[Elecraft] stripping insulation from enamel wires

[Dave Fugleberg]

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 <
elecraft at mailman.qth.net> 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
> rcrgs at verizon.net.usa
> Syracuse, New York, USA
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