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Cabinet and Chassis Restoration and Refinishing For help with cabinet or chassis restoration (non-electrical), please leave a message here. |
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8th Oct 2011, 11:06 pm | #1 |
Dekatron
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Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
I'm about to tackle a gnarly old chassis again. I note Retired's excellent suggestion of using brake and clutch cleaner as a solvent during his ongoing epic restoration project. I've used a combination of vacuum cleaner, ear buds and cellulose thinners in the past.
What are your favourite methods, pros and cons? I'd love to have access to an air hose, for example.
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Al |
9th Oct 2011, 6:48 am | #2 |
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
Compressed air, Dishwasher, and a product called GP2000 (a really powerful degreaser) - need to be careful using it on aluminium, as it can dissolve soft metals!
Brake cleaner is good, but evaporates a bit too quickly for shifting really gungy deposits. Cheers Sean
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9th Oct 2011, 9:10 am | #3 |
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
I have used some very expensive liquid Petrol! outside of course on a hot day ,it brings the cloth covered wire up a treat . Mick
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9th Oct 2011, 10:22 am | #4 |
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
Interesting methods, gents. I'll bear these in mind. (Not sure about the petrol, though!)
I've also used a strong degreaser whose active ingredient is citric acid. But it's the combination of hard to reach places and grime that's the really annoying factor, isn't it? How many people go to the extent of stripping the chassis completely to stick it in the dishwasher and then rebuilding it? What other methods really work? Does it matter to you if it's gleaming clean or is there a school of thought that says, show a bit of the dirt, it's a guide to the history of the thing?
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Al |
9th Oct 2011, 11:37 am | #5 |
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
I for one have stripped many rusty chassis had them sand blasted the re painted them, there are people that would rather leave it in found condition ie rusty not me, I don't go to vintage car show to see some rusty old car, I want to admire the time and effort someone has put into restoring it ,I rest my case . Mick.
PS Trust me petrol works fine . |
9th Oct 2011, 12:58 pm | #6 |
Octode
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Location: Reading/Fakenham, UK.
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
Yes, I've stripped down chassis and stuck them in the dishwasher. Done it for TV22, DAC90A and TR82. Very effective on grimy aluminium, though not sure about steel. The process would accelerate rusting I'd expect unless it's dried very quickly and then protected some how.
I also drill out the rivets to remove things like valve holders and clean them separately or replace them with new. It's very rewarding rebuilding up the nice shiny chassis, but it's REALLY helpful if you cheat and have an original chassis from which to copy, and mark up the circuit diagram as you add components. This helps sort out any variations/modifications in the circuit and you can decide which one to follow - or spot errors in the circuit diagram! You could take loads of close-up photos I suppose, but nothing like having an identical chassis to work from if possible. Regards, Ian |
9th Oct 2011, 1:16 pm | #7 |
Rest in Peace
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
It's not strictly necessary to strip the chassis down.
I recently acquired a Fenman II in poor shape. I took the valves out and gave the chassis three full cycles in the dishwasher (last cycle with no detergent). It was then left on the central heating boiler for a week, valves re-inserted, and plugged back in with some trepidation... Result: a lovely shiny chassis and perfect electrical order! The set has taken its place on our rota of "all day listening" sets and has performed well ever since. Even the scratchy volume control was cured! Next time, I don't think I'll bother taking the valves out... Regards, |
9th Oct 2011, 5:40 pm | #8 | |
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
Quote:
Wow! That takes the art to the next level... I'm amused and amazed at the same time!
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9th Oct 2011, 6:05 pm | #9 |
Retired Dormant Member
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
The dishwasher idea is very good ,used it many times myself. However be careful that no small nuts ,washers,metal particles can come loose from the chassis as it may end up "goosing" the dishwasher pumping system.
Our dishwasher stopped working giving a pump fault indication on the control panel. I called the service centre and they sent an engineer who duly announced the pump had gone and it was going to cost me £130 for a replacement and time for fitting. Fortunately he had no access to a spare and we would have to wait 2 weeks .When he had gone I decided to have a look myself and got the pump out, that is when I found that the impellor had got a washer jamming it's rotation, I removed it re fitted the pump and we were back running again. Plenty of brownie points from the wife but I never let her know where I suspect that washer came from. Mike Last edited by MichaelR; 9th Oct 2011 at 6:06 pm. Reason: addition |
9th Oct 2011, 7:34 pm | #10 |
Retired Dormant Member
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
Dishwasher is certainly OK for most modern components, but surely it won't do waxies, non- or wax-impregnated transformers etc. any good?
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9th Oct 2011, 7:57 pm | #11 | |
Rest in Peace
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
Quote:
I think the secret is in the drying-out, obviously the set will need a long time on top of the boiler or in the airing cupboard, but provided it's throughly dry, what harm can result? |
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9th Oct 2011, 8:41 pm | #12 | |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Near Wrecsam, North Wales
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
Quote:
Regards, |
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9th Oct 2011, 8:52 pm | #13 | |
Retired Dormant Member
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
Quote:
Waxies would not absorb water quite the contrary they will repell water for the relative short time they are in the washer. Likewise the transformer should not be harmed as long as you make sure there is a good dry out period. Relative short term dishwashing is not as damaging as sitting in a damp enviroment for 20 years It certainly works Mike |
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9th Oct 2011, 9:51 pm | #14 |
Hexode
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Location: Burntwood, Staffordshire, UK or Kabaty in Warsaw Poland.
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
Hi
I use safewash (RS) which removes all traces of nicotine and grime. If the chassis is particularly bad or rusty, a further treatment with Altrans (RS) usually brings it up looking like new. Mark |
10th Oct 2011, 11:52 am | #15 |
Hexode
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Location: Gloucestershire, UK.
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
One of those small Black and decker vacs and a paintbrush for clearing away the majority of the dust.
WD40 or a clone for cleaning the more gungy stuff off. Old toothbrush and cotton wool buds. GT85 smells nice |
10th Oct 2011, 2:17 pm | #16 | |
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
Quote:
Seems this is a popular method, judging from the number of related posts!
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10th Oct 2011, 5:35 pm | #17 |
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
Cellit Bang,in the purple orange container is used by many last time this came.
David |
10th Oct 2011, 9:43 pm | #18 |
Octode
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
Duralit wadding and elbow grease?
How about Gunk or Jizzer followed by a water-blasting? Andy
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11th Oct 2011, 9:29 pm | #19 |
Octode
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
I saw one restorer (who produces first class results) putting an entire AR-88 receiver chassis into an ultrasonic bath some years back. The results were stunning - though it has to be said there was no rust to contend with. The grease and grim all disappeared in minutes.
Trouble is you need an industrial size ultrasonic bath.......not one of those little dinky toy ones that Maplin offer, or you see on Ebay for jewellers..... Richard |
12th Oct 2011, 7:20 pm | #20 |
Retired Dormant Member
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Re: Chassis cleaning? Your favourite tips
I shut the filters using a piece of tape, turn the stator out and spray the chassis all over with oven spray. Don't wait too long. Then rinse off with lukewarm shower spray from above. Do not turn around while it's dripping (mostly chassis are clean from underneath) so no water runs into the band filter. Then use a hair dryer to dry roughly and place for a while at 40 degrees in the oven.
Regards Reiner |