poor man's pot track cleaner ?

You can pick up a tube of DeOxit and a tube of Fader Lube on eBay for about $25 total including postage, maybe less if you get it directly from a UK vendor.

Put a drop of Fader Lube in each of the sliders and move back and forth a few times. Add more as needed. If it's still scratchy, add a couple of drops of DeOxit. Or the other way around DeOxit and then Fader lube. :-)

You'll probably still have most of both of them left when done.

Geoff.

ime

Put some Naptha in an eyedropper and squirt that into the pot while moving the slider thru its full range of motion several time. Wait 30 minues for the Naptha to evaporate, always works for me.

Naphtha! That stuff is an excellent cleaner & degreaser. Still available as 'Camp Fuel':

Stock up, the stuff is regulated now.

--Winston

Or, from paint and hardware stores - "VM&P naptha". Even here in Northern California it's easily available. Might be harder to get in areas where volatile solvents are more tightly controlled (e.g. Los Angeles).

I generally never use an aerosol can for cleaning pots/switch contacts.. not just because it's extremely wasteful, but because the area needing cleaning usually only needs about 2 drops of DeoxIt. Applying a flood of cleaner product doesn't get the parts any cleaner, it just makes a huge mess. Flooding shafted pots typically rinses away the thick grease in the shaft bushing and a pot will lose that smooth resistance to turning feel that it had/should have.

It seems that many people just can't resist the instantaneous push-button solution for a problem, no matter how much the miracle product costs. With a push-button cure, many appreciate the instant gratification.

A 5oz (weight) can of DeoxIt lasts a very long time when used sparingly.

I buy the areosol versions of DeoxIt, but I spray the liquids into small poly bottles which have needle tips (syringes don't work since the rubber pistons deteriorate/swell from contact with the solvents).

The types of bottles I use are the little retail bottles for dispensing a drop (foot antifungal or eyedrops products), and I add needle tips to them. There are small bottles marketed as fishing products for injecting air into worms so they don't sink, which are supplied with a needle. To prevent getting cut/jabbed by the sharp point, the needle can be pulled out and turned around so the point isn't sticking out.

The paste/grease DeoxIt products can be applied with a toothpick or longer swab stick, although they are handled easily with a syringe fitted with a large gauge needle (the rubber piston still deteriorates, but the grease won't leak out like liquid does).

not

cleaning

them.

into

For these sorts of situations I make a reducer of sorts from various sizes of sleeving down to a short length of PTFE 1mm spaghetti tube, great for getting into switch and pot bodies, Now just to find some naptha and see if it is too viscous to go down 1mm minus wall thickness

Naptha is a very thin solvent and probably still the main ingrediant in cigarette lighter fluid (and possibly charcoal lighter fluid).

Naptha and other cheap substitute solvents won't provide the same cleaning qualities or lasting lubrication on pot elements.

Naptha isn't the sort of product I'd want used on any of my equipment. It will most likely be absorbed by nearby materials, and if something goes wrong (during or after application) I suspect that the combustibility ratings of the various otherwise safe materials will be significantly increased.

I'm no stranger to flammable solvents.. I spent many years working with them every day and never had a fire incident. There are safety precautions which must be obeyed to minimize the risk of fires.. and careless storage, disposal or handling of solvents is asking for trouble.

In the past, I've recommended against the not use of other solvents in electronic equipment (WD40 is stoddard solvent) for any anecdotal "werks great for this" problems.

Improvising with a product just because it's cheaper or more conveniently available isn't rational logic, IMO. If the electronic gear isn't worth servicing properly, then it would be better to just sell it for parts.

I've encountered cheap customers that have wanted something repaired/serviced for almost free since they only paid $2 for it at a flea market.. and they believe they're being sensible. I've let them know that they aren't going to waste any more of my time.

-- Cheers, WB .............

cigarette lighter fluid (and possibly charcoal

qualities or lasting lubrication on pot

In relation to...?

I agree that naphtha is an excellent solvent and provides no lubrication. Doubtlessly there are better products available for lubrication after gunk is liberated from working parts. Naphtha *is* the main ingredient in DeOxit, only 5% of which appears to be a lubricant.

most likely be absorbed by nearby

that the combustibility ratings of the

Naphtha is extremely volatile and flammable. Common sense dictates *lots* of ventilation and separation from sparks and open flame.

In most instances, it dries within minutes and presents no more serious a hazard than the equipment itself.

I've used it safely for years.

every day and never had a fire incident.

fires.. and careless storage, disposal or

That's common sense. There is nothing careless about the safe use of solvent though.

electronic equipment (WD40 is stoddard solvent)

Yes. WD-40 is awful for most purposes.

available isn't rational logic, IMO.

to just sell it for parts.

