I dug my FM-1 out of the mess..

[Nothing40]

And when I opened the cover to see about replacments for the filter
caps,I discoveredthat I had already replaced them under the chassis!
The main reason was a fairly bad hum..
So I fired it up slowly,on the variac,just to be careful. ;-) Checked
it out a bit,seemed good! off to hook it up! Sounds good,but it still
hummed..After a while I went over to the tuner and tilted it up on
it's side,the hum went away when I flexed the chassis! So,I grabbed a
screwdriver and started tightening screws..Hum's gone!

Wow,this thing is great! it seems to be aligned fairly well,stations
come in where they are supposed to,and the overall sound is quite
good. Also,the tuning closes tightly (not quite touching,but close)
and the MPX board seems to be working well. (Whoohoo!! Stereo!)

So,now I have yet another project.. Any tips before I begin? ;-)
I'm going to go through it completely,clean the boards and chassis
(and make sure the screws are tight!),and replace any parts that are
out of spec,and realign it!

What do you guys use to clean PC boards? What would you suggest? The
top of the PC boards(along with the chassis)are coated with a layer of
"Dusty old crud".


Thanks! Keep those screws tight!! Patrick.

[Gregg]

Behold, Nothing40 scribbled:

> What do you guys use to clean PC boards? What would you suggest? The top
> of the PC boards(along with the chassis)are coated with a layer of
> "Dusty old crud".

Acetone (acetone based nail polish remover works) or isopropyl alcohol
(keep it off plastics).

--
Gregg
*It's probably useful, even if it can't be SPICE'd*

[TubeGarden]

Hi RATs!

Yup, iso alky is OK. Get the 90% instead of 70%, it evaporates faster, less
collateral damage :)

Happy Ears!
Al


Alan J. Marcy
Phoenix, AZ

PWC/mystic/Earhead

[Syl]

"Nothing40"

>...started tightening screws..Hum's gone!

Ahhh...nothing like a tight screw to get the hum going...

Like others have said, you can use isopropyl alcool, I prefer
Methanol as it evaporates much faster and there is no chance
to find oil in it as some rubbing alcool (if you are tempted to use
it...). Use a very soft toothbrush to clean "in the corners" if needed.

But I still prefer non-aggressive cleaners in cans especially formulated
for that purpose. I'm lazy...Always check old plastics and rubber wiring for
"adverse reaction"...But I think this has been said already.

Ohhh. Let dry at least an hour or more before turning on again...

Syl


>
> Wow,this thing is great! it seems to be aligned fairly well,stations
> come in where they are supposed to,and the overall sound is quite
> good. Also,the tuning closes tightly (not quite touching,but close)
> and the MPX board seems to be working well. (Whoohoo!! Stereo!)
>
> So,now I have yet another project.. Any tips before I begin? ;-)
> I'm going to go through it completely,clean the boards and chassis
> (and make sure the screws are tight!),and replace any parts that are
> out of spec,and realign it!
>
> What do you guys use to clean PC boards? What would you suggest? The
> top of the PC boards(along with the chassis)are coated with a layer of
> "Dusty old crud".
>
>
> Thanks! Keep those screws tight!! Patrick.


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[Rich Andrews]

"Syl" > wrote in
:

> "Nothing40"
>
>>...started tightening screws..Hum's gone!
>
> Ahhh...nothing like a tight screw to get the hum going...
>
> Like others have said, you can use isopropyl alcool, I prefer
> Methanol as it evaporates much faster and there is no chance
> to find oil in it as some rubbing alcool (if you are tempted to use
> it...). Use a very soft toothbrush to clean "in the corners" if needed.
>
> But I still prefer non-aggressive cleaners in cans especially formulated
> for that purpose. I'm lazy...Always check old plastics and rubber wiring
> for "adverse reaction"...But I think this has been said already.
>
> Ohhh. Let dry at least an hour or more before turning on again...
>
> Syl
>
>
>>
>> Wow,this thing is great! it seems to be aligned fairly well,stations
>> come in where they are supposed to,and the overall sound is quite
>> good. Also,the tuning closes tightly (not quite touching,but close)
>> and the MPX board seems to be working well. (Whoohoo!! Stereo!)
>>
>> So,now I have yet another project.. Any tips before I begin? ;-)
>> I'm going to go through it completely,clean the boards and chassis
>> (and make sure the screws are tight!),and replace any parts that are
>> out of spec,and realign it!
>>
>> What do you guys use to clean PC boards? What would you suggest? The
>> top of the PC boards(along with the chassis)are coated with a layer of
>> "Dusty old crud".
>>
>>
>> Thanks! Keep those screws tight!! Patrick.
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.500 / Virus Database: 298 - Release Date: 2003-07-10
>
>
>

Flux remover is what I use. Should not take silscreening off or other
lettering on the components. For really nasty cases "Goof-Off" works well
but is deadly to some plastics, paint, etc.

r


--
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from
magic."

