I needed to make a 1000 thermocouples, preferably type T, Copper-Constantan, since I need differential measurements. I had Constantan and Copper wire, both 0.25mm or AWG 30. Twisting them was not so hard, but how to strip the insulating lacquer? This is tough, and needs to be scraped with a knife. Now way I could do that 4000 times.
After some searching in the intertubes I found the suggestion of molten caustic soda, or NaOH at 400ºC. This works suprisingly well. I drilled three holes in a firebrick, made two crucibles from brazed Ø15mm copper pipe and heated with a gas burner. Stripping, washing, fluxing and tinning can be done in less than a minute.
See pictures.
Caution: NaOH at 400ºC dissolves lacquer in about 1 second. You finger will take 10 seconds. Anything spilled on your skin or splattered in your eye will have the same effect.
Fight Club was about NaOH at room temperature on the back of your hand. This is much worse.
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