[Hallicrafters] Re: Cleaning up old equipment

[Mike Everette]

I've mentioned this "magic elixer" before.  It is
great for cleaning up corrsion on chassis.

A penetrating oil called P-B Blaster, sold in
automotive supply stores, is the first step.  Use it
SPARINGLY.  Do not hose down the chassis.  Put the
stuff on a cotton ball or cotton swab or paper towel,
and S-C-R-U-B.  It will break up the corrosion quite
nicely.  Sometimes you might have to wipe the stuff
on, then let it sit for a couple or three minutes,
then scrub it.  This gives it time to soften the
corrosion.

DON'T get P-B Blaster into coils, transformers or --
especially - dials.  It will attack wax insulation,
and will destroy dial graphics.

P-B Blaster is also good for cleaning old, dry, hard
grease out of variable capacitor bearing races and
dial drives.  You have to re-lube them of course. 
This can easily be done using "LaBelle #2 Gear Oil," a
product sold in model railroad shops.  It comes in a 2
ounce plastic bottle with a syringe-type applicator
tube and is quite viscous.  It will stay where you put
it, for a long time.

After you've done the scrubbing with the P-B Blaster,
use Nevr-Dull cotton wadding type metal polish -- also
found in automotive stores -- for the final cleaning. 
Again, S-C-R-U-B.  

Be careful, as the fumes from both these products but
more so the P-B Blaster, are quite strong.  I suspect
both are flammable as well.  Use them in a
well-ventilated place.

If you're timid and/or P-B Blaster scares you, Liquid
Wrench does a fair job but takes longer.  Liquid
Wrench is also flammable.

It takes work, but this combination will bring even
heavily corroded metal back from the dead to shine
like new.  It will also work on LIGHT rust, to a
point.  

A really great product for cleaning light to moderate
rust, though, is "Chrome-Glo," a paste-type metal
polish sold in motorcycle shops.  Put it on a rag and
S-C-R-U-B.  Amazing.

For really heavy rust the only thing to do is use
sandpaper, or abrasive tools in a Dremel.  Or, get
something to use for a scraper, and S-C-R-A-P-E.  I
know of no chemical that will get heavy, pitting rust
down to bright metal.

The best thing to do is stay away from rust-bucket
radios, in the first place....

For cleaning out the crevices between IF cans, etc.,
the best thing I have found is the long cotton swabs
commonly sold for cleaning video heads.  Get the ones
with wood shafts because the cleaning agents will
soften cardboard.

I have also used paper towels, Nevr-Dull, or cotton
balls on the end of a wooden or plastic stick for
this.

73

Mike
WA4DLF



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