stripping insulation from enamel wires

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stripping insulation from enamel wires

Elecraft mailing list
Here's an old problem that I've never solved: how to strip the enamel
insulation from wires for winding toroids.

The instruction say:
-dip in a solder pot which I don't have
-use a soldering iron to, presumably, burn the insulation off which has
never worked for me.

Leaving soldering pots aside, the hot iron approach has never burned off
any insulation even with tip temp's hovering around 1000F. Just doesn't
happen. Maybe it's the soldering iron, maybe my method, but whichever,
the enamel insulation just sits there. I end up using a file to scrape
off the insulation which is tough on the wires and hard to predict when
enough is enough. Any insightful hints? Thanks much.

...robert

--
Robert G Strickland, PhD ABPH - KE2WY
[hidden email]
Syracuse, New York, USA
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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

Vic Rosenthal
Note that there is enameled wire that can't be stripped this way. The
enamel is heat-resistant. Of course if you are using the wire that comes
with Elecraft kits, you shouldn't have this problem.

What I do is put a blob of solder on the tip of the iron. Then, I hole
the END of the wire, which of course has no enamel on it, against the
tip. That transmits heat into the copper, starting the process. Then I
pass the wire through the blob slowly and watch the enamel boil off.

Afterwards I scrape lightly with a knife to remove flux and burned enamel.

This works fine with the iron set to 750 degrees f. If you aren't
succeeding with an iron even hotter, I would suspect that you have the
wrong kind of enameled wire.

Incidentally, I use a second iron with an old tip for this. Having the
blob of solder with flux boiling on it for a long time tends to erode
the tip.

73,
Victor, 4X6GP
Rehovot, Israel
Formerly K2VCO
CWops no. 5
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
On 12/06/2020 17:02, Robert G Strickland via Elecraft wrote:

> Here's an old problem that I've never solved: how to strip the enamel
> insulation from wires for winding toroids.
>
> The instruction say:
> -dip in a solder pot which I don't have
> -use a soldering iron to, presumably, burn the insulation off which has
> never worked for me.
>
> Leaving soldering pots aside, the hot iron approach has never burned off
> any insulation even with tip temp's hovering around 1000F. Just doesn't
> happen. Maybe it's the soldering iron, maybe my method, but whichever,
> the enamel insulation just sits there. I end up using a file to scrape
> off the insulation which is tough on the wires and hard to predict when
> enough is enough. Any insightful hints? Thanks much.
>
> ...robert
>
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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

Dave Fugleberg
In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list
I've used four methods:
- melt with a soldering iron
- burn off with a small butane torch
- scrape off with some very fine grit sandpaper
- scrape off with a single edge razor blade

All work, but I typically use the sandpaper or the razor blade.
With sandpaper, I just double over the sandpaper over the end of the wire,
squeeze, and pull the wire out. Sometimes takes 2-3 times to get it clean.

With the razor method,  I hold the wire down on the workbench and carefully
scrape off the insulation, scraping toward the end of the wire. I find this
gives me the best control of exactly how much insulation I remove. I just
reposition the wire a couple times to get it all off. takes seconds, and is
not hard on the wire (provided you have a light touch).

Have wound many toroids successfully with all methods.

On Fri, Jun 12, 2020 at 9:03 AM Robert G Strickland via Elecraft <
[hidden email]> wrote:

> Here's an old problem that I've never solved: how to strip the enamel
> insulation from wires for winding toroids.
>
> The instruction say:
> -dip in a solder pot which I don't have
> -use a soldering iron to, presumably, burn the insulation off which has
> never worked for me.
>
> Leaving soldering pots aside, the hot iron approach has never burned off
> any insulation even with tip temp's hovering around 1000F. Just doesn't
> happen. Maybe it's the soldering iron, maybe my method, but whichever,
> the enamel insulation just sits there. I end up using a file to scrape
> off the insulation which is tough on the wires and hard to predict when
> enough is enough. Any insightful hints? Thanks much.
>
> ...robert
>
> --
> Robert G Strickland, PhD ABPH - KE2WY
> [hidden email]
> Syracuse, New York, USA
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

Charlie T, K3ICH
In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list
It depends on whether your wire has "enamel" or "Ny-Clad" insulation.
The darker enamel can be removed with a "paint-remover" like stuff that was
sold in in little square bottles by CG and others.
A quick search failed to locate any here, but I've got some somewhere (??)

