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Hints, Tips and Solutions (Do NOT post requests for help here) If you have any useful general hints and tips for vintage technology repair and restoration, please share them here. PLEASE DO NOT POST REQUESTS FOR HELP HERE! |
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21st May 2014, 9:20 pm | #1 |
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Best Cleaning Tips
I have a 1964/5 Alba Portable Record Player and its rather dirty on the outside casing, what would you recommend to bring it back to somewhere near its original colour? Cream lid and red body, also creak coloured grill front.
Tony |
21st May 2014, 10:51 pm | #2 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Glossop, Derbyshire, UK.
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
Hi Tony I use Maplins antistatic foam cleaner ( but always test a small area first )
Dave
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21st May 2014, 11:02 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
I have had great results using Ariel liquid laundry detergent, applied with a sponge and warm water. It really gets out the dirt well. Again try on an out of sight area first, and dry well once clean.
Mark |
22nd May 2014, 9:03 am | #4 |
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
The best cleaning tools for small to medium sized jobs are toothbrushes, used and/or unused. I have a range of brushes with varying bristle hardness and condition, and heating the handle with a mini-blowlamp (or boiling water) lets you shape them for difficult tasks and awkward corners.
My favourite preferred cleaner is a 'spray & wipe' product that has lactic acid as the active ingredient. There is virtually nothing that it won't shift! Just letting it dribble down a surface will leave clean paths wherever it runs. Cheers Billy |
22nd May 2014, 8:15 pm | #5 | |
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
Quote:
It is quite amazing to see the foam turn brown as it dissolves all the years of muck! But be warned that it can easily remove lettering from around control knobs and ruin radio dials if it gets underneath. Mark |
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22nd May 2014, 8:22 pm | #6 |
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
Aerosol foaming cleanser is normally pretty good. I mostly use Powerforce Bathroom Cleanser from Aldi, though all the foaming cleansers seem very similar regardless of what they're supposed to be used for.
Remember that any cleanser can wash out colour, so it's best to try some on a bit of hidden surface before really getting stuck in. |
22nd May 2014, 9:33 pm | #7 |
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
In times past I've taken the electronics out of horribly-gungey plastic radio cases then put the case into the dishwasher along with the plates and casserole-dishes for a couple of cycles.
The front-panels of Pye AM10D Cambridges respond rather well to this treatment. |
22nd May 2014, 11:49 pm | #8 |
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
One very effective cleaning tool: AEG Favorit
David
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22nd May 2014, 11:54 pm | #9 |
Heptode
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
I've found spray on foaming oven cleaner in an aerosol very good for cleaning really ancient crud from most surfaces but you have to be careful with certain plastics. Having said that, I once used it on a nothing to lose basis to clean the headlining on a car. I had to rinse it off fairly sharpish but it did the job very well. It's always best to use this stuff outside as the fumes are extremely noxious.
With all that said, I've tried it on a Portadyne record player cabinet that I have and it hardly touched it. Then again, neither has anything else I've tried on it and I've tried all sorts. But the oven cleaner usually works as a last resort and it's only failed me the once. Regards, Paul
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23rd May 2014, 12:12 am | #10 |
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
Oven cleaner normally contains caustic soda, and while this will certainly shift oily deposits like cigarette tar, it should be used with caution.
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23rd May 2014, 1:58 am | #11 |
Heptode
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Location: Manchester, UK.
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
Quite right, I never use it unless the weather's ok for working outside. When I did the car headlining I had all 4 doors open and I still didn't linger inside for more than a minute or so at a time.
Regards, Paul
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...No, it's not supposed to pick up the World Service, it's not a radio! |
23rd May 2014, 6:05 pm | #12 |
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
I'd strongly recommend eye protection too - sodium hydroxide is one of the few 'household' chemicals that can cause serious eye damage.
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25th May 2014, 7:29 pm | #13 |
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
thanks for the replies , tried a few out and came up with some good results , next question is the clips/hinges ! ..... how do we get these back to something like new , the hinges on the Record Player are the usual silver colour so what we looking at using ...
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25th May 2014, 7:38 pm | #14 |
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
If they're not corroded just unscrew them and clean them with metal polish or T-Cut.
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25th May 2014, 7:57 pm | #15 |
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
I use a dremmil with a mini wire brush, followed by a buffing pad moistened with Brasso. It bring them up like new
Mark |
25th May 2014, 8:25 pm | #16 |
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
Very good result. Did you remove them or clean them in place?
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25th May 2014, 9:55 pm | #17 |
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
Hi Paul, Yes they were removed before work commenced. the 'D' ring on the hinge was removed and done separately.
The original screws were polished up in the same way, it's a bit tedious, but the result is worth the effort. Mark |
26th May 2014, 6:14 am | #18 |
Heptode
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
If you want to bring that covering colour back to life, try "BACK TO BLACK" vinyl restorer. Only get the original that is white wax in colour in a clear plastic container not the cheap ghastly alternatives which leave a sticky wax deposit. Halfords is where I get mine.
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25th Jun 2014, 12:04 pm | #19 | ||
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Re: Best Cleaning Tips
Quote:
Cheers Billy |
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