[Milsurplus] "condenser cleaners"

[J. Forster]

Could well be. Pretty sophisticated, requiring some radio knowlege, if it
was.

On "condenser cleaners" I don't know from the thread whether the reference
was to a brush or a liquid, but I've seen 20s and 30s radios with cast
potmetal condensers. It is possible some of those alloys might grow "metal
whiskers", especially in poorly climate controlled rural locations, and
cease functioning.

Something to clean them might actually have had a real function.

FWIW,

-John

================



> My take on it is that it was a joke.  Mike W6MAB
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "J. Forster" <jfor at quik.com>
> To: "Todd, KA1KAQ" <ka1kaq at gmail.com>
> Cc: "Michael Bittner" <mmab at cox.net>; <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>; "Ralph
> Cameron" <ramcam at magma.ca>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 7:21 PM
> Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] "condenser cleaners"
>
>
> The pics Michael sent me were of a very real artifact, made out of shiny
> metal.
>
> What is unclear to me is whether it was sold as a real thing to put inside
> radios, or whether it was a joke.
>
> There were a lot of gag gifts and trinkets sold then as now. It's actually
> fun to go to antique flea markets, like Brimfield, and look at such
> things.
>
> Quite obviously, radio was a giant mystery to most of the public back then
> (and even now). Very few knew how it worked, beyond being able to find a
> broadcast. Not very different than now really. Do you know, in detail, how
> a cell phone or 'puter works? I sure don't.
>
> FWIW,
>
> -John
>
> ================
>
>
>> On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 6:31 PM, Michael Bittner <mmab at cox.net> wrote:
>>> I have an actual Grid Leak Drip Pan. Made by Muter in Chicago. If
>>> anyone
>>> wants to see some pictures of it, please reply off list and I will
>>> email
>>> a
>>> set of 4 jpegs of it. Mike Bittner, W6MAB
>>
>> I'd offer to send pics of my last case of Marconi Aerial Wax, but the
>> last time word got out that I had some, the stock market tanked. (o:
>>
>> ~ Todd,  KA1KAQ/4
>
>
>
>
>