The lighter color stuff is probably Ny-Clad and will have to be sanded, or
scrapped off as the enamel remover won't cut it.

I find that some 400 grit paper with take off most insulation without
damaging the wire as can happen by scrapping.

73, Charlie k3ICH



-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> On
Behalf Of Robert G Strickland via Elecraft
Sent: Friday, June 12, 2020 10:03 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] stripping insulation from enamel wires

Here's an old problem that I've never solved: how to strip the enamel
insulation from wires for winding toroids.

The instruction say:
-dip in a solder pot which I don't have
-use a soldering iron to, presumably, burn the insulation off which has
never worked for me.

Leaving soldering pots aside, the hot iron approach has never burned off any
insulation even with tip temp's hovering around 1000F. Just doesn't happen.
Maybe it's the soldering iron, maybe my method, but whichever, the enamel
insulation just sits there. I end up using a file to scrape off the
insulation which is tough on the wires and hard to predict when enough is
enough. Any insightful hints? Thanks much.

...robert

--
Robert G Strickland, PhD ABPH - KE2WY
[hidden email]
Syracuse, New York, USA
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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

Don Wilhelm
In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list
Robert,

Those instructions are for heat-strippable wire.  If you have enamel or
formvar covered wire, that must be mechanically stripped.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 6/12/2020 10:02 AM, Robert G Strickland via Elecraft wrote:

> Here's an old problem that I've never solved: how to strip the enamel
> insulation from wires for winding toroids.
>
> The instruction say:
> -dip in a solder pot which I don't have
> -use a soldering iron to, presumably, burn the insulation off which has
> never worked for me.
>
> Leaving soldering pots aside, the hot iron approach has never burned off
> any insulation even with tip temp's hovering around 1000F. Just doesn't
> happen. Maybe it's the soldering iron, maybe my method, but whichever,
> the enamel insulation just sits there. I end up using a file to scrape
> off the insulation which is tough on the wires and hard to predict when
> enough is enough. Any insightful hints? Thanks much.
>
> ...robert
>
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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

qrp5w
In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list
The old tried and true method is to use an X-acto knife to scrape the
insulation off with. Simple, not very elegant but it always works.

72

Howard Kraus, K2UD

        -----------------------------------------From: "Robert G Strickland
via Elecraft"
To: [hidden email]
Cc:
Sent: Friday June 12 2020 10:03:58AM
Subject: [Elecraft] stripping insulation from enamel wires

Here's an old problem that I've never solved: how to strip the enamel
 insulation from wires for winding toroids.

 The instruction say:
 -dip in a solder pot which I don't have
 -use a soldering iron to, presumably, burn the insulation off which
has
 never worked for me.

 Leaving soldering pots aside, the hot iron approach has never burned
off
 any insulation even with tip temp's hovering around 1000F. Just
doesn't
 happen. Maybe it's the soldering iron, maybe my method, but
whichever,
 the enamel insulation just sits there. I end up using a file to
scrape
 off the insulation which is tough on the wires and hard to predict
when
 enough is enough. Any insightful hints? Thanks much.

