Wax potting pickups - remove tape from the coil first or leave it?[Picture]- created 06-06-2007
Conder, Jonathan - 06/06/2007.14:46:12
Professional tinkerer to the anonymous
Does it matter if the coil windings are taped or not before potting a pickup, other than slowing penetration time, maybe? I haven't tried yet, and didn't see this particular item mentioned in the archives.
Quick sidebar - If untaped is right, what's the best way to remove the tape without damaging the coil?
Back to topic - my means are a coffee can, glass jar, portable electric two-burner stove, thermometer, and candles (one beeswax).
You're doing this in a *double boiler* - RIGHT?
I have always taped my pickups before potting them. I have no idea if this is the "right way" of doing things, but it works and I have no problem with microphonics even thou I wind them quite loose.
Probably the best reason to keep the tape on is your second question. would be scared to remove tape on an existing pickup if it had been on for a wile. The adhesive have probably dried out and really stick to the wire.
If I'm potting new pickups or rewinds I pot with the tape off. This is because I tend to let mine sit in my wax pot for a long time to insure good penetration. This can heat up the tape and make it fall off.
If I am potting someones pickup and don't want to take the tape off I will wrap a rubber band around the bobbin to hold the tape in place. See the yellow rubber band in the picture?
Now, wax can be dangerous so here's my official wax potting warning.
Rule#1 Always know the temperature of your wax.
Rule#2 ALWAYS KNOW THE TEMPERATURE OF YOUR WAX!!!
Rule#3 Have a good dry chemical fire extinguisher.
Rule#4 Take your time.
Rule#5 Don't splash the wax.
Still not sinking in? Ok, let's examine the dangers a bit closer.
Danger #1 FIRE!!
How do I put out a wax fire ?
If molten wax should ignite unplug the wax pot. The wax may be extinguished by any of the following methods:
1.Smother the flame.
Danger #2 INHALATION!!
Danger #3 SKIN BURNS
Here is a little more information from the MSDS.
1. Parental guidance and supervision is mandatory if material is going to be melted or used. ***Children could be severely burned ***.
SECTION VIII - SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS & COMMENTS
1. Keep away from & open flame. Always melt by heating in a pan over boiling water as in a double boiler. Wax can catch on fire if over heated. See line #5, Section VII
Alright, now ya'll have been warned. Treat this stuff with as much respect as you would a router or a spray rig and you should be fine. Oh... and one other thing. Don't pour hot wax down your sink - it will cool there and plug up the pipe. Ask me how I know... look...it was many years ago ok? Geeesss...
Thanks all - very good stuff. Yes, Deb, it will be a double boiler setup, conducted either just inside/outside of my shed, direct to open air, away from pets and other people, heat source sitting on concrete.
What's the lowest temp that's good for this? Extra soak time isn't a concern as long as nothing's melting that shouldn't.
With an mix of 80% paraffin to 20% bees wax I like to set the temp at 130
I use rubber bands too but I like to use two smaller ones, I just don't like to cover the coil as much as the larger ones do. It probably doesn't matter but I feel like the wax will get in there a bit better
Cool idea on the rubber bands.
A couple more thoughts: how soon after the bubbles stop rising should the pickup come out, and is it better to suspend it a certain way, or does it depend on the available jar size?
>how soon after the bubbles stop rising should the pickup come out
There are many opinions about this... some feel that leaving it in too long adversely changes the tone of the pickup. Because of this, some pickup makers only partially pot their pickups. And some don't pot them in wax at all, choosing to use lacquer, vanish, sanding sealer, etc. Or nothing.
Gibson never potted their pickups until recently, and some older Fender pickups were potted with what looks like lacquer.
I haven't wax potted any of my pickups, but I do encapsulate some in epoxy.
The pickup in question is out of an imported Harmony mini-guitar, nothing really special about it. This is part of an ongoing "pet project" restoration, and I'm looking at ways to make a few improvements here and there, and have always wanted to try potting a pickup anyway, just never had enough info to do it correctly until now