UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players

Notices

Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 16th Jul 2018, 4:24 pm   #21
sp10mk11
Octode
 
sp10mk11's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 1,275
Default Re: Cleaning sticky goo off Drive surfaces

Acetone here, the goo is a nightmare sometimes once it is off it can get everywhere.
Gary
sp10mk11 is offline  
Old 16th Jul 2018, 4:35 pm   #22
'LIVEWIRE?'
Rest in Peace
 
'LIVEWIRE?''s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
Default Re: Cleaning sticky goo off Drive surfaces

Thanks, everyone for your suggestions. I'll try some Cream Cleaner, and maybe other things. Not been in the workshop since last Friday, so still have that ***** job to which to look forward!!
'LIVEWIRE?' is offline  
Old 16th Jul 2018, 7:04 pm   #23
emeritus
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,316
Default Re: Cleaning sticky goo off Drive surfaces

Where the affected parts can be removed well away from anything sensitive, I have used dry earth to absorb the bulk of the goo. Using something like a cocktail stick, the earth and goo can be worked into a stiff paste that is easier to deal with and doesn't stick to other things. Not appropriate for treating stuff in situ where there are things that might be damaged by the powdered earth. The soil here is a very fine loess-type brick earth that makes a very fine powder when dry. Bentonite (as used in home brewing for finings) is a highly absorbent mineral and should be effective.
emeritus is offline  
Old 16th Jul 2018, 9:09 pm   #24
crackle
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Basildon, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,100
Default Re: Cleaning sticky goo off Drive surfaces

Quote:
Originally Posted by cheerfulcharlie View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by govjohn View Post
Hi I find the best thing to use is acetone,. keep it clear of any plastic parts as it will melt most thermoplastics and it is highly flammable.
..and you can probably find it in your local Co-op as 'nail varnish remover'
Isn't nail varnish remover Ethyl acetate.

I still say Swafega hand cleaner is far better than all the nasty flammable volatile solvents.

Mike
crackle is offline  
Old 17th Jul 2018, 10:35 pm   #25
Techman
Dekatron
 
Techman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 4,985
Default Re: Cleaning sticky goo off Drive surfaces

Swafega is good.

Acetone is powerful stuff also, but as said, any plastic parts that get even a sniff of it will be ruined in very short time, so best only used on metal parts that have been removed from the machine unless you work very carefully with them still in place.

As for Acetone being "Highly Flammable" - I remember quite a few years ago working with an 'old time' chemist who got very angry when safety inspectors had insisted that he kept the large stock bottles of Acetone in the already very crowded 'Flammable Cabinet' and not on the ordinary shelf with the other non-flammables. To prove his point I remember him filling a dish with Acetone on the table and chucking a lighted match into it. there was very little drama and I think the match went out the first time. It does burn, but really needs a 'wick' to burn properly, so yes it is flammable, but the 'highly' bit is probably a little debatable, but rules are rules. There's probably more danger from the combustible properties of all those 'wireless magazines' and stacks of printed off paper circuit diagrams that everybody has, not to mention that can of petrol that you keep for the lawn mower (and that really IS "HIGHLY flammable"), than there would ever be from a small bottle of Acetone.
Techman is offline  
Old 18th Jul 2018, 5:00 am   #26
TonyDuell
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK.
Posts: 5,191
Default Re: Cleaning sticky goo off Drive surfaces

Quote:
Originally Posted by sp10mk11 View Post
Acetone here, the goo is a nightmare sometimes once it is off it can get everywhere.
Gary
That is the voice of experience.

I've had to strip down tape recorder motors because the goo has got into the top bearing. No amount of external cleaning would get it to turn freely again.

It gets on your hands and will finally disappear after washing your hands a few dozen times. It gets on your clothes and never totally comes off.

Some manufacturers used belts that turn to goo (Philips are well-known for this), others used belts that just dry out and break. Does anyone know what the 2 types are made of?
TonyDuell is online now  
Old 18th Jul 2018, 8:33 am   #27
crackle
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Basildon, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,100
Default Re: Cleaning sticky goo off Drive surfaces

Quote:
Originally Posted by Techman View Post
Swafega is good.
As for Acetone being "Highly Flammable" -
I have just tested the flammability of Acetone.
With a capful of acetone in a shallow metal dish, it burst into flames with a pop whilst the match was about an inch above the liquid.
I dont know what was in that chemists bottle but modern Acetone is highly volatile and burns like fury.
So I would class Acetone as HIGHLY FLAMMABLE, be careful if using it.

Mike
crackle is offline  
Old 18th Jul 2018, 8:57 am   #28
'LIVEWIRE?'
Rest in Peace
 
'LIVEWIRE?''s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
Default Re: Cleaning sticky goo off Drive surfaces

I've managed to remove about 98% of the goo from both motor pulleys and other drive surfaces using cream cleaner and IPA. I don't think any cleaning fluids have penetrated the top bearings of either motor as I held the motors horizontally whilt cleaning the pulleys, so, hopefully, once I fit a new set of belts, both decks will work O.K.!
'LIVEWIRE?' is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:28 am.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.