 ..robert

 --
 Robert G Strickland, PhD ABPH - KE2WY
 [hidden email]
 Syracuse, New York, USA
 ______________________________________________________________
 Elecraft mailing list
 Home:  Message delivered to [hidden email]
 

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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

Don Wilhelm
Yes, that always works, BUT if you nick the wire, it will break,
especially on smaller gauge wire.  For #20 and larger it is likely OK.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 6/12/2020 12:24 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
> The old tried and true method is to use an X-acto knife to scrape the
> insulation off with. Simple, not very elegant but it always works.
>
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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

Elecraft mailing list
In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list
Thanks for the many replies. I should have mentioned that the wire to be
stripped comes from Elecraft in the K2 antenna tuner kit. Elecraft
recommends the solder pot or the solder iron; they discourage using a
lighter/flame.
...robert

On 6/12/2020 02:02 PM, Robert G Strickland via Elecraft wrote:

> Here's an old problem that I've never solved: how to strip the enamel
> insulation from wires for winding toroids.
>
> The instruction say:
> -dip in a solder pot which I don't have
> -use a soldering iron to, presumably, burn the insulation off which has
> never worked for me.
>
> Leaving soldering pots aside, the hot iron approach has never burned off
> any insulation even with tip temp's hovering around 1000F. Just doesn't
> happen. Maybe it's the soldering iron, maybe my method, but whichever,
> the enamel insulation just sits there. I end up using a file to scrape
> off the insulation which is tough on the wires and hard to predict when
> enough is enough. Any insightful hints? Thanks much.
>
> ..robert
>

--
Robert G Strickland, PhD ABPH - KE2WY
[hidden email]
Syracuse, New York, USA
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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

Kevin McQuiggin (SFU)
A better way is to use an enamelled wire stripping tool!  They are cheap and work much better than the other methods, which honestly were poorly effective for me for years.  For my last project I bought the tool, it was a joy to use.  

73,

Kevin VE7ZD

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jun 12, 2020, at 11:47, Robert G Strickland via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Thanks for the many replies. I should have mentioned that the wire to be stripped comes from Elecraft in the K2 antenna tuner kit. Elecraft recommends the solder pot or the solder iron; they discourage using a lighter/flame.
> ...robert
>
>> On 6/12/2020 02:02 PM, Robert G Strickland via Elecraft wrote:
>> Here's an old problem that I've never solved: how to strip the enamel
>> insulation from wires for winding toroids.
>>
>> The instruction say:
>> -dip in a solder pot which I don't have
>> -use a soldering iron to, presumably, burn the insulation off which has
>> never worked for me.
>>
>> Leaving soldering pots aside, the hot iron approach has never burned off
>> any insulation even with tip temp's hovering around 1000F. Just doesn't
>> happen. Maybe it's the soldering iron, maybe my method, but whichever,
>> the enamel insulation just sits there. I end up using a file to scrape
>> off the insulation which is tough on the wires and hard to predict when
>> enough is enough. Any insightful hints? Thanks much.
>>
>> ..robert
>>
>
> --
> Robert G Strickland, PhD ABPH - KE2WY
> [hidden email]
> Syracuse, New York, USA
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

George Winship, NC5G
In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list


<The instruction say:
-dip in a solder pot which I don't have>

I have used the solder blob method with success. However, when I was
building my K2 about 19 years ago, I used an old bullet shell casing for a
solder pot. Secured it with vice grip pliers to hold it verticle, laid the
soldering iron to side of the casing to melt the solder inside, then dipped
the wire into the casing. It worked well.

73, George NC5G



--
Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/
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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

Jim Brown-10
In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list
On 6/12/2020 7:02 AM, Robert G Strickland via Elecraft wrote:
> Any insightful hints?

I've had to strip a lot of enameled wire in the course of my common mode
choke projects. Like you, I don't have the heat resources, and I don't
know if the wire I'm stripping has the characteristic of the enamel
melting. I've alternated between a file, sandpaper, and a knife blade.

73, Jim K9YC
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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

ke9uw
In reply to this post by qrp5w
I use a Knipex wire stripping tweezers

https://www.amazon.com/Knipex-1511120-Coated-Wire-Stripping-Tweezers/dp/B003RWS8XE

I ordered the 0.5 blade which seems to be best for our small wire.
Use a light pressure and this thing works great.

