How to Make The Metal Melter

in a previous video I used a modified

in a previous video I used a modified microwave oven transformer as an

microwave oven transformer as an

microwave oven transformer as an electrical metal melter in this video

electrical metal melter in this video

electrical metal melter in this video you’ll learn step by step how it was

you’ll learn step by step how it was

you’ll learn step by step how it was made and what I’m using it for now

in a previous project I found an old

in a previous project I found an old microwave in a dumpster and hacked it

microwave in a dumpster and hacked it

microwave in a dumpster and hacked it open to see what components I could

open to see what components I could

open to see what components I could salvage this power transformer was one

salvage this power transformer was one

salvage this power transformer was one of my favorites and got used in many

of my favorites and got used in many

of my favorites and got used in many other projects like high voltage

other projects like high voltage

other projects like high voltage electrical arcs making a homemade stick

electrical arcs making a homemade stick

electrical arcs making a homemade stick welder and melting metal in its current

welder and melting metal in its current

welder and melting metal in its current condition the transformer produces a

condition the transformer produces a

condition the transformer produces a deadly high voltage that’s enough to

deadly high voltage that’s enough to

deadly high voltage that’s enough to kill a person on contact but it won’t

kill a person on contact but it won’t

kill a person on contact but it won’t melt metal to do that we have to modify

melt metal to do that we have to modify

melt metal to do that we have to modify the transformer by rewinding the coils

the transformer by rewinding the coils

the transformer by rewinding the coils looking at the sides of this transformer

looking at the sides of this transformer

looking at the sides of this transformer you can see that these shallow welds are

you can see that these shallow welds are

you can see that these shallow welds are the only thing holding this together

the only thing holding this together

the only thing holding this together I’m gonna use my bench vise to secure

I’m gonna use my bench vise to secure

I’m gonna use my bench vise to secure this in place with one end of the welded

this in place with one end of the welded

this in place with one end of the welded sides facing up and try using a hacksaw

sides facing up and try using a hacksaw

sides facing up and try using a hacksaw to cut it open this is a fairly weak

to cut it open this is a fairly weak

to cut it open this is a fairly weak weld and a hacksaw will work but a quick

weld and a hacksaw will work but a quick

weld and a hacksaw will work but a quick buzz with an angle grinder works a lot

buzz with an angle grinder works a lot

buzz with an angle grinder works a lot better now that that’s ground off a

better now that that’s ground off a

better now that that’s ground off a hammer and chisel can be used to crack

hammer and chisel can be used to crack

hammer and chisel can be used to crack the gap and pry the pieces apart the

the gap and pry the pieces apart the

the gap and pry the pieces apart the rest can be removed by hand with the

rest can be removed by hand with the

rest can be removed by hand with the bottom off I’ve got access to the three

bottom off I’ve got access to the three

bottom off I’ve got access to the three coils of wire wrapped around the core

coils of wire wrapped around the core

coils of wire wrapped around the core the top coil is the primary winding and

the top coil is the primary winding and

the top coil is the primary winding and I want to take very good care of that so

I want to take very good care of that so

I want to take very good care of that so I’ve wrapped a cloth over my chisels to

I’ve wrapped a cloth over my chisels to

I’ve wrapped a cloth over my chisels to protect it as I pry up on the winding

protect it as I pry up on the winding

protect it as I pry up on the winding it’s in there pretty snug but prying it

it’s in there pretty snug but prying it

it’s in there pretty snug but prying it slowly and gently from both sides gets

slowly and gently from both sides gets

slowly and gently from both sides gets it to the point where I can put the

it to the point where I can put the

it to the point where I can put the chisels down and pull it off by hand

chisels down and pull it off by hand

chisels down and pull it off by hand these metal shunts can get knocked out

these metal shunts can get knocked out

these metal shunts can get knocked out now and amazingly this is the only form

now and amazingly this is the only form

now and amazingly this is the only form of current-limiting this transformer has

of current-limiting this transformer has

of current-limiting this transformer has the middle coil is junk and it all comes

