Take a look at this tuner..

http://www.niji.or.jp/home/k-nisi/5t50.html

I bought one of these (and the associated Lux LRS amplification) over 30
years ago. Some months back I pulled it out and set it up in my bedroom to
drive a pair of Mission speakers.

This equipment had been sitting unused for almost 20 years, and it had (and
still has) quirks that need fixing. Most of them are related to dirty
switches and controls.

One of the worst problems was the Tuning buttons on the 5T50. As with many
dirty or aging switches, a single press caused multiple closures. Tuning was
extremely clumsy, as the frequency would jump multiple channels with a
single press.

"Look! Up in the sky!"

So I pulled the lid off to clean the switches. Uh-oh. They were sealed and
there was no obvious, simple way to remove or open them. What to do? Working
on the principle of "try anything", I pulled off the buttons. This isn't
difficult -- they snap into place -- but there's this huge, weak spring that
provides the restoring force. You don't want to lose it.

I guessed that the button's shaft directly poked the switch contacts. So I
squirted some cleaner into the switches.

Bingo. The switches now work correctly.

Sometimes things work out just fine.

--
"We already know the answers -- we just haven't asked the right
questions." -- Edwin Land

On Oct 31, 4:54*pm, "William Sommerwerck"
wrote:
....snip...
I guessed that the button's shaft directly poked the switch contacts. So I
squirted some cleaner into the switches.


what brand of cleaner?

I guessed that the button's shaft directly poked the switch
contacts. So I squirted some cleaner into the switches.

What brand of cleaner?

Clorox Toilet Bowl.

No, seriously... M G Chemical's Super Wash.

When you buy toilet bowl cleaner, look at the list of ingredients for
hydrochloric acid (or some strong acid). Cleaners without it don't do a very
good job. I kike Sno-bol.

"William Sommerwerck" wrote in message
...
Take a look at this tuner..

http://www.niji.or.jp/home/k-nisi/5t50.html

I bought one of these (and the associated Lux LRS amplification) over 30
years ago. Some months back I pulled it out and set it up in my bedroom to
drive a pair of Mission speakers.

This equipment had been sitting unused for almost 20 years, and it had
(and
still has) quirks that need fixing. Most of them are related to dirty
switches and controls.

One of the worst problems was the Tuning buttons on the 5T50. As with many
dirty or aging switches, a single press caused multiple closures. Tuning
was
extremely clumsy, as the frequency would jump multiple channels with a
single press.

"Look! Up in the sky!"

So I pulled the lid off to clean the switches. Uh-oh. They were sealed and
there was no obvious, simple way to remove or open them. What to do?
Working
on the principle of "try anything", I pulled off the buttons. This isn't
difficult -- they snap into place -- but there's this huge, weak spring
that
provides the restoring force. You don't want to lose it.

I guessed that the button's shaft directly poked the switch contacts. So I
squirted some cleaner into the switches.

Bingo. The switches now work correctly.

Sometimes things work out just fine.

--
"We already know the answers -- we just haven't asked the right
questions." -- Edwin Land



The 'way in' to sealed square shafted selector switches is often, as you
have discovered, the gap around the shaft. Decent switch cleaner / lubricant
seems to have good creep and penetration characteristics, and a good squirt
up the shaft gap, will, in most cases, find its way into the switch body,
and do a decent job of restoring contact.

Arfa

The 'way in' to sealed square shafted selector switches is often,
as you have discovered, the gap around the shaft. Decent switch
cleaner / lubricant seems to have good creep and penetration
characteristics, and a good squirt up the shaft gap, will, in most
cases, find its way into the switch body, and do a decent job
of restoring contact.

These were not that type switch (they're pushbuttons), but I appreciate the
insight.

I've been using an attachment for guitar pots that screws atop the pot
and allows the cleaner to squrt down the shaft. Saves a lot of time in
some cases and can be used on anything with a similar pot.

Where do you find these?

