17 Dec
1999
17 Dec
'99
3:23 p.m.
Upon the date 07:27 PM 12/17/99 +0000, Tony Duell said something like:
That's why (IMHO) you should dismantle it fully first. Most solvents
should be fine on the metal parts, but take care with plastic and rubber
parts. I normally use propan-2-ol for those, as it doesn't seem to
do any damage.
For the metal parts, I either use Electrolube 'Electronic Cleaning
Solvent' (which seems to be a hydrocarbon mixture but I am not sure), or
white sprit (sold for thinning paint, cleaning paint brushes, etc in the
We call it 'mineral spirits' over here.
And propan-2-ol is called Isopropyl Alcohol over here. Use a lab grade or
at least 91% grade because the cheaper grades have high water content
(rubbing alcohol is one example, 70% H2O.) The water will make it rather
difficult to clean off the oils and greasy grime, etc. from surfaces.
It's the _only_ way :-)...
Sometimes I wonder if the reason why I can still fix things is that I am
NOT a 'factory trained technician' or anything similar. I've _had_ to
work out how things work and how to adjust them from first principles in
a lot of cases. Which means I am not likely to get confused by some case
that wouldn't have been covered in the 'training'
Exactly.
Yes, I'm saying the former is true. I am refering that the time was *not*
misspent when you, me and others here simply rolled our sleeves up and dove
into a problem if there had been no technical reference available.
Regards, Chris
-- --
Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian
Jamestown, NY USA cfandt(a)netsync.net
Member of Antique Wireless Association
URL: http://www.antiquewireless.org/
I can get for under $15 a disposable carburetor solvent
bath-in-a-can at a
local auto parts store. Presumably, this is a suitable solvent. The print
mechanism should fit nicely for immersion.
Whoah Nelly! This may not be good stuff to get near such equipment! There
could be solvents which harm the rubber/plastic/painted parts contained in
carb cleaner! I know toluene _used_ to be in Gumout brand carb cleaner back
when I often worked on old cars. UK). If that doens't work, then petrol (gasoline)
is a good decreasing
solvent, if used with care, outside, away from any source of ignition.
Obviously, only use any solvent in a well-ventillated area.
There is a degree of toxicity with gasoline regardless if it is now
lead-free. Don't let it be absorbed thru the skin and don't breathe too
many vapors!! Use it only if you have to.
EPA and various states have put the hammer down on "volatile organic
contaminants" used in industrial and consumer products and this may not be
Yes, a pain, isn't it. I am not at all convinced that the replacements,
especially considering the extra quantities I have to use to do the same
job, are any better for the environment.
> I did
my first teletype without the manuals, but unless you had a
> misspent youth like me dismantling and reassmbling everything in sight,
> I'd not recomend it... With the manuals it's not too hard if you're
> generally OK with hand tools.
Well Tony, that's the best way to self-learn mechanical techniques that we could have ever experienced for ourselves. Hardly
'misspent' :-)
Hang on... Are you saying the fixing things yourself without the manuals
is a way for you to learn how to do it, or that _me_ fixing my stuff
leads to me posting how to do it here? The former is certainly true. The
latter, well....