the middle coil is junk and it all comes

the middle coil is junk and it all comes out then to get the secondary coil off

out then to get the secondary coil off

out then to get the secondary coil off I’m setting it with the coil resting on

I’m setting it with the coil resting on

I’m setting it with the coil resting on the jaws of my vise and then hitting the

the jaws of my vise and then hitting the

the jaws of my vise and then hitting the middle of the core with a rubber hammer

middle of the core with a rubber hammer

middle of the core with a rubber hammer until the winding is free that’s got

until the winding is free that’s got

until the winding is free that’s got pretty beat up but that’s okay because

pretty beat up but that’s okay because

pretty beat up but that’s okay because luckily I don’t need it the chisel works

luckily I don’t need it the chisel works

luckily I don’t need it the chisel works great for scraping off any excess paper

great for scraping off any excess paper

great for scraping off any excess paper and glue stuck on the sides and now

and glue stuck on the sides and now

and glue stuck on the sides and now we’ve got ourselves a naked transformer

we’ve got ourselves a naked transformer

we’ve got ourselves a naked transformer core you’re looking at the E and I

core you’re looking at the E and I

core you’re looking at the E and I sections of the core and at this point

sections of the core and at this point

sections of the core and at this point we’re ready to reinstall our primary

we’re ready to reinstall our primary

we’re ready to reinstall our primary coil this coil has about a hundred turns

coil this coil has about a hundred turns

coil this coil has about a hundred turns of insulated copper wire and needs to be

