--- On Sun, 1/30/11, Jos Dreesen <jdr_use at bluewin.ch> wrote:
Had another ADM3a come in, again with
severe screen rot.
Unlike the first time i now have successfully separated the
faceplate from the CRT.
Question is of course how to get it back on again.
Anybody successfully done this ?
I know screenrot has come up often here, but I do not
believe someone presented a working solution yet.
I'm pretty sure I've posted about it before. But, basically, once you've
cleaned all the gunky PVA compound off the face of the tube and the back of the faceplate,
you just stick the faceplate back on with packing tape around the edges.
The "screen rot" problem is real common with those of us that collect old TV
sets - the same thing happens to old color picture tubes (21FJP22, etc). It's
frequently called "cataracts". To remove the faceplate on those tubes, take the
tube out and put it in a bucket or something that supports it by the bell, protecting the
neck and allowing you to work on the face. Then, heat the faceplate with a heat gun to
soften the PVA. Sometimes you can get it to just fall off, other times it takes prodding.
Careful not to break the faceplate, and wear goggles (just in case something goes FOOMP!)
There are different kinds of PVA compound - Zenith made tubes have one that does not
soften with heat. That you have to slice off with wire - I know some people use a nichrome
wire powered by a car battery.
Another trick I've heard of is to simply let the tube sit face down in water for a few
weeks. Never tried it though.
In the ADM3's I have done, the PVA was already so bad that the faceplate practically
fell off.
Once you have it all clean, just put the faceplate back on, secured at the edges with
packing tape or similar. It's tinted, and improves contrast.
Technically, the faceplate is bonded as a means to help hold the faceplate together in the
event of implosion, and I don't have any idea if just having it taped over the front
will do any good. In any event, I don't expect a modern tube like the ADM3's to
simply go FOOMP for no good reason.
Also, if the tube is really bad, you can replace it with one from a black and white
television set. Same pinout.
-Ian