[ARC5] Command sets and the dish-washer (or how can I really clean a set?)

[Leslie Smith]

Hello Ken,
I have a BC-453 on my desk - I just stripped out the flower-pots and put
them into a labelled box with the mounting screws.  Later today I'll go
to the Westlakes radio club and fill my grubby hands with replacement
caps.   I removed the IF cans, and the valves are all missing.  Under
the chassis is a little grubby, not not too bad.   I'll keep the caps
for re-stuffing, but I won't use them in this set.  The valve box cover
and lid are missing, and I believe that "butchered" sets are more
representative of the post-war age when they are "recovered" to be
"nice" not "restored" to original.  So "recovered" sets have a value too
...

I note you have been cleaning up some of your sets:

> Sheesh! You should see some of what I have to deal with! A number of 
> years ago, an old boss of mine left me over 150 ARC-5 receivers (no 
> transmitters, however). Some few were NIB. I sold all the good ones on 
> eBay, and what I have left all need some sort of attention. Nonetheless, 
> one of the worst-looking BC-455s I have, I recently dug out of the pile, 
> spent a couple of hours first vacuuming all the dirt, spider-webs, etc.,
> out of it. DeOxited the tube sockets and IF can plugs, reassembled it,
> plugged one of my small power supplies on it and it fired right up. I was only 
> somewhat amazed. ;-) 

I don't have an "old" boss, only old command sets, but I digress ...

Some people clean their sets by putting them in a dish-washer.  I've
only read about this method, and three things seems apparent.  (1) It's
a risky - winner take all method.  (2) If it works, I end up with a very
"clean" set, but (3) how long will my set last before it "dies the final
death" - i.e. some sort of electrolytic corrosion sets in?

So I'm inviting you to engage in a wild discussion about the rewards and
dangers of "the dishwasher".  Note that I don't have a dish-washer, only
a detergent filled spray bottle.  On the other hand I don't have a wife
to say:  "No!  You're not putting that "thing" in the dish-washer", but
believe if I had a dish-washer I would probably be able to get a wife
who would say "NO!".  

My effort with this set may end in a surprise.  I note that the mixer
and oscillator cans have disturbed screws, and I suspect some mod -
perhaps conversion to operate on the BC band.  Still, if that's the case
and the set actually works on the BC band, THAT'S part of the 50's era,
and may make the "recovery" worth-while.  Anyway, I'm getting away from
the original point of this e-m, which was "is washing a set a good thing
or the work of the devil".  I'll end on that note.

73 from Oz.

Les

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