i took apart a large microwave..just wondering

I'm pretty sure the inside of the magnetron is where the cancer causing dust stuff is. I think this was discussed quite a while ago

Have a search around, one end of it, the ceramic part, contains beryllium (I think) & so don't break it & don't inhale the dust or get it in cuts or touch it much.
The copper weight of it is about 80grams, so 13 of them = 1Kg.

I use a piece of tube in the vise & sit the magnetron on it & use another tube & punch the magnetron out of the Ali fins.
Sit it in the tube the right way up, so you slide the spool down thru the fins, where they touch the spool they bend one way, you want the spool to go with the direction of the bend.

I have removed the stainless steel ends a few times, first time I ground off the weld & picked out the two discs per end.
Messy, time consuming & the steel is really really sharp, I still have the scars.
One of the discs is mounted right into the copper spool, its a lot harder to get out.

I had some success by cutting the 'sticky out bit' off with a grinders cutoff disc, grinding some of the weld off, then punching a steel punch (strong steel pin) into the hole & peeling the end cap off sideways.
Thats done in the vise, the coppers soft & deforms & so every 3rd end I'd have to remount it & go again. Pain in the r'sss.

Then I had another go by grinding part of the weld off, mounting it low in the vise & using a sharp cold chisel to chisel the end cap off.
The spool still deforms & needs remounting all the time, with luck & a good sharp chisel & perseverance it may,,, be,,,, a method. I wouldn't bother now.

The only true way to remove it is probably the easiest way. A Lathe. Simple.
Mount it up, machine thru the weld, remove it, do the other end, pop the caps out. Simple.
I don't have a lathe.....

I do have about 20 magnetrons though.....

I have done a lot of searching I'm now real sure that theres no gold or silver in the magnatron.
There is a sticky out square copper wire welded to the spool, not worth saving I think.
There is a tungsten metal bit, its round, also not worth saving, along with the two steel wires.

Theres two thick copper wires in the tin box on the side of the houseing.
I used to bash the ceramic bit into the box, smash the housing a bit to loosen it, pop the end off, grab the magnet & magnetron & pull it out sharply & if you get it right, the two copper wires come out of the tin box, then wiggle the mag around & break the wires where they meet the ceramic part, it also drops the two black ceramic pins out of the coils.

That was when I used to scrap microwaves with only a hammer......

Originally Posted by happyscraper

Silver in the magnetron? I've been throwing those in with shred, I'll have to check that out.

I'll say it again, let Google be your friend.
http://www.gallawa.com/microtech/magnetron.html