Chuck Jack Hawley
KE9UW

Sent from my iPhone, cjack

On Jun 12, 2020, at 11:25 AM, "[hidden email]" <[hidden email]> wrote:

The old tried and true method is to use an X-acto knife to scrape the
insulation off with. Simple, not very elegant but it always works.

72

Howard Kraus, K2UD

   -----------------------------------------From: "Robert G Strickland
via Elecraft"
To: [hidden email]
Cc:
Sent: Friday June 12 2020 10:03:58AM
Subject: [Elecraft] stripping insulation from enamel wires

Here's an old problem that I've never solved: how to strip the enamel
insulation from wires for winding toroids.

The instruction say:
-dip in a solder pot which I don't have
-use a soldering iron to, presumably, burn the insulation off which
has
never worked for me.

Leaving soldering pots aside, the hot iron approach has never burned
off
any insulation even with tip temp's hovering around 1000F. Just
doesn't
happen. Maybe it's the soldering iron, maybe my method, but
whichever,
the enamel insulation just sits there. I end up using a file to
scrape
off the insulation which is tough on the wires and hard to predict
when
enough is enough. Any insightful hints? Thanks much.

..robert

--
Robert G Strickland, PhD ABPH - KE2WY
[hidden email]
Syracuse, New York, USA
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home:  Message delivered to [hidden email]


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http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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Chuck, KE9UW
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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

Elecraft mailing list
In reply to this post by Jim Brown-10
I have suffered through the painful process of removing the enamel on the wire on just about all of the Elecraft kits..K2, K1, KX1, tuner’s etc.. I think I have made them all...just reading the comments here I was wondering why I never bought a solder pot as recommended...I checked out eBay and found several at around $30 USD,,why didn’t I do that 10 -15 elecraftyears ago and save all that frustration??  Chinese made, some 120 volt..perhaps will work for several kits...If I had it to do again..

73, Bill-AK5X

> On Jun 12, 2020, at 3:13 PM, Jim Brown <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> On 6/12/2020 7:02 AM, Robert G Strickland via Elecraft wrote:
>> Any insightful hints?
>
> I've had to strip a lot of enameled wire in the course of my common mode choke projects. Like you, I don't have the heat resources, and I don't know if the wire I'm stripping has the characteristic of the enamel melting. I've alternated between a file, sandpaper, and a knife blade.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

Bill And Jane Ferry
In reply to this post by ke9uw
Stripper machines actually sand/ grind off the insulation.  Less chance of nicks.
Burning it off is for the low temp insulation (think is called soldex) and works for commercial applications as the insulation acts like a flux.
Most insulation (enamel, Formvar or polyamides) are high temp, 150-200C rating so much higher temps needed to burn it away.  200C wire can be almost white hot and still survive.
 Either careful scrap, don’t nick or use fine sand paper.  Tin the bare copper after stripped.  
Bill,  K1BZM

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jun 12, 2020, at 4:58 PM, hawley, charles j jr <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I use a Knipex wire stripping tweezers
>
> https://www.amazon.com/Knipex-1511120-Coated-Wire-Stripping-Tweezers/dp/B003RWS8XE
>
> I ordered the 0.5 blade which seems to be best for our small wire.
> Use a light pressure and this thing works great.
>
> Chuck Jack Hawley
> KE9UW
>
> Sent from my iPhone, cjack
>
> On Jun 12, 2020, at 11:25 AM, "[hidden email]" <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> The old tried and true method is to use an X-acto knife to scrape the
> insulation off with. Simple, not very elegant but it always works.
>
> 72
>
> Howard Kraus, K2UD
>
>   -----------------------------------------From: "Robert G Strickland
> via Elecraft"
> To: [hidden email]
> Cc:
> Sent: Friday June 12 2020 10:03:58AM
> Subject: [Elecraft] stripping insulation from enamel wires
>
> Here's an old problem that I've never solved: how to strip the enamel
> insulation from wires for winding toroids.
>
> The instruction say:
> -dip in a solder pot which I don't have
> -use a soldering iron to, presumably, burn the insulation off which
> has
> never worked for me.
>
> Leaving soldering pots aside, the hot iron approach has never burned
> off
> any insulation even with tip temp's hovering around 1000F. Just
> doesn't
> happen. Maybe it's the soldering iron, maybe my method, but
> whichever,
> the enamel insulation just sits there. I end up using a file to
> scrape
> off the insulation which is tough on the wires and hard to predict
> when
> enough is enough. Any insightful hints? Thanks much.
>
> ..robert
>
> --
> Robert G Strickland, PhD ABPH - KE2WY
> [hidden email]
> Syracuse, New York, USA
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home:  Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
>
> Links:
> ------
> [1] http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> /> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: </br<></a><a href=
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

