> How exactly did the side cutters hold the SFR16?  Also note that the
> SFR16 are metal film, not carbon as you suggest later "Best guess so
> far is that the carbon film resistor
> layer vaporised".

Yes. Brain fade. Meant "metal film" - well aware that SFR16 is metal.
Sidecutters were insulated and held one resistor leg lightly.  They 
should have played no major part in the resultant explosion.

> My suspicion is that you heated the metal film to the vaporization
> point, where it formed an arc that grew over time as more metal
> vaporized, which would have happened very quickly since you had so
> nicely pre-heated the entire package.

That matches my thoughts.

> I believe you would have had a very different experience with a 
> carbon
> composition.

Must try ... ;-)



        RM

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