Anybody ever heard of the "soak it in naptha" method?

[Zhangliqun]

Apparently this guy thinks you can un-pot a pickup by soaking it in naptha for an hour. Before I say anything, I want to make sure I haven't missed some new technological development because I've never heard of this before. Seems like even if it works, it could potentially send you to the moon.

removing potting wax - Seymour Duncan User Group Forums

[madialex]

Not sure, but if it does work it is going to take off more than epoxy, the coils will be worthless I think. God help him if he decides to light up around the stuff.

[Sweetfinger]

Naptha will only remove wax. Epoxy AFAIK cannot be removed without seriously damaging or destroying the other parts of the pickup.

[LtKojak]

Naptha will only remove wax.

I'm NOT convinced that's a good idea. A simple hairdryer works ok. I've even used once (when I was young and stupid) boiling water with no problems, but it was fast and I didn't melt everything, just the excess wax in an Epi p'up.

If the naphta gets to the wire's coating, I'm pretty sure PE and Formvar could be in danger... not so SPN.

But I'll let the chemical experts to correct me if I'm wrong here.

[Ronsonic]

I would be very surprised if naptha hurt anything in a pickup. Of all the solvents in general use it is probably the most benign to plastics and guitar finishes. Hell, it doesn't even hurt if you get it in your eye or a cut (I recommend avoiding that, anyway).

As for safety it burns clean and slow and is not all that easy to ignite. It very definitely does not readily produce an explosive mixture in air. I suppose you could manage it, but even McGyver would really have to work at it.

Let's respect this stuff and use adequate safety measures, but let's not be a bunch of ninnies.

I'm aware that there are people who can blow themselves up using a rope a bucket and water, and those are the folks that most safety warnings are written for. Uh, try not to be like that. But we should prioritize our fears.

[David Schwab]

Ironically, some naphtha contains paraffin! Naphtha is one of the ingredients in lighter fluid and camp fuel, so it certainly does burn. But it is a common degreaser used in guitar repair work. Light naphtha shouldn't harm hard plastics or finishes.

I didn't read the post at the Duncan forums, but I'll assume the guy isn't heating it on the stove or something! It's certainly no more dangerous than using any flammable solvent or spraying nitro lacquer for that matter.

When I was younger I used to spray guitars with nitro using a small air brush setup in my basement with little ventilation and right by the pilot light of the gas clothes dryer! Luckily I didn't blow myself up, but I did develop bronchitis which lasted for a decade or so. :\

[copperheadroads]

maybe that's why Hendrix poured lighter fluid on his guitar .to remove some of the wax but id say when he lite match, it worked better

[Sweetfinger]

I'm NOT convinced that's a good idea. A simple hairdryer works ok. I've even used once (when I was young and stupid) boiling water with no problems, but it was fast and I didn't melt everything, just the excess wax in an Epi p'up.

If the naphta gets to the wire's coating, I'm pretty sure PE and Formvar could be in danger... not so SPN.

But I'll let the chemical experts to correct me if I'm wrong here.

Sorry, the intent of my post was to differentiate between naptha's ability to remove wax vs. epoxy. It may, or may not attack wire coatings. My spider sense says that most wire coatings should be fine, but as always, YMMV. Do a test?

[Zhangliqun]

The guy wants to entirely de-pot the pickup, as in to make it as if it was never potted to begin with. This definitely can't be done with a hair dryer. All the wax isn't going to come out, most of the wax inside the coil isn't going anywhere. I'm skeptical that a naptha bath will get it all out either.

[frankfalbo]

Has anyone seen my 10 foot pole? I'd like to put it somewhere where I can be sure neither end comes in contact with this thread.

[LtKojak]

Has anyone seen my 10 foot pole? I'd like to put it somewhere where I can be sure neither end comes in contact with this thread.

Hey, it's not our fault naphta is highly inflammable and you're a chain smoker...

[Sam Lee Guy]

Has anyone seen my 10 foot pole? I'd like to put it somewhere where I can be sure neither end comes in contact with this thread.

Hey, Flank, Sam no see pole, but Spence sure walking funny!

No worry! Maybe he just learn robot dance or something?

[Zhangliqun]

Has anyone seen my 10 foot pole? I'd like to put it somewhere where I can be sure neither end comes in contact with this thread.

There's some kind of bitter naptha controversy I'm unaware of?

[David Schwab]

Everyone.... it's NAPHTHA.

[Zhangliqun]

It's naphthphthaphatha. I was just using the short version for you philistines.