Does anybody have the name of the substance that was sold years ago for
removing the enamel coating from wires, or maybe the name of something new?
You would soak the wire in it and it would soften the coating and then you
just wiped the goop off the wire.

73's

In article ,
W3CQH wrote:

Does anybody have the name of the substance that was sold years ago for
removing the enamel coating from wires, or maybe the name of something new?
You would soak the wire in it and it would soften the coating and then you
just wiped the goop off the wire.

I think you're referring to GC Electronics Strip-X. Doesn't seem to
be on the market these days, as best as I can tell.

I found a MSDS which states that it's 70% methylene chloride, 25%
cresol (isomers of cresylic acid), around 5% ammonia, plus some wax
and thickening agents.

One poster in an earlier thread stated that it was designed to work
with Formvar insulation, and might not work as well on the newer
Polythermaleze insulation.

There's a paint-and-finish stripper of a similar name (Klean-Strip
Strip-X) available these days. Like the wire-"Strip-X" it contains
methylene chloride, but it has no cresol or ammonia. Its other
ingredients include toluene, xylene, and methanol, plus a thickener
(it's relatively goopy and would probably have to be wiped off of the
wire using a paper towel or Q-tip or something like that).

These chemicals all come with fire- and health-hazard warnings... if
you use 'em, do so with proper care and precautions!

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Friends of Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

Dave Platt wrote:
In article ,
W3CQH wrote:


Does anybody have the name of the substance that was sold years ago for
removing the enamel coating from wires, or maybe the name of something new?
You would soak the wire in it and it would soften the coating and then you
just wiped the goop off the wire.


I think you're referring to GC Electronics Strip-X. Doesn't seem to
be on the market these days, as best as I can tell.

I found a MSDS which states that it's 70% methylene chloride, 25%
cresol (isomers of cresylic acid), around 5% ammonia, plus some wax
and thickening agents.

One poster in an earlier thread stated that it was designed to work
with Formvar insulation, and might not work as well on the newer
Polythermaleze insulation.

There's a paint-and-finish stripper of a similar name (Klean-Strip
Strip-X) available these days. Like the wire-"Strip-X" it contains
methylene chloride, but it has no cresol or ammonia. Its other
ingredients include toluene, xylene, and methanol, plus a thickener
(it's relatively goopy and would probably have to be wiped off of the
wire using a paper towel or Q-tip or something like that).

These chemicals all come with fire- and health-hazard warnings... if
you use 'em, do so with proper care and precautions!


I just put a glob of solder on the soldering iron tip and dunk the
enameled wire into it until the enamel melts and the solder tins the end
of the wire. Been doing that for over 20 years now...seems to work A-OK.

Scott
N0EDV

"Scott" wrote in message
.. .
Dave Platt wrote:
In article ,
W3CQH wrote:


Does anybody have the name of the substance that was sold years ago for
removing the enamel coating from wires, or maybe the name of something
new?
You would soak the wire in it and it would soften the coating and then
you just wiped the goop off the wire.


I think you're referring to GC Electronics Strip-X. Doesn't seem to
be on the market these days, as best as I can tell.

I found a MSDS which states that it's 70% methylene chloride, 25%
cresol (isomers of cresylic acid), around 5% ammonia, plus some wax
and thickening agents.

One poster in an earlier thread stated that it was designed to work
with Formvar insulation, and might not work as well on the newer
Polythermaleze insulation.

There's a paint-and-finish stripper of a similar name (Klean-Strip
Strip-X) available these days. Like the wire-"Strip-X" it contains
methylene chloride, but it has no cresol or ammonia. Its other
ingredients include toluene, xylene, and methanol, plus a thickener
(it's relatively goopy and would probably have to be wiped off of the
wire using a paper towel or Q-tip or something like that).

These chemicals all come with fire- and health-hazard warnings... if
you use 'em, do so with proper care and precautions!


I just put a glob of solder on the soldering iron tip and dunk the
enameled wire into it until the enamel melts and the solder tins the end
of the wire. Been doing that for over 20 years now...seems to work A-OK.

Scott
N0EDV

Thanks Scott - I forgot that technique - Yes it does work - sometimes when
you get some age on your brain, it tends to lose some of the lesser used
items. - Best 73's de Howard W3CQH

On May 26, 10:57*pm, Scott wrote:
Dave Platt wrote:
In article ,
W3CQH wrote:

Does anybody have the name of the substance that was sold years ago for
removing the enamel coating from wires, or maybe the name of something new?
You would soak the wire in it and it would soften the coating and then you
just wiped the goop off the wire.

I think you're referring to GC Electronics Strip-X. *Doesn't seem to
be on the market these days, as best as I can tell.

I found a MSDS which states that it's 70% methylene chloride, 25%
cresol (isomers of cresylic acid), around 5% ammonia, plus some wax
and thickening agents.