Arthur C. Clarke (1917 - ), "Technology and the Future"

[Nothing40]

(Nothing40) wrote in message >...
> And when I opened the cover to see about replacments for the filter
> caps,I discoveredthat I had already replaced them under the chassis!
> The main reason was a fairly bad hum..
> So I fired it up slowly,on the variac,just to be careful. ;-) Checked
> it out a bit,seemed good! off to hook it up! Sounds good,but it still
> hummed..After a while I went over to the tuner and tilted it up on
> it's side,the hum went away when I flexed the chassis! So,I grabbed a
> screwdriver and started tightening screws..Hum's gone!
>
> Wow,this thing is great! it seems to be aligned fairly well,stations
> come in where they are supposed to,and the overall sound is quite
> good. Also,the tuning closes tightly (not quite touching,but close)
> and the MPX board seems to be working well. (Whoohoo!! Stereo!)
>
> So,now I have yet another project.. Any tips before I begin? ;-)
> I'm going to go through it completely,clean the boards and chassis
> (and make sure the screws are tight!),and replace any parts that are
> out of spec,and realign it!
>
> What do you guys use to clean PC boards? What would you suggest? The
> top of the PC boards(along with the chassis)are coated with a layer of
> "Dusty old crud".
>
>
> Thanks! Keep those screws tight!! Patrick.


Okay,it's in pieces ;-( I have scrubbed the chassis down and I can
see shiny metal again! Took the boards out and cleaned them with a
toothbrush,to try and get some dust bunnies,and gunk off of them.. Not
so easy.. This stuff appears to be a coating of that beeswax goo used
in random electronics(RF coils,etc),and dust..I tried alcohol (only
have the 70% stuff ATM.) That didn't do too much.. sorta just helped
me smear the "goo" around a bit..
I scraped all the rosin/flux off of the bottoms of the boards,and went
over it well with the toothbrush and a little alcohol,inspected the
solder joints,and touched a few up.

Is there anything that's safe for boards,and parts that will dissolve
this crap?
I may just clean them as best I can,and leave it at that.. It's hard
to get between components..Anything I can do to get the layer of
residue off,short of unsoldering every component,so I can clean the PC
boards?? Somekind of spray stuff would be perfect,but I can't really
think of anything suitable.
I tried Windex(ammonia) aswell,Didn't do much either..

Any ideas?

Hehe,a little Happich Simichrome polish,and some elbow grease sure
made the chassis shine!
Patrick.

[Nothing40]

Fred Nachbaur > wrote in message >...
> Nothing40 wrote:
> > (Nothing40) wrote in message >...
> >
> >>And when I opened the cover to see about replacments for the filter
> >>caps,I discoveredthat I had already replaced them under the chassis!
> >>The main reason was a fairly bad hum..
> >>So I fired it up slowly,on the variac,just to be careful. ;-) Checked
> >>it out a bit,seemed good! off to hook it up! Sounds good,but it still
> >>hummed..After a while I went over to the tuner and tilted it up on
> >>it's side,the hum went away when I flexed the chassis! So,I grabbed a
> >>screwdriver and started tightening screws..Hum's gone!
> >>
> >> Wow,this thing is great! it seems to be aligned fairly well,stations
> >>come in where they are supposed to,and the overall sound is quite
> >>good. Also,the tuning closes tightly (not quite touching,but close)
> >>and the MPX board seems to be working well. (Whoohoo!! Stereo!)
> >>
> >> So,now I have yet another project.. Any tips before I begin? ;-)
> >>I'm going to go through it completely,clean the boards and chassis
> >>(and make sure the screws are tight!),and replace any parts that are
> >>out of spec,and realign it!
> >>
> >>What do you guys use to clean PC boards? What would you suggest? The
> >>top of the PC boards(along with the chassis)are coated with a layer of
> >>"Dusty old crud".
> >>
> >>
> >>Thanks! Keep those screws tight!! Patrick.
> >
> >
> >
> > Okay,it's in pieces ;-( I have scrubbed the chassis down and I can
> > see shiny metal again! Took the boards out and cleaned them with a
> > toothbrush,to try and get some dust bunnies,and gunk off of them.. Not
> > so easy.. This stuff appears to be a coating of that beeswax goo used
> > in random electronics(RF coils,etc),and dust..I tried alcohol (only
> > have the 70% stuff ATM.) That didn't do too much.. sorta just helped
> > me smear the "goo" around a bit..
> > I scraped all the rosin/flux off of the bottoms of the boards,and went
> > over it well with the toothbrush and a little alcohol,inspected the
> > solder joints,and touched a few up.
> >
> > Is there anything that's safe for boards,and parts that will dissolve
> > this crap?
> > I may just clean them as best I can,and leave it at that.. It's hard
> > to get between components..Anything I can do to get the layer of
> > residue off,short of unsoldering every component,so I can clean the PC
> > boards?? Somekind of spray stuff would be perfect,but I can't really
> > think of anything suitable.
> > I tried Windex(ammonia) aswell,Didn't do much either..
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> > Hehe,a little Happich Simichrome polish,and some elbow grease sure
> > made the chassis shine!
> > Patrick.
>
> For rosin and many similar "contaminants," nothing beats 99%+
> isopropanol. (You can get it from electronics jobbers, or from some
> pharmacies, they usually call it "anhydrous isopropanol").
>
> For waxy deposits and tape residue goo (e.g. masking tape crud, duct
> tape YUK, etc.) the best (and safest) solvent is naphtha, aka "lighter
> fluid," the kind that comes usually in a yellow can (Ronson) with a red
> swivel-tip spout. It's what's used in the "old-fashioned" kind of
> cigarette lighters. It's not nearly as volatile as acetone (and is also
> a lot kinder to plastics), but it *is* flammable, so do keep that in mind.
>
> Cheers,
> Fred



