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Vintage threads from the first ten years

Re: Potting Pickups

8/25/1999 5:19 PM
MKB	Re: Potting Pickups As far as the bobbin temperature goes, in my experience it has depended on the pickup manufacturer. I recently potted a PRS Standard, a Duncan Custom Custom, and a lashed together seventies Gibson humbucker. I usually leave in the pickup until the bubbles stop, which is a few minutes. After cooling, the PRS and Gibson were fine, but the Duncan's coils began to warp a bit (probably from wire tension and heating of the plastic). The pickup is OK, but I would be very hesitant to pot it again. BTW, I used beeswax on these pickups. I have used paraffin before with no problems, however. The beeswax is a lot softer. Next time I plan to use the 8020 mix mentioned here. Also, I have not had much luck modding pickups without repotting, such as changing magnets and such. I usually repot after any mods (except for minor pickup wiring). Also, I pot humbuckers with the covers installed, just wipe them down before the wax hardens. You can have microphonics caused by a loose cover.

8/25/1999 5:19 PM

MKB

Re: Potting Pickups

As far as the bobbin temperature goes, in my experience it has depended on the pickup manufacturer. I recently potted a PRS Standard, a Duncan Custom Custom, and a lashed together seventies Gibson humbucker. I usually leave in the pickup until the bubbles stop, which is a few minutes. After cooling, the PRS and Gibson were fine, but the Duncan's coils began to warp a bit (probably from wire tension and heating of the plastic). The pickup is OK, but I would be very hesitant to pot it again.

BTW, I used beeswax on these pickups. I have used paraffin before with no problems, however. The beeswax is a lot softer. Next time I plan to use the 8020 mix mentioned here.

Also, I have not had much luck modding pickups without repotting, such as changing magnets and such. I usually repot after any mods (except for minor pickup wiring). Also, I pot humbuckers with the covers installed, just wipe them down before the wax hardens. You can have microphonics caused by a loose cover.

8/25/1999 7:11 PM
Mook	Poorman's Potting OK, here's my plan: I have a box of old, white candles (about 20 in the box) at home. I also plan to get a tin-foil tin from the local supermarket as my potting "pot". I'll boil some water in a larger pot and insert the aluminum tin filled with chunks of useless candles. I plan to pot with the covers on. I might add the 20% beeswax, but where the heck do I get that??????? Do supermarkets carry beeswax? So, if I don't add beeswax, the cost of the project should be around $1 (the cost of the aluminum tin). Mook

8/25/1999 7:11 PM

Mook

Poorman's Potting

OK, here's my plan:

I have a box of old, white candles (about 20 in the box) at home. I also plan to get a tin-foil tin from the local supermarket as my potting "pot".

I'll boil some water in a larger pot and insert the aluminum tin filled with chunks of useless candles. I plan to pot with the covers on.

I might add the 20% beeswax, but where the heck do I get that??????? Do supermarkets carry beeswax?

So, if I don't add beeswax, the cost of the project should be around $1 (the cost of the aluminum tin).

Mook

8/25/1999 7:56 PM
Mark Hammer	Most crafts stores that cater to the "tchotchke"* crowd will carry beeswax in sheets. Expect to pay less than $1.50 a sheet. * Tchotchke is a yiddish word refering to any kind of useless knick-knack or functionless cute item (like homemade dolls that sit tied to a bunch of dried flowers in the corner of a dresser, or macramé, gringo dream-catchers, etc.). In Canada there is a large chain called Michael's, which kind of the Home Depot of crafts. You may have some kind of box store like that near you. Emroidery stores sometimes carry it too.

8/25/1999 7:56 PM

Mark Hammer

Most crafts stores that cater to the "tchotchke"* crowd will carry beeswax in sheets. Expect to pay less than $1.50 a sheet.

* Tchotchke is a yiddish word refering to any kind of useless knick-knack or functionless cute item (like homemade dolls that sit tied to a bunch of dried flowers in the corner of a dresser, or macramé, gringo dream-catchers, etc.). In Canada there is a large chain called Michael's, which kind of the Home Depot of crafts. You may have some kind of box store like that near you. Emroidery stores sometimes carry it too.

8/26/1999 1:00 PM
Mook	Beer and Cheap Pot Well I did it last night. I got a 6 pak of Icehouse for my Potting experience. Instead of using a Aluminum tin, I simply made a "pot" from aluminum foil. I took about 15 sheets of foil (about 12"x12"). I shaped them into a pot and "molded" the sides. The "pot" was about 5-6 inches wide and 5-6 inches in height. I boiled some water in a larger cooking pot. I placed the "potting" pot into the water and cut up about 7-8 8" white candles. I removed the wicks with pliers. They took about 1 1/2 hours to totally melt. I measured the temperature and found the temps to be in the 160s. Ouch! So, once melted, I turned the heat off. About 30 minutes into the potting, I applied heat for a few minutes to raise the temp a bit. Well, I took 4 Seth Lover HBs and simply immersed them into the parafin, cover and all (except for the lead wire). I saw the bubbles come up. I "dipped" the PUPs every few minutes to ensure proper seepage into the coils. I left them in there about 45 minutes. After the 45 minutes, I removed them, and let them cool for about 4-5 minutes. When I removed them, I placed them on "bed" of paper towels, cover DOWN. I did this so the was would stay inside the PUP. If I had turned the pickup over, the wax (since it was so hot) would have spilled right out. After 4-5 minutes, though, the wax was "hard" enough to turn the PUP over without spillage. I then wiped off the excess wax from the nickel cover. I used a pair of pliers to hold the PUPs while wiping (they were WAY too hot to touch). They took about 2 hours to totally cool down. Even after an hour after potting they were "warm" to the touch. After potting, I measured the D.C. resistance (I measured the resistance before potting, as well). I noticed that all the PUPs changed a little bit (i.e. 7.16K ohms now became 7.14K ohms AND 8.28K ohms now became 8.30K ohms, etc.). I installed the PUPs and did a quick test. It was about 11:00 last night by the time I finished, so I could only play silently. They still work, so I haven't damaged anything. I shall "blast" them tonight to see if the potting fixed the feedback/microphonics and changed the tonality (hopefully it didn't). Total Cost: $0.00 Total Time Spent: about 6 hours for removal, preparation, melting, potting, and replacement. Lessons Learned: Well, I should have used an Aluminun Tin or Coffee can in place of the Aluminum Foil "pot". During potting, some of the wax leaked into my boiling pot. So, now I have to scrape that before using it for cooking again (Wife's gonna kill me). Mook Mook