One poster in an earlier thread stated that it was designed to work
with Formvar insulation, and might not work as well on the newer
Polythermaleze insulation.

There's a paint-and-finish stripper of a similar name (Klean-Strip
Strip-X) available these days. *Like the wire-"Strip-X" it contains
methylene chloride, but it has no cresol or ammonia. *Its other
ingredients include toluene, xylene, and methanol, plus a thickener
(it's relatively goopy and would probably have to be wiped off of the
wire using a paper towel or Q-tip or something like that).

These chemicals all come with fire- and health-hazard warnings... if
you use 'em, do so with proper care and precautions!

I just put a glob of solder on the soldering iron tip and dunk the
enameled wire into it until the enamel melts and the solder tins the end
of the wire. *Been doing that for over 20 years now...seems to work A-OK..

Almost all modern enameled magnet wires have Beldsol-type coatings
that are supposed to burn/vaporize at soldering temperatures, yes.

I think that some Beldsol-type coatings have a further nylon overcoat
that is quite impermeable to most of the solvents I have sitting on my
shelf... yet it vaporizes if I dunk it in solder. I think
Polythermaleze is a polyester of some kind and seems to be more
amenable to the solvents I have.

Occasionally I will run across a different enamel that's supposed to
stand higher temperatures... often the color is not the same red as
Beldsol but sometimes it is!

Tim N3QE

Tim Shoppa wrote:



Almost all modern enameled magnet wires have Beldsol-type coatings
that are supposed to burn/vaporize at soldering temperatures, yes.


These seem to have a dark red or maroon colouring as opposed to older
enamels which were a golden colour. These are certainly not heat-strippable.
I don't recall the heat-strippable enamels much before the 70s.
Alan

On May 27, 9:30*am, Alan Peake wrote:
Tim Shoppa wrote:

Almost all modern enameled magnet wires have Beldsol-type coatings
that are supposed to burn/vaporize at soldering temperatures, yes.

These seem to have a dark red or maroon colouring as opposed to older
enamels which were a golden colour. These are certainly not heat-strippable.
I don't recall the heat-strippable enamels much before the 70s.

True... the most common color for Beldsol-type stuff seems to be the
dark red. But I think some (most?) green is Beldsol-type too.

If it doesn't vaporize in solder, I usually just go at it with
sandpaper.

Tim.

Scott wrote:
Dave Platt wrote:
In article ,
W3CQH wrote:


Does anybody have the name of the substance that was sold years ago
for removing the enamel coating from wires, or maybe the name of
something new?
You would soak the wire in it and it would soften the coating and
then you just wiped the goop off the wire.


I think you're referring to GC Electronics Strip-X. Doesn't seem to
be on the market these days, as best as I can tell.

I found a MSDS which states that it's 70% methylene chloride, 25%
cresol (isomers of cresylic acid), around 5% ammonia, plus some wax
and thickening agents.

One poster in an earlier thread stated that it was designed to work
with Formvar insulation, and might not work as well on the newer
Polythermaleze insulation.

There's a paint-and-finish stripper of a similar name (Klean-Strip
Strip-X) available these days. Like the wire-"Strip-X" it contains
methylene chloride, but it has no cresol or ammonia. Its other
ingredients include toluene, xylene, and methanol, plus a thickener
(it's relatively goopy and would probably have to be wiped off of the
wire using a paper towel or Q-tip or something like that).

These chemicals all come with fire- and health-hazard warnings... if
you use 'em, do so with proper care and precautions!


I just put a glob of solder on the soldering iron tip and dunk the
enameled wire into it until the enamel melts and the solder tins the end
of the wire. Been doing that for over 20 years now...seems to work A-OK.

Scott
N0EDV

Some of the magnet wire I have will do that, some won't, and some needs
to be scraped a bit with a knife before it works -- the heat will kill
the adhesion between wire and enamel, but it won't do in the enamel.

I generally always scrape with a knife, then tin -- but I wouldn't put
anything I build through a vibe test!

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html

W3CQH wrote:
"Scott" wrote in message
.. .

Dave Platt wrote:

In article ,
W3CQH wrote:



Does anybody have the name of the substance that was sold years ago for
removing the enamel coating from wires, or maybe the name of something
new?
You would soak the wire in it and it would soften the coating and then
you just wiped the goop off the wire.


I think you're referring to GC Electronics Strip-X. Doesn't seem to
be on the market these days, as best as I can tell.

I found a MSDS which states that it's 70% methylene chloride, 25%
cresol (isomers of cresylic acid), around 5% ammonia, plus some wax
and thickening agents.

One poster in an earlier thread stated that it was designed to work
with Formvar insulation, and might not work as well on the newer
Polythermaleze insulation.

