Header Banner
wonderhowto.mark.png
Gadget Hacks Next Reality Food Hacks Null Byte The Secret Yumiverse Invisiverse Macgyverisms Mind Hacks Mad Science Lock Picking Driverless

How to Melt Metal with a Modified Microwave Oven Transformer

Oct 4, 2012 05:07 PM
Nov 1, 2012 06:17 PM
Fire being used to manipulate a combination lock.

In a previous project, I showed how to build an electrical Jacob's ladder using an old microwave oven transformer (MOT). In this project, I modified the secondary coil on the MOT, which converts it from a high voltage/low current device into a low voltage/high current metal melter!

You can see the simple modification in the pictures below. I've saved the primary coil and replaced the secondary with 1.5 turns of 2 AWG stranded copper wire.

Transformer with visible wires and winding structure.
Electrical transformer with wires connected.
Transformer with visible wires and winding structure.
Electrical transformer with wires connected.

The first MOT in the video produces just over 500 amps, and the second one is capable of nearly 800 amps. Both are enough to turn this steel screw into a glowing stream of molten metal.

Welding process producing sparks and flame.

Any metal that can conduct low voltage electricity (about 2-3 volts) acts as a resistor between the electrode wires, and heats up due to the extreme electrical friction.

Flames engulfing a safe dial during a burning process.
Heating a wire connection with heat shrink tubing in an electrical repair.
How to Melt Metal with a Modified Microwave Oven Transformer
Flames engulfing a safe dial during a burning process.
Heating a wire connection with heat shrink tubing in an electrical repair.
How to Melt Metal with a Modified Microwave Oven Transformer

In the pictures below, 2 small neodymium magnets went incandescent before liquifying into a puddle of molten metal.

Close-up of industrial equipment components on a work surface.
Burning embers on a dark surface.
Close-up of industrial equipment components on a work surface.
Burning embers on a dark surface.

The tines of a fork rolled over like butter.

Metal components resting on a spoon.

And by attaching some nails to the electrodes, I had a make-shift desoldering iron that melted hi-temp solder in a fraction of a second. Amazing, since my real desoldering iron wouldn't get hot enough to melt it at all!

Conducting soldering on a circuit board.

Haven't see the video yet? You can still see it here!

If you like this project perhaps you'll like some of my others. Check them out at www.thekingofrandom.com

The next big software update for iPhone is coming sometime in April and will include a Food section in Apple News+, an easy-to-miss new Ambient Music app, Priority Notifications thanks to Apple Intelligence, and updates to apps like Mail, Photos, Podcasts, and Safari. See what else is coming to your iPhone with the iOS 18.4 update.

Related Articles

Comments

No Comments Exist

Be the first, drop a comment!