspect the wires after, and scrape any stuff off with an exacto
knife.

When I mounted the toroids, I left the wire long and ran it
to the NEXT solder pad, so it was soldered at its hole using plenty
of heat, and also soldered along its length to the next pad.

I was very careful to keep the wire over the trace and not
short anything.

95% of the toroids had another pad close.

That also left some extra wire, just in case, and
I had no issues removing all the toroids to remove a turn.
(removing a turn seemed to do nothing...)

After all the reported problems with the solder on the toroids,
I was not going to have any issues, and did not.

I thought soldering the K2 was easy and fun, at my age, I need
the lighted magnifier, but any time I have to deal with NEW clean
parts is a treat, I often build things out of 20 year old parts,
which require a lot of prep work before they will take solder.

Brett
N2DTS

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Don Wilhelm
> Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 8:56 AM
> To: Gary McKelvie
> Cc: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Advice needed on stripping enameled wire
>
> Gary,
>
> In the interest of obtaining a better tinning of the leads as an end
> result, I would suggest that you continue to 'waste solder'
> and use the
> solder blob method.
>
> While a lighter flame will remove the enamel, in my experience that
> technique leaves a residue that inhibits tinning the leads.
>
> It is the tinned lead that is the end goal - without proper tinned
> leads, one will end up with a malfunctioning transceiver.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> Gary McKelvie wrote:
> > Hi to the list,
> >
> > Was wondering if anyone has any tips for stripping the
> enamel off the
> > enameled wire for coils,transformers etc.
> > I find that using the hot blob of solder method wasteful of
> solder and
> > not 100%, so am currently using a mixture of a lighter
> flame and the
> > solder technique which seems to be better than just the
> blob of solder
> > method..
> >
> > So is there a better way or how do you do them?
> >
> > 73 Gary G7USC
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
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>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>

Jim AB3CV

Re: Advice needed on stripping enameled wire

I noticed that with the solder blob method it took a while to start the
process going at the end of the wire but once it got started it proceeded
much more rapidly.

I then tried pinching the wire to be stripped between some fine grit
sandpaper first to break down the enamel with a couple of passes before
using the solderblob method.

It works great! Not only does the solderblob process start faster but it
proceeds much faster up the wire and gives a very nice clean tinned result.

No need to get the enamel off with the sandpaper, just a couple of pinch
passes to rough it up a bit.

Give it a try

73

jim ab3cv

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n6wg

Re: Advice needed on stripping enameled wire

In reply to this post by Gary McKelvie

Gary
For over 55 years, I've always cleaned the ends of
enameled wire by scraping with a sharp blade on
my pocket knife. With practice, it doesn't take
much longer than using the "melt it off" approach,
but it' s always with me, whereever I may be :-)
Good luck and 73
Bob N6WG

----- Original Message -----
From: "Gary McKelvie" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 2:05 AM
Subject: [Elecraft] Advice needed on stripping enameled wire

> Hi to the list,
>
> Was wondering if anyone has any tips for stripping the enamel off the
> enameled wire for coils,transformers etc.
> I find that using the hot blob of solder method wasteful of solder
> and not 100%, so am currently using a mixture of a lighter flame and
> the solder technique which seems to be better than just the blob of
> solder method..
>
> So is there a better way or how do you do them?
>
> 73 Gary G7USC
>
>
> Gary McKelvie
> G7USC
> Web : www.garym.org.uk
> Mobile : +447968501863
> MSN Messenger : [hidden email]
> So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

Vic K2VCO

Re: Advice needed on stripping enameled wire

In reply to this post by Brett gazdzinski-2

Brett gazdzinski wrote:

>
> The best way I came up with was to place the toroid on the edge
> of the table, and to hold it in place I used a roll of electrical tape
> with the spool of solder on top.
> The wires hang over the edge, and I bend them down somewhat.
> I turn up the heat on the soldering station then do the 'blob'
> starting from the cut end of the wire and working up to real
> close to the core, then clean the iron and work down from the core
> feeding new solder the whole time.
> I inspect the wires after, and scrape any stuff off with an exacto
> knife.

I use a Panavise that has plastic jaws to hold the toroid. I make the
leads extend more or less horizontally from the toroid. I use a 700
degree tip. I start at the end away from the toroid, first applying the
tip to the cut end of the wire, which transfers heat to the wire. Once
the enamel starts to boil, I apply more solder, and little by little
work my way up to the toroid body.

After the first pass, I remove any burnt residue with an xacto knife as
Brett describes. Then I look at the wires very carefully, and sometimes
do another quick pass with the blob to make sure everything is tinned
and clean.

I have *never* experienced a PTTL (Poorly Tinned Toroid Leads) problem
since I started using this method.
--
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco
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Gary McKelvie

RE: Advice needed on stripping enameled wire

In reply to this post by Gary McKelvie

Hi to the List,

I've taken it on board guys, what I'm now doing is the sand paper
first to roughen the enamel then the blob. It works much better. Much quicker.
Before i was just using the blob and it seemed to take forever.
I am going to try a Stanley knife just gently on the wire to see how that does.

Regards
Gary

Gary McKelvie
G7USC
Web : www.garym.org.uk
Mobile : +447968501863
MSN Messenger : [hidden email]
So Long and Thanks for all the Fish

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Gerard Provoost

Re: Advice needed on stripping enameled wire

Hi Folks,

When I first used my Weller sodering station (700F), it was practically
impossible to strip the wire. I found an old 100 Watt soldering iron, thats
gets really hot after 15 minutes, and the enamel flies off the wire. Just to
give it a try!

73, Gerard PA1GP

----- Original Message -----
From: "Gary McKelvie" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 8:15 PM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Advice needed on stripping enameled wire

> Hi to the List,
>
> I've taken it on board guys, what I'm now doing is the sand paper first to
> roughen the enamel then the blob. It works much better. Much quicker.
> Before i was just using the blob and it seemed to take forever.
> I am going to try a Stanley knife just gently on the wire to see how that
> does.
>
> Regards
> Gary
>
> Gary McKelvie
> G7USC
> Web : www.garym.org.uk
> Mobile : +447968501863
> MSN Messenger : [hidden email]
> So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>

Michael B-6

Re: Advice needed on stripping enameled wire

In reply to this post by Gary McKelvie

>So is there a better way or how do you do them?

I found that if you use a "blob" of solder with the biggest tip and you let
that "blob" go to the bottom of the soldering tip then just slowy move the
tip as you see small bubbles from at the edge of the soldering tip and add a
little more solder when you see it start to pull away from the tip. It
worked great on my K1 and made a smooth striping, the only problem I had
with the toroids were when I wound them wrong.

--
W2CVZ,
Michael
K1#2343
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