Cleaning Vintage Equipment

[mcp6453[_2_]]

I just got a piece of "vintage" equipment (really - it's 50 years old) that
needs a good bath. It's a 2U rack mount unit with a painted front panel. There
is dirt, marker, and sticker residue all over it. Normally I use lighter fluid,
alcohol, Totally Awesome, and any other chemical I can find. What do you
recommend for cleaning the painted surface without screwing up the paint?

Ok, it's a Kahn Symmetra-Peak SP 58-1A.

[Don Pearce[_3_]]

On Tue, 27 Aug 2013 13:26:19 -0400, mcp6453 > wrote:

>I just got a piece of "vintage" equipment (really - it's 50 years old) that
>needs a good bath. It's a 2U rack mount unit with a painted front panel. There
>is dirt, marker, and sticker residue all over it. Normally I use lighter fluid,
>alcohol, Totally Awesome, and any other chemical I can find. What do you
>recommend for cleaning the painted surface without screwing up the paint?
>
>Ok, it's a Kahn Symmetra-Peak SP 58-1A.

I always used an Arklone bath for this stuff. No idea if it is still
legal to buy these days - probably contravenes some H&S law by now.

d

[Scott Dorsey]

mcp6453 > wrote:
>I just got a piece of "vintage" equipment (really - it's 50 years old) that
>needs a good bath. It's a 2U rack mount unit with a painted front panel. There
>is dirt, marker, and sticker residue all over it. Normally I use lighter fluid,
>alcohol, Totally Awesome, and any other chemical I can find. What do you
>recommend for cleaning the painted surface without screwing up the paint?
>
>Ok, it's a Kahn Symmetra-Peak SP 58-1A.

I tend to use 409 but test it in the corner because it can bleach some
paints. Ammonia will take tobacco residue off.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[William Sommerwerck]

My experience has been that Goo-Gone doesn't attack /most/ paint.

[Neil Gould]

mcp6453 wrote:
> I just got a piece of "vintage" equipment (really - it's 50 years
> old) that needs a good bath. It's a 2U rack mount unit with a painted
> front panel. There is dirt, marker, and sticker residue all over it.
> Normally I use lighter fluid, alcohol, Totally Awesome, and any other
> chemical I can find. What do you recommend for cleaning the painted
> surface without screwing up the paint?
>
> Ok, it's a Kahn Symmetra-Peak SP 58-1A.
>
I've used WD-40, spray on a cloth then wipe gently. Sticker residue should
wipe off of without too much trouble, and marker might come off, but it
might have been on so long that the paint either absorbed some of it or has
faded differently beneath it. That said, I'd follow Scott's advice, and try
it on a non-critical area first.
--
best regards,

Neil

[hank alrich]

mcp6453 > wrote:

> I just got a piece of "vintage" equipment (really - it's 50 years old)
> that needs a good bath. It's a 2U rack mount unit with a painted front
> panel. There is dirt, marker, and sticker residue all over it. Normally I
> use lighter fluid, alcohol, Totally Awesome, and any other chemical I can
> find. What do you recommend for cleaning the painted surface without
> screwing up the paint?
>
> Ok, it's a Kahn Symmetra-Peak SP 58-1A.

Dilute Citra-Solv.

--
shut up and play your guitar * HankAlrich.Com
HankandShaidriMusic.Com
YouTube.Com/WalkinayMusic

[Roger[_8_]]

"mcp6453" wrote in message
...

I just got a piece of "vintage" equipment (really - it's 50 years old) that
needs a good bath. It's a 2U rack mount unit with a painted front panel.
There
is dirt, marker, and sticker residue all over it. Normally I use lighter
fluid,
alcohol, Totally Awesome, and any other chemical I can find. What do you
recommend for cleaning the painted surface without screwing up the paint?

Ok, it's a Kahn Symmetra-Peak SP 58-1A.

I have always used isopropyl alcohol, the 99% stuff that you can get from
drug stores. This stuff works on many types of grim, dirt. If it is sticky
residue; then I used an adhesive remover. Sorry I don't have a brand name
for you, it was a hospital supply where I worked.

Good luck