I couldn't handle it. I broke down under the pressure. I hacked into a perfectly good early vintage Langevin AM-16 input transformer, the third one I have sacraficed in the name of science. What is wrong with me?!
I had to find out if my lam tests were a bunch of baloney as usual, or if they actually meant anything. So, I put the 425-A on the mill and opened her up like a can of sardines.
The transformer in question:
http://vacuumbrain.com/The_Lab/TA/Langevin/Lams/lam_1.jpg
The back plate where the first incision was made:
http://vacuumbrain.com/The_Lab/TA/Langevin/Lams/lam_2.jpg
The goal is to take one lam out for a sample without screwing up the transformer. Not an easy thing to do as there are some 0.0020 inch thick magnet wire splices at the bottom of the core where we will be operating.
One false move with the screwdriver, and snappy gator, kiss you x-former goodbye.
Whats weird is that if the x-former says 425-A on the paper label, it says 425-B on the stamped label.
If it says 425-B on the paper label, it says 425-C on the stamped label.
Thank you Langevin for the ambigous part numbers.
Milled the end plate:
First lid off:
http://vacuumbrain.com/The_Lab/TA/Langevin/Lams/lam_4.jpg
The copper lies in between the two mu cans for extra shielding. The copper resists electrical fields, while the mu metal resists magnetic fields.
This is the top of the inner mu can. That black goo is pure Afghan hash oil, smuggled inside transformers during the Russian occupation. And man, is it good!
Pried the mu lid off with the help of a big soldering iron, which was needed to break loose a couple of tack welds. Viola. pay dirt!