8/26/1999 1:00 PM

Mook

Beer and Cheap Pot

Well I did it last night. I got a 6 pak of Icehouse for my Potting experience. Instead of using a Aluminum tin, I simply made a "pot" from aluminum foil.

I took about 15 sheets of foil (about 12"x12"). I shaped them into a pot and "molded" the sides. The "pot" was about 5-6 inches wide and 5-6 inches in height.

I boiled some water in a larger cooking pot. I placed the "potting" pot into the water and cut up about 7-8 8" white candles. I removed the wicks with pliers. They took about 1 1/2 hours to totally melt. I measured the temperature and found the temps to be in the 160s. Ouch! So, once melted, I turned the heat off. About 30 minutes into the potting, I applied heat for a few minutes to raise the temp a bit.

Well, I took 4 Seth Lover HBs and simply immersed them into the parafin, cover and all (except for the lead wire). I saw the bubbles come up. I "dipped" the PUPs every few minutes to ensure proper seepage into the coils. I left them in there about 45 minutes. After the 45 minutes, I removed them, and let them cool for about 4-5 minutes. When I removed them, I placed them on "bed" of paper towels, cover DOWN. I did this so the was would stay inside the PUP. If I had turned the pickup over, the wax (since it was so hot) would have spilled right out. After 4-5 minutes, though, the wax was "hard" enough to turn the PUP over without spillage. I then wiped off the excess wax from the nickel cover. I used a pair of pliers to hold the PUPs while wiping (they were WAY too hot to touch).

They took about 2 hours to totally cool down. Even after an hour after potting they were "warm" to the touch.

After potting, I measured the D.C. resistance (I measured the resistance before potting, as well). I noticed that all the PUPs changed a little bit (i.e. 7.16K ohms now became 7.14K ohms AND 8.28K ohms now became 8.30K ohms, etc.).

I installed the PUPs and did a quick test. It was about 11:00 last night by the time I finished, so I could only play silently. They still work, so I haven't damaged anything.

I shall "blast" them tonight to see if the potting fixed the feedback/microphonics and changed the tonality (hopefully it didn't).

Total Cost: $0.00

Total Time Spent: about 6 hours for removal, preparation, melting, potting, and replacement.

Lessons Learned: Well, I should have used an Aluminun Tin or Coffee can in place of the Aluminum Foil "pot". During potting, some of the wax leaked into my boiling pot. So, now I have to scrape that before using it for cooking again (Wife's gonna kill me).

Mook

Mook

8/26/1999 6:22 PM
Joe Fuzz	Get to the important stuff! How was the beer?!

8/26/1999 6:33 PM
Mook	The beer was ice cold and great. Since the wife is going to be out the house tonight, I'll get another 6 pak of beer to do some LOUD testing!! Mook

8/27/1999 4:43 AM
Steve A.	Mook: I believe that the change you noticed in the dc resistance of your pickups was due to their temperature (still very warm, I suspect). Once they cool off the dc resistance should be the same as it was before you started. I guess you used the household emergency candles that are 100% parafin. But I'd suggest that anybody else cough up $1.00 or $2.00 and buy the blocks of parafin used for canning available at grocery stores or hardware stores. Some candles may have dye or scent or other additives that you might not want in your guitar ("Banbury 'Buckers" would be great aroud Christmas). I'm probably almost as cheap as you are and I went to the local MacFrugals stores and picked up the cheapest pots I could find that would nest together in a double-boiler arrangement (with a little help from my friend, Mr. Pliers). I would suggest not cooking with these pots as the porcelain may or may not contain contaminents, but they have served me well for potting all of my pickups. As has the $1.00 block of parafin... at least until I potted by SD Antiquities Tele pickups! To make them look aged SD uses a black dye which got into the parafin. Steve Ahola

8/27/1999 4:43 AM

Steve A.

Mook:

    I believe that the change you noticed in the dc resistance of your pickups was due to their temperature (still very warm, I suspect). Once they cool off the dc resistance should be the same as it was before you started.

    I guess you used the household emergency candles that are 100% parafin. But I'd suggest that anybody else cough up $1.00 or $2.00 and buy the blocks of parafin used for canning available at grocery stores or hardware stores. Some candles may have dye or scent or other additives that you might not want in your guitar ("Banbury 'Buckers" would be great aroud Christmas).

    I'm probably almost as cheap as you are and I went to the local MacFrugals stores and picked up the cheapest pots I could find that would nest together in a double-boiler arrangement (with a little help from my friend, Mr. Pliers). I would suggest not cooking with these pots as the porcelain may or may not contain contaminents, but they have served me well for potting all of my pickups. As has the $1.00 block of parafin... at least until I potted by SD Antiquities Tele pickups! To make them look aged SD uses a black dye which got into the parafin.

Steve Ahola

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