of insulated copper wire and needs to be

of insulated copper wire and needs to be replaced gently to avoid damaging it or

replaced gently to avoid damaging it or

replaced gently to avoid damaging it or scraping the wires that’s why I’m using

scraping the wires that’s why I’m using

scraping the wires that’s why I’m using a rubber hammer so I can still get it in

a rubber hammer so I can still get it in

a rubber hammer so I can still get it in nice and

nice and

nice and okay it’s looking like it’s supposed to

okay it’s looking like it’s supposed to

okay it’s looking like it’s supposed to so now we can add a secondary winding

so now we can add a secondary winding

so now we can add a secondary winding made from this thick 2 gauge copper

made from this thick 2 gauge copper

made from this thick 2 gauge copper cable I was lucky and got this from a

cable I was lucky and got this from a

cable I was lucky and got this from a scrap pile my brother had at work

scrap pile my brother had at work

scrap pile my brother had at work looking inside you can see it’s made of

looking inside you can see it’s made of

looking inside you can see it’s made of stranded copper wire insulated by a

stranded copper wire insulated by a

stranded copper wire insulated by a thick rubber coating my brother got me a

thick rubber coating my brother got me a

thick rubber coating my brother got me a heavy-duty copper lug and crimped it in

heavy-duty copper lug and crimped it in

heavy-duty copper lug and crimped it in place on the end of the cable next he

place on the end of the cable next he

place on the end of the cable next he added a little shrink wrap to protect

added a little shrink wrap to protect

added a little shrink wrap to protect the connection and hit it with a heat

the connection and hit it with a heat

the connection and hit it with a heat gun to shrink it down and finish it off

gun to shrink it down and finish it off

gun to shrink it down and finish it off alright so with the cable bent in half I

alright so with the cable bent in half I

alright so with the cable bent in half I can move it up next to the transformer

can move it up next to the transformer

can move it up next to the transformer and tuck it down into the gaps the wire

and tuck it down into the gaps the wire

and tuck it down into the gaps the wire is so thick it’s a pretty tight fit and

is so thick it’s a pretty tight fit and

is so thick it’s a pretty tight fit and probably couldn’t be any bigger I’m

probably couldn’t be any bigger I’m

probably couldn’t be any bigger I’m pulling one end of the cable back around

pulling one end of the cable back around

pulling one end of the cable back around the transformer and I decided to switch

the transformer and I decided to switch

the transformer and I decided to switch the positions of these two so that it

the positions of these two so that it

the positions of these two so that it forms more of an ascending coil now I

forms more of an ascending coil now I

forms more of an ascending coil now I can press the other side into place and

can press the other side into place and

can press the other side into place and the secondary coil is wrapped as easy as

the secondary coil is wrapped as easy as

the secondary coil is wrapped as easy as that the last step is to put this back

that the last step is to put this back

that the last step is to put this back together I don’t have anything to reweld

together I don’t have anything to reweld

together I don’t have anything to reweld the scenes I broke apart so I’m gonna

the scenes I broke apart so I’m gonna

the scenes I broke apart so I’m gonna try using this two-part epoxy glue to

try using this two-part epoxy glue to

try using this two-part epoxy glue to see if I can make it work both the

see if I can make it work both the

see if I can make it work both the components get mixed equally then I’ll

components get mixed equally then I’ll

components get mixed equally then I’ll add the glue to all the exposed surfaces

add the glue to all the exposed surfaces

add the glue to all the exposed surfaces at the top here and find a way to clamp

at the top here and find a way to clamp

at the top here and find a way to clamp this down it turns out my bench vise has

this down it turns out my bench vise has

this down it turns out my bench vise has a gap wide enough to fit the entire

a gap wide enough to fit the entire

a gap wide enough to fit the entire assembly and after double-checking the

assembly and after double-checking the

assembly and after double-checking the alignment on the connection I’ll cinch

alignment on the connection I’ll cinch

alignment on the connection I’ll cinch it up tight I’m adding the leftover glue

it up tight I’m adding the leftover glue

it up tight I’m adding the leftover glue to the gaps on the edges and everything

to the gaps on the edges and everything

to the gaps on the edges and everything is looking as expected so that can be

is looking as expected so that can be

is looking as expected so that can be left to set okay it’s 2 hours later and

left to set okay it’s 2 hours later and

left to set okay it’s 2 hours later and our modification is complete there’s

our modification is complete there’s

our modification is complete there’s actually no physical connection between

actually no physical connection between

actually no physical connection between the 2 coils yet this will pump out

the 2 coils yet this will pump out

the 2 coils yet this will pump out around 800 amps to bench test the device

around 800 amps to bench test the device

around 800 amps to bench test the device I’m carefully hooking clips to both

I’m carefully hooking clips to both

I’m carefully hooking clips to both leads of the primary winding and then

leads of the primary winding and then

leads of the primary winding and then adding power using my multimeter I’m

adding power using my multimeter I’m

adding power using my multimeter I’m showing just over 2 volts now which is a

showing just over 2 volts now which is a

showing just over 2 volts now which is a lot lower than the thousand volts this

lot lower than the thousand volts this

lot lower than the thousand volts this used to throw out but instead of putting

used to throw out but instead of putting

used to throw out but instead of putting out one amp now I’m getting closer to

out one amp now I’m getting closer to

out one amp now I’m getting closer to 800 what can you do with that mini am

800 what can you do with that mini am

800 what can you do with that mini am I thought it would be fun to try melting

I thought it would be fun to try melting

I thought it would be fun to try melting some metal which you can see this does

some metal which you can see this does

some metal which you can see this does easily the metal melts because it’s not

easily the metal melts because it’s not

easily the metal melts because it’s not as conductive as copper wire it acts

as conductive as copper wire it acts

as conductive as copper wire it acts like a resistor and heats up from the

like a resistor and heats up from the

like a resistor and heats up from the electrical friction until it reaches its

electrical friction until it reaches its

electrical friction until it reaches its melting point or until the insulation on

melting point or until the insulation on

melting point or until the insulation on the lead wires melt and the system

the lead wires melt and the system

the lead wires melt and the system shorts out well not only was this a fun

shorts out well not only was this a fun

shorts out well not only was this a fun modification but I found a practical

modification but I found a practical

modification but I found a practical application for it in making a spot

application for it in making a spot

application for it in making a spot welder like this one the high current

welder like this one the high current

welder like this one the high current can be directed to few sheets of metal

can be directed to few sheets of metal

can be directed to few sheets of metal together at one precise location look

together at one precise location look

together at one precise location look for how to make that in another project

for how to make that in another project

for how to make that in another project well now you know how to build the metal

well now you know how to build the metal

well now you know how to build the metal melter if you liked this video perhaps

melter if you liked this video perhaps

melter if you liked this video perhaps you’ll like some of my others check them

you’ll like some of my others check them

you’ll like some of my others check them out at the king of random calm