Yea,I was thinking about that..Don't have any of that at the moment
either..
It's okay,I ended up getting it all back together tonight! It even
works!!

I'm listening to it now.. the hum is *completely* gone now,before
there was a little hum left after tightening the screws,but hardly
noticable..

Next I'll test/replace the tubes,and align it..Later on I'll start
checking/replacing parts. (and realigning it yet again.)

[Nothing40]

Ohh,Also,about the alingment..I can't seem to find the instructions
for the FM-1.I did print out the set for the FM-3.I assume the
procedure is the same,except for the mono/stereo switch,which isn't
there on the FM-1!
I was thinking of adding a switch for this,in place of the AC outlet
on the rear.
In the mean time,does anyone have the set for the FM-1,and or the MPX
board?


Thanks again! Patrick <--tired.
(I think my headache may be from soldering so much..ack..)


(Nothing40) wrote in message >...
> And when I opened the cover to see about replacments for the filter
> caps,I discoveredthat I had already replaced them under the chassis!
> The main reason was a fairly bad hum..
> So I fired it up slowly,on the variac,just to be careful. ;-) Checked
> it out a bit,seemed good! off to hook it up! Sounds good,but it still
> hummed..After a while I went over to the tuner and tilted it up on
> it's side,the hum went away when I flexed the chassis! So,I grabbed a
> screwdriver and started tightening screws..Hum's gone!
>
> Wow,this thing is great! it seems to be aligned fairly well,stations
> come in where they are supposed to,and the overall sound is quite
> good. Also,the tuning closes tightly (not quite touching,but close)
> and the MPX board seems to be working well. (Whoohoo!! Stereo!)
>
> So,now I have yet another project.. Any tips before I begin? ;-)
> I'm going to go through it completely,clean the boards and chassis
> (and make sure the screws are tight!),and replace any parts that are
> out of spec,and realign it!
>
> What do you guys use to clean PC boards? What would you suggest? The
> top of the PC boards(along with the chassis)are coated with a layer of
> "Dusty old crud".
>
>
> Thanks! Keep those screws tight!! Patrick.

[Syl]

"Nothing40"

> Anything I can do to get the layer of
> residue off,short of unsoldering every component,so I can clean the PC
> boards??

The stuff I am using are:

JY8 solvent degreaser. Removes ALL waxy deposits, gunk etc. without any
effort,
just spray, let sits, spray again lightly. Citrus oils based. Made in
Canada. 5 stars stuff.

Tuner cleaner, alcools based (Iso, Methyl and another one I forget the
name),
not as effective as the first one though. Didn't find any home products as
good.


Syl


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[TJ]

"Syl" > wrote in message >...
> "Nothing40"
>
> > Anything I can do to get the layer of
> > residue off,short of unsoldering every component,so I can clean the PC
> > boards??
>
> The stuff I am using are:
>
> JY8 solvent degreaser. Removes ALL waxy deposits, gunk etc. without any
> effort,
> just spray, let sits, spray again lightly. Citrus oils based. Made in
> Canada. 5 stars stuff.
>

Where do you get this JY8 solvent degreaser? I looked o the web and
could not find it. Can you send some product info to me? Thanks

[Phil Witt]

Data sheets here:

http://www.asalco.com/industrial_msds.html