|
Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details. |
|
Thread Tools |
21st Nov 2022, 12:35 pm | #1 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Near Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
Posts: 4,609
|
Microwave waveguide mica.
Hi Folks,
We've had our Schneider microwave for many years now - yesterday the bulb finally went kupat so i replaced it. When I was looking in, I saw thet the mice sheet by the waveguide had started to look a bit black so needed replacing. As the item was quite old now, the ones I saw on Amazon weren't the right size, so:
__________________
Mike. |
21st Nov 2022, 2:11 pm | #2 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,803
|
Re: Microwave waveguide mica.
Measure the time for a cup of water to get from ambient to the boil to assess power reaching the job in hand. Or run the thing for a short time while and check the temperature of the mica quickly afterwards. It has low thermal mass and 600W passing through it. If it's not hot, it must be OK.
Mica is usually punched to shape and to make holes. I assume drilling would work with support behind it for the drill to continue into. David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done |
21st Nov 2022, 2:34 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK.
Posts: 5,263
|
Re: Microwave waveguide mica.
the biggest problem is going to be if it becomes conductive and starts sparking. I've ordered bigger ones and cut them down, using my hole punch to make a nice hole.
My panasonic here has a plastic waveguide cover as does this 1900W commercial microwave at work
__________________
Kevin |
21st Nov 2022, 2:54 pm | #4 |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Garnant, near Ammanford, South Wales, UK.
Posts: 657
|
Re: Microwave waveguide mica.
Hi.
They get darker as they draw in grease etc, and eventually either fall apart or arc and burn. Often when they arc the arc will travel down the wave guide and damage the magnetron antenna so it's worth changing before this happens. You can buy a sheet of mica, or any larger wave guide cover and cut one out. I used to use a stanley knife and steel ruler, with the mica on a cutting board. Shape rounded corners with a sanding block. Holes are easy to make with a punch or drill bit.
__________________
BVWS member. |
21st Nov 2022, 3:35 pm | #5 | ||||
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Near Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
Posts: 4,609
|
Re: Microwave waveguide mica.
Thanks, folks, I'll have a look at all these replies.
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
I'll get a larger sheet from Amazon, drill on a wood block and cut with my ubiquitous Stanley Knife and round the edges with some glasspaper.
__________________
Mike. |
||||
21st Nov 2022, 3:39 pm | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,953
|
Re: Microwave waveguide mica.
I vaguely remember reading something about cutting sheet-Mica with ordinary scissors, _underwater_ .
Mica being fragile, the scissors create their cut by micro-fracturing the mica; the underwater thing being to absorb the shock energy of the micro-fracturing and stop the mica delaminating in the area round the cut.
__________________
I'm the Operator of my Pocket Calculator. -Kraftwerk. |
21st Nov 2022, 4:18 pm | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Near Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
Posts: 4,609
|
Re: Microwave waveguide mica.
Hmmm ... interesting.
__________________
Mike. |
21st Nov 2022, 5:24 pm | #8 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Near Worcestershire/Gloucestershire border (in WR), UK.
Posts: 70
|
Re: Microwave waveguide mica.
May I ask if you find a suitable link(URL) to source sheet mica you share it, please?
Good luck! |
21st Nov 2022, 8:03 pm | #9 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Garnant, near Ammanford, South Wales, UK.
Posts: 657
|
Re: Microwave waveguide mica.
Quote:
Richard
__________________
BVWS member. |
|
21st Nov 2022, 8:26 pm | #10 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,087
|
Re: Microwave waveguide mica.
|
21st Nov 2022, 9:13 pm | #11 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Near Worcestershire/Gloucestershire border (in WR), UK.
Posts: 70
|
Re: Microwave waveguide mica.
Thank you muchly.
|