Isopropanyl

[Testgear John]

I was stupid enough to use some to try and clean a meter scale!!! (Remember all those old warnings about trying a test-patch) I now use, and please do not be offended, spittle! It works quite well, is cheap, and used in the antique trade for minor reconditioning of oil paintings...

[stephanie]

Originally Posted by XTC

Isopropanol was the recommended solvent for cleaning computer tape drive heads

Isopropyl or ethyl alcohohols are also what is recommended for cleaning audio tape machine heads.

You have to be careful with the stuff, and if you're using the supermarket variety, make sure to buy the 91 percent solution, not the "witch hazel" or 70 percent varieties. Those can leave deposits.

Originally Posted by mikelect

If you thin paint with petrol you create rubber paint https://www.vintage-radio.net/images/smilies2/idea.gif

Mike, what kind of paint do you use for this? Latex or oil-based paints? Sorry if it sounds like a stupid question.

[Kat Manton]

Hi,

Originally Posted by Testgear John

I was stupid enough to use some to try and clean a meter scale!!!

This reminds me; I intercepted a Sound Technology ST1700B audio distortion analyser on its way to the skip; someone had tried to clean the meter's clear cover with some sort of solvent rendering it unreadable.

I managed to "rescue" it by removing the meter; then removing the cover from it. Then I sanded the cover down with finer and finer grades of emery paper (used wet with a dash of washing-up liquid and a small wooden block) to get it flat again (the solvent had left it lumpy.) Then I finished off with a metal polish and finally Brasso - these were tested first on an area of the meter cover normally hidden behind the panel for compatibility.

Result, one flat, transparent, scratch-free meter cover; good as new Now all I need to do is persuade the oscillator in the thing to behave...

Thought I'd mention this as there are sometimes ways back from mistakes with solvents; though the mistake takes seconds, undoing it takes hours...

Regards, Kat

[mikelect]

Originally Posted by stephanie

Isopropyl or ethyl alcohohols are also what is recommended for cleaning audio tape machine heads.

You have to be careful with the stuff, and if you're using the supermarket variety, make sure to buy the 91 percent solution, not the "witch hazel" or 70 percent varieties. Those can leave deposits.



Mike, what kind of paint do you use for this? Latex or oil-based paints? Sorry if it sounds like a stupid question.

Hi Stephanie, it is usually oil based paint but in this last instance I used the little pots of paint usually sold for painting plastic models which I think is a type of oil based paint, in the UK it's marketed by "Humbrol" I don't know who does it in your neck of the woods HTH


Mike

[plumbweiss]

I suspect that the solvent leaches or dissolves the plasticiser out of the plastic? Certain lubricants (such as Servisol) can do this to certain plastics too. 1.1.1 Trichloroethane (RS solvent cleaner) was a devil for this years ago, it's banned now under the ozone depletion regs.

Some superglues can also make certain perspex materials go porous or brittle.

IPA was always supplied as a safer alternative, also contained in Ultrasolve and Ultraclens.

IPA is properly known as Isopropyl alchohol, or Isopropanol. Chemists prefer to use its standard chemical name of propan-2-ol.

[bobsterkent]

When i worked in a lab we used Isopropyl for all sorts of things. it worked wonders on getting branston pickle stains out of a pale blue carpet!

[Mike Phelan]

When I went on the first VHS course for the Ferguson 3292 (JVC) at Gosport, our instructor, the redoubtable Steve Wisbey, recommended IPA for all cleaning of tape path parts.

Not the Greene King sort, you understand.

[Paul Stenning]

Isopropyl and some wire wool did a good job of removing some spray paint graffiti from my garage door this morning...

[stephanie]

Originally Posted by Testgear John

I was stupid enough to use some to try and clean a meter scale!!!

Let me guess....did it leave it all cloudy? I made that mistake once with a small plastic radio. Took a while until that white-ish film wore off (with some water and rubbing).

Originally Posted by Paul Stenning

Isopropyl and some wire wool did a good job of removing some spray paint graffiti from my garage door this morning...

Yowch. What did they write? Some people just slather more paint they have over whatever markings were scribbled.

At least be glad it wasn't your windows that were "etched" (with a glass cutter or even etching acid like they do on the tube here).

[Paul Stenning]

Originally Posted by stephanie

Yowch. What did they write?

A single word, which I won't repeat here. Nothing specific to me/us.

Kids I think, as it's the end garage in the block and furthest from any houses. The delights of living in an ex-council house.....

Some people just slather more paint they have over whatever markings were scribbled.

Well the next plan was to buy some graffiti remover, and if that didn't work we would over-paint it. The garage actually belongs to the council so it should be their job - but it would be months before they got around to it.....

I think the wire wool had more effect than the Isopropyl. But the door was fairly dirty so I don't think the spray-pint stuck very well anyway. Plus it was only done last night so still fairly soft.

[plumbweiss]

Regarding the removal of silicon sealant, Farnell do a silicon eater solution, but it's dear. I found out that cleaning the label-glue-residue off new UPVC window frames using White Spirit also causes cured Silicon Sealant to shrivel and peel away...oh dear.