[CW] Re: [MorseCode] help needed

[David J. Ring, Jr.]

I hear this guy AZRoadrunner has CBers who hate CW doing the dirty (clean?) 
work for nothing.

OK Rich, now that you've brought up "Care and Cleaning" of telegraph keys, 
what do you do to make yours look loved and cared for?

I used to poo-poo dust covers, but now I see that they do something very 
important for these "new" type of rigs with very little voltage on the 
keyline:  they keep the contacts from being covered with dust which will 
make the keyer false!

I used to wash my bugs off with water and Joy detergent for dishes, but the 
older bugs had fibre (think Bran Buds) washers that held the water (and some 
salts) and would short out the key until it was thouroughly dry.  The later 
plastic washers and plastic strips didn't cause this problem.

I learned that paper towels will scratch the chrome, but cotton balls, or 
cotton wadding won't, neither will soft towels or car drying cloths.

I learned that 100% cotton bond paper (preferably with a bit of tooth in the 
surface) - and NOT sulfate bond - works nicely for cleaning contacts. 
Coated papers often wipe the coating on the contact.

I learned that a very light coating of vaseline kept my keys rust free when 
I operated from ships and also kept the chrome from pitting.  Oil works too.

I learned that laquered brass once "shined" looses the lacquer and from then 
on must be completely taken apart to shine, so I know now to leave the 
lacquer on the brass and just clean with dish detergent and water.

I learned that I can smooth a rough button on a hand key by finding a flat 
piece of glass (like on a window!) and moving the button knob in a circle 
and it will polish very black and smooth.

I learned that on a bug there is a little sweet spot where the dot U shaped 
spring, and the dot lever swing all work together to form clear dots and 
that it isn't as simple as I once thought to get MANY CLEAR dots with paddle 
movement that isn't too much or too little.  But I learned that once I had 
that spot to tighten up on the adjustments, and if needed only change them 
slightly.

QRU?

73

David N1EA


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rich Dailey, N8UX." <redailey at alltel.net>
To: <cw at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, December 17, 2004 10:26 PM
Subject: [CW] Re: [MorseCode] help needed


Even more sad than the destruction of natural patina and history,  I'd
venture to say that if
he divided his time spent cleaning his items into his profit,  he's
probably not making half
minimum wage.

tu de Rich