I assume they're "custom" and won't work as well on a smaller shaft.

On Nov 1, 8:24*am, "William Sommerwerck"
wrote:
I guessed that the button's shaft directly poked the switch
contacts. So I squirted some cleaner into the switches.
What brand of cleaner?

Clorox Toilet Bowl.

No, seriously... M G Chemical's Super Wash.

When you buy toilet bowl cleaner, look at the list of ingredients for
hydrochloric acid (or some strong acid). Cleaners without it don't do a very
good job. I kike Sno-bol.

Thanks. The last cleaner I used forgot to mention some type of
acetone like product in there that played havoc with some of the new
plastics. Needless to say wasn't just angry at the clowding, but with
the softening/melting.

Thanks. The last cleaner I used forgot to mention some type
of acetone-like product in there that played havoc with some
of the new plastics.

It's amazing such products are still made. I look for a "safe on plastics"
claim, as well as a list of things the cleaner is (supposedly) good for
cleaning.

The 'way in' to sealed square shafted selector switches is often, as you
have discovered, the gap around the shaft. Decent switch cleaner /
lubricant
seems to have good creep and penetration characteristics, and a good
squirt
up the shaft gap, will, in most cases, find its way into the switch body,
and do a decent job of restoring contact.

Arfa


I've been using an attachment for guitar pots that screws atop the pot
and allows the cleaner to squrt down the shaft. Saves a lot of time in
some cases and can be used on anything with a similar pot.

That's interesting and very useful sounding. Where'd you get it ? Any ref
with a piccy ?

Arfa

"William Sommerwerck" wrote in message
...
The 'way in' to sealed square shafted selector switches is often,
as you have discovered, the gap around the shaft. Decent switch
cleaner / lubricant seems to have good creep and penetration
characteristics, and a good squirt up the shaft gap, will, in most
cases, find its way into the switch body, and do a decent job
of restoring contact.

These were not that type switch (they're pushbuttons), but I appreciate
the
insight.



The ones I was referring to are pushbuttons ...

Arfa

Meat Plow wrote:
On Sun, 1 Nov 2009 16:26:01 -0000, "Arfa Daily"
wrote:

"William Sommerwerck" wrote in message
...
Take a look at this tuner..

http://www.niji.or.jp/home/k-nisi/5t50.html

I bought one of these (and the associated Lux LRS amplification) over 30
years ago. Some months back I pulled it out and set it up in my bedroom to
drive a pair of Mission speakers.

This equipment had been sitting unused for almost 20 years, and it had
(and
still has) quirks that need fixing. Most of them are related to dirty
switches and controls.

One of the worst problems was the Tuning buttons on the 5T50. As with many
dirty or aging switches, a single press caused multiple closures. Tuning
was
extremely clumsy, as the frequency would jump multiple channels with a
single press.

"Look! Up in the sky!"

So I pulled the lid off to clean the switches. Uh-oh. They were sealed and
there was no obvious, simple way to remove or open them. What to do?
Working
on the principle of "try anything", I pulled off the buttons. This isn't
difficult -- they snap into place -- but there's this huge, weak spring
that
provides the restoring force. You don't want to lose it.

I guessed that the button's shaft directly poked the switch contacts. So I
squirted some cleaner into the switches.

Bingo. The switches now work correctly.

Sometimes things work out just fine.

--
"We already know the answers -- we just haven't asked the right
questions." -- Edwin Land


The 'way in' to sealed square shafted selector switches is often, as you
have discovered, the gap around the shaft. Decent switch cleaner / lubricant
seems to have good creep and penetration characteristics, and a good squirt
up the shaft gap, will, in most cases, find its way into the switch body,
and do a decent job of restoring contact.

Arfa


I've been using an attachment for guitar pots that screws atop the pot
and allows the cleaner to squrt down the shaft. Saves a lot of time in
some cases and can be used on anything with a similar pot.

