[Hammarlund] Chassis Cleaning

[Craig Roberts]

Many of us employ Simple Green as a really effective all-purpose cleaner. In various dilutions, it will take care of most of our dirty surfaces from chassis to circuit boards (it's a good flux remover).

Occasionally, someone will raise a red flag about Simple Green and warn that it is corrosive.  It isn't. It's a water-based cleaner that leaves virtually no residue, though slight traces of inert dye and fragrance elements remain behind from the "store-bought" spray bottles. (An industrial-type Simple Green crystalline product is available that has no coloring or perfume added and leaves no residue at all. It's unnecessary for our use, though).

Regarding corrosion: Simple Green strips metal of dirt, grease, oil and other contaminants so well that no "barrier layer" remains on the surface to retard oxidation. Such "naked" metal can corrode quickly.  So, after the Simple Green treatment, it's a good idea to use a metal polish or even a very thin wiping of machine oil to form a new barrier layer. I use the oil if I want to keep the surface dull or Nevr Dull metal polish wadding if I need to clean up any residual corrosion and add a mirror sheen.

Though I've never done it, some guys swear by the "strip-it-down- and-put-it-in-the-dishwasher-when-the-XYL's-not-looking" method of chassis cleaning. I gotta tell you, this idea scares me. I'm not too worried about ruining the radio, but I just know my wife'd catch me.

73,

Craig
W3CRR