03-06-2010, 03:02 AM
Hi Kurt,
To make your work easier, there is no need to do a cleanup, if you start the job right.
I just recapped an Philco 20 with 5 or 6 blocks, and each took less than 3 or 4 minutes each. I do not remove them from the chassis, I leave 'em wired in. I do cut the tiny cap wires at the terminals. Take the hold down bolt off, flip the block over, the do the heating on the sides of the block.
When I started rebuilding the blocks, it did get messy. That was because I was heating the block too high, and digging the tar out from the bottomside, melting tar all over, heating it too hot.
The cleanest way to remove the plug is to only heat the block just enough so the tar will slide freely, but way before the point of melting.
I use a small embossing heat gun, but you can use the hair dryer. By doing this, and just like Cheuck's tutorial, you can push the old plug out in one piece from the backside. 99% of the time ALL the tar pushes out in one piece. No need for trans fluid, thinner, Q-tips, Wesson oil, and all that messy stuff. I mean, lacquer thinner does dissolve the tar that is left, but my goal is to have no tar left over in the first place.
I use a thin steel rod to push them out.
Pop in your new caps, solder in and you are done. No need to refill with anything.
Take care,
Gary.
To make your work easier, there is no need to do a cleanup, if you start the job right.
I just recapped an Philco 20 with 5 or 6 blocks, and each took less than 3 or 4 minutes each. I do not remove them from the chassis, I leave 'em wired in. I do cut the tiny cap wires at the terminals. Take the hold down bolt off, flip the block over, the do the heating on the sides of the block.
When I started rebuilding the blocks, it did get messy. That was because I was heating the block too high, and digging the tar out from the bottomside, melting tar all over, heating it too hot.
The cleanest way to remove the plug is to only heat the block just enough so the tar will slide freely, but way before the point of melting.
I use a small embossing heat gun, but you can use the hair dryer. By doing this, and just like Cheuck's tutorial, you can push the old plug out in one piece from the backside. 99% of the time ALL the tar pushes out in one piece. No need for trans fluid, thinner, Q-tips, Wesson oil, and all that messy stuff. I mean, lacquer thinner does dissolve the tar that is left, but my goal is to have no tar left over in the first place.
I use a thin steel rod to push them out.
Pop in your new caps, solder in and you are done. No need to refill with anything.
Take care,
Gary.
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