[GreenKeys] cleaning 28ASR keys

[Nick England]

For reinstalling M28 keys, consult this page-
https://www.navy-radio.com/tty/28-keyboard.htm


On Mon, Apr 4, 2022 at 6:35 AM Kevin H. Phillips <kh-phillips at 9-5usa.org>
wrote:

> I know that others who have worked with these machines have encountered
> similar problems but I can't remember the exact products used to clean
> the keys and thought I would post about something I "discovered" while
> working on the machine I picked up a few weeks ago in Houston, TX.
>
>
> The keys tops, the plastic sleeves covering some of the internal wiring
> harness, and other things were coated with a white "mold" or something.
> In addition, the keys also seemed to have an "undercoat" of something
> brown.  I speculated that it could have been tar and nicotine from the
> machine having been in an environment for a long time where there was
> heavy cigarette smoke in the air but I don't know if that is possible.
> It was almost like varnish.
>
>
> The Space key on this machine was repeatedly sticking and there were
> problems with inserting random LF at times when I was punching a tape.
> None of that was cured by localized lubrication on the spots I could
> reach inside on the transmitter base.  I finally decided to remove the
> keyboard cover to try cleaning/re-lubricating the Space bar mechanism at
> the very least.  Once I saw the full condition of the key tops, I
> decided to proceed with a full cleaning of the keys.  I also decided
> that I would clean them one-by-one to avoid any confusion.
>
>
> I flushed the mechanism/springs with degreaser followed by a water rinse
> and then dried the mechanism with a heat gun.  I tried cleaning the key
> tops with my old reliable, Simple Green, and even 409, but not even that
> was completely removing the brown residue. I was afraid to leave
> anything soaking in Simple Green for very long.  I tried some other
> cleaning products at hand but nothing helped much.
>
>
> Then I found an aerosol can of an automotive product I bought several
> years ago being sold at a local fuel station ostensibly for charity.  I
> had not paid much attention to the product.  It sprays out to create a
> soupy foam.  The product was labeled "Cleaning Wax" and is by Fast Wax
> (www.fastwax.com).  I do not see the exact product listed now on their
> website but perhaps the "General Cleaner" is the same.  I started by
> spraying a shallow puddle of this stuff in a bowl and letting the key
> top sit for a few minutes before rubbing it with a cloth.  Most of the
> residue from the key top disappeared easily.  Even the metal stud was
> clean.  But, there would occasionally be some brown residue left. This
> sometimes could be removed with applying a lot of "elbow grease" but I
> also found if I soaked the key top again or let it sit in the cleaner
> longer that the residue would be completely removed.  I just left one
> key top sitting in the stuff overnight and it came completely clean with
> no effort.  This obviously will take a long time doing this one at a
> time but I am not willing to risk mixing up the keys!  Attached are some
> "before and after" pictures of one of the worst key tops.  I have about
> one-third to one-half of the key tops cleaned at this point.  I am
> oiling the pivot points as I re-attach the key tops.
>
>
> 73
>
>
> Kevin
>
> W5TTY
>
>
>
>
>
> --
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-- 
Nick England K4NYW
www.navy-radio.com
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