[Boatanchors] CLEANING OLD RADIOS

[Joe B]

Be extra careful cleaning chassis tops with water and water based cleaners. 
Some IF transformers have mica compression capacitors built into them right 
at the base of the transformer. For sure water will wick it's way into these 
capacitors and will stay there even if you think you got everything dried 
out. Once B+ is applied it will dry out with very damaging results. Next 
task will be searching around for a replacement IF can!

Keep on hand a good arsenal of cleaning agents. You just need to experiment 
and find what's best for your target crud. Even harsh chemicals are 
acceptable like acetone to clean stubborn sticker residue.  Just try it 
first on a sample area. Acetone will soften most paints so beware. Windex is 
bad stuff on Heathkit green front panels. It will dissolve the white 
lettering every time. A moist rag with a little Dawn dish detergent followed 
by plain water and paper towels to dry is best on green Heathkit front 
panels. But Windex is good on glass and meter faces. Also good to remove the 
film left from cleaning chassis and assemblies after using Simple Green etc.

Joe, kf9eu

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "J Forster" <jfor at quik.com>
To: "Al Klase" <al at ar88.net>
Cc: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>; "K0DAN" <k0dan at comcast.net>
Sent: Sunday, December 07, 2008 5:42 PM
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] CLEANING OLD RADIOS


> Al Klase wrote:
>
>> [snip]  Water based products, especially aggressive ones, like 409 etc, 
>> are
>> tough on things like bakelite and some paints.
>
> With Bakelite, I think the Fantastik or 409 removes oxidized plastic 
> material from the
> surface. That will buff up fine with a cloth wheel.  Whatever you use, it 
> MUST be rinsed
> very well (several times) with running water.
>
> Oh, and 409, Fantastik, and Windex will remove some printed tube markings. 
> :=((
>
> Best,
> -John
>
>> You also run the risk of
>> leaving conductive stuff where you don't want it if used inside the
>> set.  Ask anyone who's ever had a carbon track develop on a tube socket,
>> let alone a band switch.
>>
>> Try what ever you're using in an inconspicuous place first.
>>
>> Al
>
> _______________________________________________


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