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Author Topic: Chemical Dip Cleaning of Aluminum  (Read 25253 times)
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Todd, KA1KAQ
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« Reply #25 on: June 28, 2010, 04:05:23 PM »

 Most of the parts I've installed in the Smithsonian aircraft are prepared this way.

Thanks for the thorough description, Mike. If it's good enough for the Enola Gay and her siblings, it's certainly good enough for the few clunkers I have around here.  Grin

I know that much of this sounds like a lot to go through for some old piece of radio gear, and in most cases I wouldn't bother since many of the rigs here are relatively commonplace. It's only when an interesting and equally-scarce set appears, generally of 20s-40s vintage that I bother with any excess. The fact that it's as old as it is and still around warrants slightly different handling, IMO. There are (literally) tons of S-38s, KWM-2s, and many other, newer rigs out there. Not so with the early super rigs (for their day) like the SP-10, Comet Pro, and others.

The biggest issue now is the slight amount of damage through corrosion, crud, and a few doinks that need to be removed first. Once that's done, restoring a uniform color/finish to them will let them blend back into the chassis like the basic components they are. Unlike some of the flashier sets with chromed chassis, IF cans and tube shields, the Hammarlund gear was all go and less show.
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Todd, KA1KAQ
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« Reply #26 on: July 07, 2010, 06:52:46 PM »

Figured I'd add a couple shots of what I'm up against. Getting the crud off first is a must, then removing dings and as much of the scraped in labeling as possible before running the aluminum through the chemical bath.

Although it looks really rusty, much of it appears to be creosote or something that dripped into the receiver over time. It has a tar-like consistency and comes off pretty easily. Fortunately the entire tuning box is removable which will make cleaning up the main chassis much easier. The metal cover was in place and lost paint in places, so it looks like the crud seeped in between the panel and cover, and dripped inside for an extended period of time. Getting the bazillion little screws loose on the inside top covers was a LOT of fun.

Not much hope of it ever looking new again, but that's okay. It's complete and unhacked, a survivor since 1936. It's earned the right to wear its character marks, minus the dirt and crud. Smiley


* SP10_B4.JPG (417.81 KB, 1600x1200 - viewed 557 times.)

* SP10_B4_L.JPG (411.05 KB, 1600x1200 - viewed 567 times.)

* SP10_B4_F.JPG (451.37 KB, 1600x1200 - viewed 539 times.)
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Ralph W3GL
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« Reply #27 on: July 07, 2010, 09:10:10 PM »

       


          Geez, that's one dirty radio... Thats not the one you got from Buddly,
          is it ?
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« Reply #28 on: July 08, 2010, 11:16:27 AM »

Hey Ralphie!

No, not even close. The BudPro as I sometimes call it, is a SP-100 and in like-new condition compared to this one(see below). Was thinking you got to see it at Frank's party a few years back? This is its predecessor, the SP-10 - first of the Super Pros and successor to the Comet Pro. It lacks the crystal filter of the 100 and also has adjustable detector and AVC transformers (along with the more familiar adjustable selectivity IFs) for more flexibility, though you have to remove the cover each time to adjust them. A flip-top door would've been nice, but I suspect they figured you'd set it up for the type of service you were using it for (narrower CW vs. wide AM broadcast, for example) and leave it that way. You can see the knurled nuts atop several cans in the back.

They didn't make a lot of the 10s, moving to the 100s in the first year of production. So there were never many SP-10s to start with, between the low production numbers and high price for depression-era folks.

If you think the SP-10 looks rough, you should see the Comet Pro. The deeper I get into it, the more it looks like a parts donor for a better candidate. The SP-10 is pretty straight overall, cleanup being the bigger challenge.


* SP100_FrtL.JPG (308.97 KB, 1600x1200 - viewed 533 times.)
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The Slab Bacon
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« Reply #29 on: July 08, 2010, 11:53:56 AM »

there has been previous discussion about boiling that stuff in tomato sauce to clean it. The Dago in me makes me want to try it. After all anything is better wen served with tomato sauce and pasta!!  Grin  Grin
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Ralph W3GL
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« Reply #30 on: July 08, 2010, 01:41:14 PM »



     Frank, you have a point, marranara acid will clean anything...