For many cleaning tasks, naphtha is the fastest, most effective, least expensive option.

for almost free since they only paid $2

Good on ya.

--Winston

Why? You can buy them in 1oz needle-tip bottles.

I buy aerosol DeoxIt products because they're commonly available without ordering from places which charge extra handling fees for solvents or presumed hazardous substances.. but also because I may need the aerosol and extension tube to use on things other than pots.

Pots don't need pressure blasted or flooded with solvent to correct dried out/scratchy conditions IME.

-- Cheers, WB .............

I've worked on some large pieces of equipment and never needed to empty a can of any product by cleaning various controls, switches and connectors.

While Nigel may have been exaggerating for emphasis, using 2 cans of anything doesn't suggest a consciencious effort by an experienced technician.

What has been suggested is a spray n'pray method of the adage: if a little bit is good, lots more must be better.

Other than DeoxIt products, there have been an enormous number of washes, degreasers (non-naptha), cleaners and lubrication/protection/preserver products from petroleum products to silicones marketed as instant gratification problem solvers. I've discovered pots that have been sprayed with some of the weird products over the years, and I've replaced the controls rather than try to get all of the old crap cleaned out.

I haven't looked at the chemistry of DeoxIt liquids in quite a while, but I believe the 2% and 5% relate to their proprietary product (formerly referred to as Cramolin), and that besides the solvent there are other pH specific deoxidizers for removing tarnish/oxidation and also lubricants that remain after the application (after the solvent flashes off). The solvent is likely in lower concentrations in non-aerosol products, but since I spray the aerosol into the small bottles, some of the solvent is released anyway.

Naptha is also widely used as a tar/bug, wax and grease remover.. I used lots of it wiping down car and truck bodies before beginning any refinishing work.. and it's fairly easy to use quarts of naptha to clean all the grime off of an old semi tractor body. It's a great degreaser, but not what I'd consider close to being a good choice for applying at a rate of 2 cans worth, to a circuit board or components in electronic gear.

When I apply a few drops of something I have a good idea of how far it can spread.. but carelessly flooding controls will wet a lot of nearby components which may not be solvent-proof. Naptha isn't a safe-on-plastics solvent like some non-petroleum electrical degreaser products are.. naptha will burn/lift uncured paint and attack some plastics.

I'm not sure if naptha will soften the bond under circuit board traces, but that wouldn't be a good thing to find out. I've flooded populated boards with alcohols followed by hot water and forced drying with no apparent damage (actually SOP by an instrument manufacturer I worked for), but that's about as extreme as I'd go for cleaning.. and wouldn't consider that action to be good for the reliability of pots or other controls.

As to the common sense comment.. seen much of that in use lately? Better referred to as uncommon sense, so folks will know what you're talking about.

And yet, people burn down their homes every day.. sometimes because they wanted to get something real clean and had some gasoline handy, or they've just refinished a piece of furniture or a hobby project.

The ones that make me shake my head are the ones that refuse to hire a professional to refinish their floors/etc, and burn the place to the ground.

-- Cheers, WB .............

Fine. But the needle-tip bottles cost less per unit weight of active ingredient.

of any product by cleaning various

doesn't suggest a consciencious effort by

is good, lots more must be better.

degreasers (non-naptha), cleaners and

marketed as instant gratification problem

over the years, and I've replaced the

That *is* frustrating. I recall 'Tuner Cleaner' products I've used Back In The Day. Some were quite effective. Some are pretty awful.

believe the 2% and 5% relate to their

solvent there are other pH specific

after the application (after the solvent

Trichlor! Cool! http://217.26.67.168/uploads/8/6/864239/cramolin_sprays-disc.pdf

since I spray the aerosol into the small

of it wiping down car and truck bodies

naptha to clean all the grime off of an

for applying at a rate of 2 cans worth,

Virtually all products fall into that category. Exceptions do not readily come to mind. :)

spread.. but carelessly flooding controls

That doesn't sound good.

degreaser products are.. naptha will

I haven't seen that. I've used it on a wide variety of surfaces and have not yet seen any issues. The stuff is very gentle on plastics. Now I *have* used some powerful cleaners on plastics which I've sorely regretted. That's why I think naphtha is so cool.

It doesn't. I use 100% naphtha to clean flux off my boards after soldering. It just cleans the flux off and drys very quickly.

drying with no apparent damage (actually

as I'd go for cleaning.. and wouldn't

Good.

about.

wanted to get something real clean and had some

project.

professional to refinish their floors/etc, and

I'll take your word for it.

--Winston

sizes

if

Naptha will flow clear down past 0.1 mm pipes.

?-)