There's a paint-and-finish stripper of a similar name (Klean-Strip
Strip-X) available these days. Like the wire-"Strip-X" it contains
methylene chloride, but it has no cresol or ammonia. Its other
ingredients include toluene, xylene, and methanol, plus a thickener
(it's relatively goopy and would probably have to be wiped off of the
wire using a paper towel or Q-tip or something like that).

These chemicals all come with fire- and health-hazard warnings... if
you use 'em, do so with proper care and precautions!


I just put a glob of solder on the soldering iron tip and dunk the
enameled wire into it until the enamel melts and the solder tins the end
of the wire. Been doing that for over 20 years now...seems to work A-OK.

Scott
N0EDV


Thanks Scott - I forgot that technique - Yes it does work - sometimes when
you get some age on your brain, it tends to lose some of the lesser used
items. - Best 73's de Howard W3CQH



Glad to help out! I have "halfzheimers"....I've only forgotten HALF of
what I used to know! Good luck with whatever project you are
working on

Scott
N0EDV

From: (Dave Platt) wrote on Mon, May 26 2008:

In article ,
W3CQH wrote:

Does anybody have the name of the substance that was sold years ago for
removing the enamel coating from wires, or maybe the name of something new?
You would soak the wire in it and it would soften the coating and then you
just wiped the goop off the wire.

I think you're referring to GC Electronics Strip-X. Doesn't seem to
be on the market these days, as best as I can tell.

I found a MSDS which states that it's 70% methylene chloride, 25%
cresol (isomers of cresylic acid), around 5% ammonia, plus some wax
and thickening agents.

General Cement's "Strip-X" hasn't been sold by them for at least
a dozen years. I sent them a letter some time ago, got a nice
reply to that effect from a female-named staffer "who had not
worked for them before that." :-) Their home office is also my
home town. :-)

"Strip-X" worked like a charm. For decades as an over-the-
counter product. Nothing over-the-counter now works as well as
it did from 1948 onwards to whenever they stopped repackaging it.
Note: GC did a lot of repackaging of bulk material and tools as
well as some manufacturing. GC went through a series of
corporate restructures, buys, and buy-outs, just aren't the same
company as when I left Rockford, IL, in 1956.

As a fellow professional, I've tried to find out what other
manufacturers use. Most use a mechanical "stripper" that
abrades coatings...but quite expensive, too much for the average
hobbyist. At least one "makes their own" but is very close-
mouthed on what their "own formula" is...:-)

One poster in an earlier thread stated that it was designed to work
with Formvar insulation, and might not work as well on the newer
Polythermaleze insulation.

The only problems I've ever had with "Strip-X" was with some
surplus Teflon-coated (!) magnet wire obtained decades ago. But,
my last bottle of "Strip-X" dried solid about 8 years ago.

There's a paint-and-finish stripper of a similar name (Klean-Strip
Strip-X) available these days. Like the wire-"Strip-X" it contains
methylene chloride, but it has no cresol or ammonia. Its other
ingredients include toluene, xylene, and methanol, plus a thickener
(it's relatively goopy and would probably have to be wiped off of the
wire using a paper towel or Q-tip or something like that).

I've tried to find one out of three different brands tested,
from Lowes, Home Depot, OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware), and
Do-It Centers. They remove oil-based paints with difficulty
and aren't even close to "Strip-X" for magnet wire, any
coating. Roughly a $60 experiment in trying for a substitute
all of which were unsuccessful. Bummer.

These chemicals all come with fire- and health-hazard warnings... if
you use 'em, do so with proper care and precautions!

The do-gooders done did too much with all those warnings and
attempts to protect us all from everything. :-( I'd only
been using Strip-X since 1947 and known lots and lots of folks
who stripped magnet wire using Strip-X. No "fires" caused by
the stuff and most of those I knew did not suffer from any
"health-hazards" inhaling (very briefly) the stinky odor from
Strip-X. It's sort of like anything with an odor should have
"Caution: Breathing will eventually result in death!" warnings.

At one time (just about 8 years ago), pure acetone was VERY
hard to get in pint/quart containers. It is an excellent
solvent for lacquers, brush-cleaning, etc. (not good for wire
stripping though). As of about 3 years ago it and a few other
aromatic hydrocarbons started appearing in do-it-yourself
stores. Maybe there's some relaxation in all those dire
predictions, warnings, etc., etc., etc.

My late father-in-law was a polymer chemist. He died in 1977
so can't help me. I just hope that some chemist could come to
the aid of us hobbyists using coated magnet wire and provide
us with a GOOD product like Strip-X was. Meanwhile, it's back
to being VERY careful with a sharp X-Acto knofe and scraping
coatings. With #34 AWG that requires Zen-like calmness...

73, Len AF6AY