Ooooo.....where did you get that rascal? I've an old Double Beat Wah
that I tried to clean using the shaft method but it never seemed to
work. The product you mentioned sounds interesting....thanks. :-)

Arfa Daily wrote:



The 'way in' to sealed square shafted selector switches is often, as
you have discovered, the gap around the shaft. Decent switch cleaner
/ lubricant
seems to have good creep and penetration characteristics, and a good
squirt
up the shaft gap, will, in most cases, find its way into the switch
body, and do a decent job of restoring contact.

Arfa


I've been using an attachment for guitar pots that screws atop the
pot and allows the cleaner to squrt down the shaft. Saves a lot of
time in some cases and can be used on anything with a similar pot.

That's interesting and very useful sounding. Where'd you get it ? Any
ref with a piccy ?

Arfa

Grab a neoprene cable sleeve and cut the narrow end to suit !

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

I've been using an attachment for guitar pots that screws atop the pot
and allows the cleaner to squrt down the shaft. Saves a lot of time in
some cases and can be used on anything with a similar pot.

Where do you find these?
I assume they're "custom" and won't work as well on a smaller shaft.

Most guitar supply places have them. I think we get them from WD
music although I was not the one who ordered them. And I'm fairly
sure they make several sizes.

There's a Guitar Center (or whatever it's called) down the road. I'll check
the next time I'm in the neighborhoods.

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazin...g_Miracle.aspx


Hmm... How does it remove the seeds and stems?

On Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:13:00 -0500, Meat Plow
wrote:

On Sun, 1 Nov 2009 09:57:49 -0800, "William Sommerwerck"
wrote:

I've been using an attachment for guitar pots that screws atop the pot
and allows the cleaner to squrt down the shaft. Saves a lot of time in
some cases and can be used on anything with a similar pot.

Where do you find these?

I assume they're "custom" and won't work as well on a smaller shaft.


Most guitar supply places have them. I think we get them from WD music
although I was not the one who ordered them. And I'm fairly sure that
they make several sizes.

http://www.customguitars.com/pots.html
http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2008/Oct/A_Pot_Cleaning_Miracle.aspx
http://www.stewmac.com/shopby/product/0291
I made my own before I realized that it could be purchased
commercially. If you ever want to see really corroded and stuck pots,
try the marine radio business. The problem is that the pressure from
the typical spray cleaner is insufficient to break loose a really
rotted shaft. So, mine has a compressed air fitting attached. Point
the pot upwards, screw in the adapter cap, pour in some penetrating
oil, apply air pressure, and the pot is either cleaned or destroyed.
It works fine for open unsealed pots, but sometimes causes problems
with sealed or plastic rectangular pots, which tend to fly apart with
too much air pressure. I usually use about 20 psi for ordinary pots,
and only 5 psi for the sealed variety. Also, be prepared to have
penetrating oil sprayed all over everything that's not protected by a
rag or twowel paper.

Reminder: Point the pot upwards or you won't have a good liquid tight
seal when applying pressure.



--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

Meat Plow wrote:

On Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:26:30 +0000, Baron
wrote:

Arfa Daily wrote:



The 'way in' to sealed square shafted selector switches is often,
as you have discovered, the gap around the shaft. Decent switch
cleaner / lubricant
seems to have good creep and penetration characteristics, and a
good squirt
up the shaft gap, will, in most cases, find its way into the switch
body, and do a decent job of restoring contact.

Arfa


I've been using an attachment for guitar pots that screws atop the
pot and allows the cleaner to squrt down the shaft. Saves a lot of
time in some cases and can be used on anything with a similar pot.

That's interesting and very useful sounding. Where'd you get it ?
Any ref with a piccy ?

Arfa

Grab a neoprene cable sleeve and cut the narrow end to suit !

A person with relatively decent manual dexterity and household tools
could actually make one from aluminum or brass.

Agreed ! But a 20 cent sleeve does the job and it doesn't matter if it
gets lost or damaged in the tool box.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.