How to free up a slug in an IF can?

[Geaney]

I wasn't sure where to post this request so apologies if its in the wrong place.

I need to do a full alignment on one of my sets but the slugs in the coils seem to be pretty much stuck and I don't wan to risk breaking them. I was wondering if there are any tips on how to free them up. The ones in question are in one of my P53's and seem to be sealed with a black wax compound. The slugs underneath are fine but the ones on top won't budge - at least with the amount of force I've used so far. I've removed most of the wax substance but no luck yet.

All help gratefully received.

Cheers,

John

[AlanBeckett]

John,

Carefully remove cans and coils from set making note of connections.
Take into garage/shed/yard/garden.
Select large lump hammer and flatten completely, then put into bin.
Go indoors and have a drink and a smoke.
Post request for spare parts.
This methodology cuts out all the frustration associated with trying to free them.

Alternatively gentle heat usually frees them. The snag is getting the heat to the slugs without disturbing the wax which holds the coils together. A screwdriver and a soldering iron on the blade often works.

Are they round or square? I've got a scrap P75 or 76 - can't remember which still has them fitted I think.

Good luck.

Alan

[Geaney]

haha thanks Alan,

I was waiting until I broke them before adopting your first approach

I had thought about using a heat gun but that's not exactly a precision instrument so I'll have a go with the soldering iron & screwdriver technique.

The radio works but its sensitivity and selectivity is much poorer than the other P53 I have so I thought I'd have a go. I got the set on eBay for spares and I've been treating it as my 'learner' set but now I've discovered what a lovely cabinet its got I'll be treating the chassis with more respect!

I'll let you know how I get on.

Cheers, John

[AlanBeckett]

David,

Heating up the screwdriver blade with the Heatgun is a good starting point.

Alan

[pwdrive]

You might have to go along with Alans 1st suggestion if all else fails (I like it) my 1st choice would also be the heat treatment, if the slugs are slotted and you have a spare soldering iron bit then file the bit to either fit the slot or file the end flat for max heat transfer...taking into account the material the coil former is made of, if they are polystyrene then extra caution is needed, some times screwing in before screwing out helps as it will reveal some of the cleaner thread in the former and it will give you a chance to clean out the threads on the former say anit clockwise with an L shape tool/hook. a bit of lubrication can help in certain circumstances.

Hope this is of some use, good luck whichever way.

Lawrence.

[Yorkie]

It might be worth winding several turns of say 20 SWG tinned copper wire around a soldering iron tip and leaving say an inch protruding as a fine 'tip' then apply that tip to the core to heat it.

If the cores haven't been tampered with, given that IFTs usually consist of a coil and high stability silver mica cap in a parallel tuned circuit, (sometimes a fixed coil but a tunable pre-set cap), I'd need to be very certain that the set has for some reason drifted off tune to such an extent that it's essential, or even desirable to disturb the cores and risk damaging either the cores, the former, or worse still, the coils, given that they're invariably made from fragile litz multi-strand fine wire.

Best of luck with it John.

[Paula A]

are the formers white or black?.. the black ones have shrunk over time and become wasp waisted either side of the slugs.. not fun.. try the above heat suggestions, if that fails there is no alternative other than brute force..

[Radio Fixer]

I was told a few drops of old fashioned lighter fuel does the trick but have never tried it. If the formers are made of 'styrene then that might not be a good idea but you could probably try a dab or two on a cotten bud, on the top of the former first, and see if it dislikes it before going further.

Let us know...

Gary

[Geaney]

Thanks Everyone,
Alas the formers are black so I may never free them up. I'll give the lighter fluid a go though.
I tried the soldering iron where I used an old tip and filed it to the shape of the slot in the slug - no luck so far.

I'll give it a few more attempts before I accept my fate.

Cheers, John

[Mark R]

John,
you could try something like Plus gas http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/deta...ing%20Oils&product=30700

or Rost Off crafty made by Wurth.

cheers Mark