[GreenKeys] Magic Cleaners

[George B. Hutchison]

GreenKeyers - - -

It appears that there is forthcoming another round of the best way to 
clean a teletype.

When it comes to Power Potions there are several.

409 cleaner full strength is one.

AmWay Industrial cleaner is another

GUNK is a third

Costco Stores offer a product known as OILEATER.

Simple Green, IMHO, is just crap. 409 is much more effective and 
doesn't smell as bad.

All of the above mentioned cleaners are assured to clean everything 
to whatever level of spotlessness one could desire.

They also have the advantage of turning your skin to soap.

I think the best method I ever saw of cleaning machines was used by 
the guys in the Teletype Shop on the USS Nereus.

They would requisition use of the ship's Torpedo Retriever for a day.

The current crop of machines was lashed by cables so as to form a 
chain of machines, each separated by about ten feet of cable.

They would then take the machines out into Apra Harbor, carefully 
lower them off of the torpedo well as the boat maintained a speed of 
about six or seven knots. They would then leave the harbor, avoiding 
the Soviet trawler that always lurked just outside the limit (and 
sometimes inside) and cruise at six or seven knots for about 7 hours, 
just long enough so as to get back for the evening chow call.

After chow they would then take the chain of machines down to Gab Gab 
Beach, tie them to the bumper of the squadron pickup, and drag them 
through the sand until they were brightly polished.

Upon return to the shop they were immersed in a mixture of 3-in-1 Oil 
and vaseline, tagged as cleaned and lubed, then returned to service.

Folks, get real. (My little scenario is not)

There is no substitute for plain old common sense and a little bit of 
determined labor.

No one ever questions or comments on what about how to repack the 
mainshaft ball bearings. No one seems to recall that there are oodles 
of felts in the machine, even inside all of the clutches on the 
mainshaft. The selector magnets and the switches in the function box 
are another issue.

One must use care and common sense.

I recently had the dubious task of providing a woman in Portland, 
Oregon, documentation that Carbon Tetrachloride was used the the 
maintenance of teletype equipment.

Seems that the Government could provide no written proof from 
anywhere that carbon tetrachloride was used in any phase of teletype 
maintenance.

Five minutes in TM-11-352 and TM-11-2223, in the section depicting 
the contents of the tool kit, showed an 8oz. can of the stuff.

Her husband had been an Air Force teletype mechanic who was dying of 
a rare form of cancer linked to carbon tet. His unit used the stuff 
by the 55-gallon drum to immerse the machines for cleaning.  I have 
heard similar comments from other former military people.

Her husband is now in a better place.

Western Electric/Ma Bell used to have a major teletype overhaul shop 
in Kent, Wa. I will ask the people in the Museum of Communications in 
Seattle if they know of any former employees who worked in that shop, 
and try and get the skinny on just how the pros in the TELCO did it.

I will relay that information back when I get it.

I do not apologize for my rave and rant.

Jim Haynes, have you anything to add to my short stand on the soap 
box??

George - W7TTY