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previous: Gil Ayan Called Duncan... They get their wir... -- 4/24/2000 5:08 PM

Re: Shoot, No Dice

4/24/2000 10:59 PM
MBSetzer	Re: Shoot, No Dice Hi Gil: You might want to try adding from 2percent to 5percent polyethylene to your paraffin/beeswax blend. I would start with mostly paraffin, adding less than 10percent beeswax. This can be done by heating the melted wax somewhat higher than the minimum required to just melt the wax pieces. You need to keep below the smoke point, and it will take some time & stirring, but the plastic will eventually dissolve. The higher molecular weight hydrocarbon in the form of polyethylene, after dissolved in the relatively lower molecular weight hydrocarbon wax, will stay in solution and the blend can then be cooled to a more appropriate working temperature for dipping or painting. I've made experimental blends for clients using various raw polymer pellets, in order to improve the specifications of the paraffin up to the level needed for what they call cup wax. As the name implies, this is what is used on Dixie cups instead of plain wax in order to hold water better. Seems to me the same stuff would probably keep out moisture from cloth wire better than plain wax also. It's definitely less prone to flaking or chipping. The working temperature might be a little high for potting pickups though, I think you are limited to temperatures that can not damage the insulation on the magnet wire. If you don't have any polyethylene plants to get your pellets from, or in my situation where our local Phillips production is still shut down due to the recent devastaing explosion, you could probably cut small pieces of clean milk carton to dissolve, the smaller the pieces the faster they would dissolve. The proper laboratory equipment consisted of a clean pint paint can, but one from cocktail peanuts would be good. Safety rules basically call for heating flammable liquids on an explosion-proof hot plate under a fume hood. A lab thermometer could help, about 150 degrees Celsius will usually dissolve the plastic eventually. I never tried a double boiler, for this it might have helped that the can was right on top of the hot plate so when the pellets are still solid they are at the bottom touching the metal that is direct contact with the heat. This is as dangerous as handling hot grease for french fries, so eye protection, an apron & gloves could help, also nice to have a fire extinguisher including trained operator. Anyway, when all was said & done, papers could be dipped in the thin liquid for testing, then the fraction of a pint would be cooled & capped, later tested for color, ductility, hardness, oil content, melting point & transition temperature. Just like for amp design, you could use various equations to calculate your intended properties, but you would still have to make the blends to be sure, so a little trial & error is not bad instead and you would have a few mixes to choose from. Hope this helps, Mike

4/24/2000 10:59 PM

MBSetzer

Re: Shoot, No Dice

Hi Gil:

You might want to try adding from 2percent to 5percent polyethylene to your paraffin/beeswax blend. I would start with mostly paraffin, adding less than 10percent beeswax.

This can be done by heating the melted wax somewhat higher than the minimum required to just melt the wax pieces. You need to keep below the smoke point, and it will take some time & stirring, but the plastic will eventually dissolve.

The higher molecular weight hydrocarbon in the form of polyethylene, after dissolved in the relatively lower molecular weight hydrocarbon wax, will stay in solution and the blend can then be cooled to a more appropriate working temperature for dipping or painting.

I've made experimental blends for clients using various raw polymer pellets, in order to improve the specifications of the paraffin up to the level needed for what they call *cup wax*. As the name implies, this is what is used on *Dixie cups* instead of plain wax in order to hold water better. Seems to me the same stuff would probably keep out moisture from cloth wire better than plain wax also. It's definitely less prone to flaking or chipping.

The working temperature might be a little high for potting pickups though, I think you are limited to temperatures that can not damage the insulation on the magnet wire.

If you don't have any polyethylene plants to get your pellets from, or in my situation where our local Phillips production is still shut down due to the recent devastaing explosion, you could probably cut small pieces of clean milk carton to dissolve, the smaller the pieces the faster they would dissolve.

The proper laboratory equipment consisted of a clean pint paint can, but one from cocktail peanuts would be good. Safety rules basically call for heating flammable liquids on an explosion-proof hot plate under a fume hood. A lab thermometer could help, about 150 degrees Celsius will usually dissolve the plastic eventually. I never tried a double boiler, for this it might have helped that the can was right on top of the hot plate so when the pellets are still solid they are at the bottom touching the metal that is direct contact with the heat.

This is as dangerous as handling hot grease for french fries, so eye protection, an apron & gloves could help, also nice to have a fire extinguisher including trained operator.

Anyway, when all was said & done, papers could be dipped in the thin liquid for testing, then the fraction of a pint would be cooled & capped, later tested for color, ductility, hardness, oil content, melting point & transition temperature.

Just like for amp design, you could use various equations to calculate your intended properties, but you would still have to make the blends to be sure, so a little trial & error is not bad instead and you would have a few mixes to choose from.

Hope this helps,
Mike

Replies:

Gil Ayan Thanks to all! But... -- 4/25/2000 1:05 AM