     Todd, I didn't think bud would let anything like that radio out of
      his grasp.  That thing is really grungy...

      Thinking back, yeah, I saw buds SP-100 there at Franks a few years
      back, think it was the same year I left my SP-400 with Frank (he
      still has it!  wink wink - hint hint)...

      
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"Just because the microphone in front of you amplifies your voice around the world is no reason to think we have any more wisdom than we had when our voices could reach from one end of the bar to the other"     Ed Morrow
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« Reply #31 on: July 08, 2010, 01:58:44 PM »

My problem with is that it is a waste of perfectly good tomato sauce. Think of the pasta it could cover!
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Invisible airwaves crackle with life, bright antenna bristle with the energy. Emotional feedback, on timeless wavelength, bearing a gift beyond lights, almost free.... Spirit of Radio/Rush
The Slab Bacon
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« Reply #32 on: July 08, 2010, 02:08:01 PM »



     Frank, you have a point, marranara acid will clean anything...

     Todd, I didn't think bud would let anything like that radio out of
      his grasp.  That thing is really grungy...

      Thinking back, yeah, I saw buds SP-100 there at Franks a few years
      back, think it was the same year I left my SP-400 with Frank (he
      still has it!  wink wink - hint hint)...

      


IIRC, Ralphie, I said it would be quite a while before I got to it.
Also I wasn't expecting to die back in december Shocked  Shocked I havent even had the ambition to work on my own stuff. But, maybe that may change around a bit now.
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The Slab Bacon
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« Reply #33 on: July 08, 2010, 02:11:37 PM »

My problem with is that it is a waste of perfectly good tomato sauce. Think of the pasta it could cover!


thatz the problem with us dagos. We'll throw just about anything into a pot of sauce to give it flavor. I used a half a dozen 4-400s in the sauce for the lasagne for the party. I figgered it would be a fitting flavor enhancement for a bunch of fellow AMers  Grin  Grin

Hmmm.................I wonder if I used an old Super Pro, would it be super sauce??  Grin Grin
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Ralph W3GL
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« Reply #34 on: July 08, 2010, 02:22:45 PM »




        Yes, I remember what you said Frank...  No problem, just joshing...

         However stuff happens and we are all glad you  managed to work
         your way back  from that December episode...

         I never in my wildest dreams expected to be around this long, figured
         I would get shot  by an irate husband while in bed with his wife but gee,
         in 32 days I'll hit the 83 year mark. (There has been a couple close calls)

         Anyway you look at it, there can't be too many more on the horizon...

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73,  Ralph  W3GL 

"Just because the microphone in front of you amplifies your voice around the world is no reason to think we have any more wisdom than we had when our voices could reach from one end of the bar to the other"     Ed Morrow
Todd, KA1KAQ
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« Reply #35 on: July 08, 2010, 02:37:15 PM »

Hmmm.................I wonder if I used an old Super Pro, would it be super sauce??  Grin Grin

That or ProSauce, Frank.  Grin  Mike(y) has a point, no need wasting perfectly good sauce on something a simple checmical bath will take care of!


     Todd, I didn't think bud would let anything like that radio out of
      his grasp. 

Neither did I, Ralph. I remember when he told us about it on the air one night, and later posted some photos on 'fone. I expressed my interest should he ever decide to part with it, but at that time it wasn't going anywhere. Maybe a year later a nice R-390A came his way, so he contacted me to see if I was still interested. Didn't take me long to answer! Other than a couple of older mods (tube upgrades, but at least they stuck with octals), it's in really nice shape and Bud cleaned up the panel and cover really well. It's currently my bedside receiver for listening to AM740 out of Ontario. Drives a big Jensen coaxial speaker in an old EV enclosure.

         I never in my wildest dreams expected to be around this long, figured
         I would get shot  by an irate husband while in bed with his wife but gee,
         in 32 days I'll hit the 83 year mark. (There has been a couple close calls)

Reminds me of one of Paul Newman's lines from the movie HUD:

"The only question I ever ask any woman is 'What time is your husband coming home?'"

I gotta say Ralphie, you sure had me stunned when you told me your age some years back, after talking with you on the air and later meeting you. Pretty damned spry for an old guy! At this rate, you'll outlive most of us. Wink

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