k6dgw
In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list
Ummm ... solder pot not required.  All of the Elecraft kits I've built,
including my K2, used heat-strippable wire for the toroids.  Small blob
of solder on the iron, stick end of wire into it, wait a few seconds,
when insulation bubbles and smokes, insert wire into blob slowly as far
as you need to.  End of wire is not only stripped, it's now tinned too.

I used a separate larger iron I had that happened to have a flat-ish end
which held a good solder blob but occasionally did it with my Weller
Solder Station I was using for the actual soldering.  I wiped it off
every now and then when the insulation and rosin had accumulated.  I did
not find it frustrating at all.

73,
Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 6/12/2020 2:01 PM, William Hammond via Elecraft wrote:
> I have suffered through the painful process of removing the enamel on the wire on just about all of the Elecraft kits..K2, K1, KX1, tuner’s etc.. I think I have made them all...just reading the comments here I was wondering why I never bought a solder pot as recommended...I checked out eBay and found several at around $30 USD,,why didn’t I do that 10 -15 elecraftyears ago and save all that frustration??  Chinese made, some 120 volt..perhaps will work for several kits...If I had it to do again..
>
> 73, Bill-AK5X
>

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Re: stripping insulation from enamel wires

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I have also used an electric solder sucker like this one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/362348659918

You plug the end with the bulb and remove the nozzle.  Prop it with the opening for the nozzle pointing up and fill with fresh solder.  There you have a mini solder pot.  I bought mine for $10 or $15 back in the day and it works too.

I still like my Knipex tweezers best but this is fast if you are doing g a bunch of toroids.  I would still use the Knipex tweezers to scrape the ash off if any is left.  Change the solder in the pot frequently.  The wire comes out tinned too, an added benefit.

Dave K8WPE

David J. Wilcox K8WPE’s iPad

> On Jun 12, 2020, at 6:25 PM, Fred Jensen <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Ummm ... solder pot not required.  All of the Elecraft kits I've built, including my K2, used heat-strippable wire for the toroids.  Small blob of solder on the iron, stick end of wire into it, wait a few seconds, when insulation bubbles and smokes, insert wire into blob slowly as far as you need to.  End of wire is not only stripped, it's now tinned too.
>
> I used a separate larger iron I had that happened to have a flat-ish end which held a good solder blob but occasionally did it with my Weller Solder Station I was using for the actual soldering.  I wiped it off every now and then when the insulation and rosin had accumulated.  I did not find it frustrating at all.
>
> 73,
> Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
> Sparks NV DM09dn
> Washoe County
>
>> On 6/12/2020 2:01 PM, William Hammond via Elecraft wrote:
>> I have suffered through the painful process of removing the enamel on the wire on just about all of the Elecraft kits..K2, K1, KX1, tuner’s etc.. I think I have made them all...just reading the comments here I was wondering why I never bought a solder pot as recommended...I checked out eBay and found several at around $30 USD,,why didn’t I do that 10 -15 elecraftyears ago and save all that frustration??  Chinese made, some 120 volt..perhaps will work for several kits...If I had it to do again..
>>
>> 73, Bill-AK5X
>>
>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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