[Elecraft] stripping insulation from enamel wires

[David Wilcox]

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 <k6dgw at foothill.net> 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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