[Heath] Stuck coil slug....

[Wilson]

A little paint thinner may help soften the wax.
I think it's beeswax and spirits is a solvent for it.
WL

-----Original Message----- 
From: Kenneth G. Gordon
Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2013 5:33 PM
To: Alexander N. Gerli ; heath at puck.nether.net
Subject: Re: [Heath] Stuck coil slug....

On 8 Oct 2013 at 10:28, Alexander N. Gerli wrote:

> So I need some advice on how to loosen that critter. I can't be
> absolutely sure, but I am certain that the slug is not cracked. I
> thought what I might use. I have a nice Wagner heat gun with two
> settings. If I applied some heat to the slug can, would that possibly
> help get things moving again?

What I have done, and it worked, was to use a metal hex tool (but NOT for
turning the slug!!!!!) that fits, stick it down into the stuck slug, and
CAREFULLY apply a soldering iron to the metal tool. Heat travels down the
tool to the stuck slug, and will sometimes loosen it.

There are at least a couple of reasons slugs get stuck. 1) they are coated
with beeswax, which hardens. Heat softens or melts the beeswax. 2) the
paper coil form has absorbed moisture and swells. Heat dries that out
(eventually) and allows the paper to shrink a bit. 3) there may be some old
lube of some sort in there which has hardened. Heat also melts that.

Be patient. Application of heat will eventually loosen the slug.

If all else fails, you can break it up and get the pieces out, then simply
replace the slug. The sizes are pretty standardized.

I have had to do that too.

BTW, why aren't you learning to play the bagpipe? You have almost all of
the other required paraphenalia.

Ken Gordon W7EKB
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