microwaves

[gus4113]

ive been finding a lot of microwaves lately...i usually just cut the cord..take out the heavy copper transformer..the little motors ...and leave the rest for the pickup truck iron scrappers...this one was stainless inside and sheet steel outside so i had to really bash it apart...i even opened the magnetron up...sheet steel...aluminum fins ans a little copper wire....this was left...anyone ever cut one open?

[hobo finds]

Magnetrons can go in with my electric motors, so I do not break them down...

[gus4113]

my ferrous yard wont take them even though i heard their is copper inside and a nasty chemical...they take them for shed no problem though at the steel yard

[hobo finds]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryllium_oxide



The pink stuff is bad don't break it open!

Mr. Pink "I don't tip"

[HipoGear]

There has been a lot of info posted on here about these microwave magnatrons. You might want to start reading some of the threads listed here at the bottom of this one. What I remember is there is a good amount of copper and a fair chance of death if you don't handle them properly.

Someone developed a method for dismantling them using two different sized pipes.

[DiamondN]

There is usually a market for the glass turntables and electronic control touch pads on eBay. I've always had good luck selling them in the past. Just make sure you test the touch pad before cutting the power cord.

[eesakiwi]

There's 80 grams of Copper in that magnatron.
Its just such a shame that they are so difficult to get into.
You really need a lathe to do it, using a tube sleeve to hold the Copper bobbin in the chuck.

Otherwise just put them in a safe container in a safe place and never break the ceramic.

On the older ones they plated the inside towards the emitter end with Gold plating.
(Not helpful, but just a interesting fact)

The dismantling idea with the 2 tubes is just to remove the Ali fins.

[EDC76]

I have a pipe cutter. Would that work?

[eesakiwi]

I have a pipe cutter. Would that work? ]

No, only one side of the pipecutter rollers will fit over the Copper bobbin.
That leaves the other side sitting in mid air and it won't work.

The Copper bobbin is actually very soft. Given any chance at all it will deform.
Using a metal tube with a slot in it to slip over the bobbin before clamping it in the lathe will work.
If you try and clamp the bobbin directly in the chuck it will deform, go out of center and the tool will grab and break off into the twisted Copper bobbin.

The Coppers very soft, and the where Stainless steel end caps welded, the welds very hard.
You have to use a parting off blade and cut a groove into the Copper, just inside from the weld.

Once you cut thru the Copper, its thin, the ends will nearly fall off except for the Copper rod inside, or the Tungsten rod, depending on which end you cut off.

I tried to use my tiny mini lathe, but I can only grab the stainless steel tube and as soon as the tool hits the metal it bends.
It will wait till I get access to a good large lathe, I have a 5 gallon bucket full of them.