Elbow Grease rewards

10/11/2008 11:28:37 PMPeter G. Balazsy

I got me another old rusty Emerson "Chicken-Coop-Reject" to bring back to life this week.

I recapped it and boy does it ever sound wonderful now! It has a nice big rich-sounding speaker in great shape which helps.

After recapping it I had to then face the lousy-looking rusted chassis. It was a real rusted mess.

So after a well needed bath in the dishwasher... I spent about another hour or two with Emory cloth and wire brushes getting all the rust off.

I got almost everything clean but the real pitted parts were very deep. So I got them as best as I could then sealed everything under a couple layers of Deft clear gloss spray lacquer.

So I think it's really sealed well now for many years to come...I hope...lol

It's nice to see the before and after shots as it makes all the labor really seem worthwhile.

This has a cruddy old Bakelite cabinet too that I'll have to save next.

(News at eleven on that)...next week maybe.

10/11/2008 11:33:41 PMPeter G. Balazsy

Someone over at ARF asked me about my lighting setup for the images I shot in the above post.

So here's a shot of my workbench where I shot 'em with the exact lighting setup for those last two images. The background paper is pale blue.
I propped up the back of the radio about 2 inches to tilt it forward for a better camera angle.
(this was also taken w/no flash)

9/27/2009 11:29:59 AMDonS

Peter who really cares about your lighting setup, its purpose is only for EBay used pictures.
Geeze, GET A LIFE and some sleep.

:Someone over at ARF asked me about my lighting setup for the images I shot in the above post.
:
:So here's a shot of my workbench where I shot 'em with the exact lighting setup for those last two images. The background paper is pale blue.
:I propped up the back of the radio about 2 inches to tilt it forward for a better camera angle.
:(this was also taken w/no flash)
:

10/11/2008 11:42:29 PMBob E.

Peter,
I just have to laugh when I read about your restoration cleanup methods. :O)
Do you have a special dishwasher just for other than dishes, pans, and silverware? Or just run it through
the cycle by itself I would guess? Now how about giving us a before and after shot with the dishwasher
treatment? What setting do you use? What parts do not
go into the dishwasher? I think you said the TX did not in a previous post. I am waiting for the post from you where you tell us about your ingenious modification to a clothes dryer where you do the final
chassis dry down. :O)
Its late I better quit.
Bob E.

:I got me another old rusty Emerson "Chicken-Coop-Reject" to bring back to life this week.
:
:I recapped it and boy does it ever sound wonderful now! It has a nice big rich-sounding speaker in great shape which helps.
:
:After recapping it I had to then face the lousy-looking rusted chassis. It was a real rusted mess.
:
:So after a well needed bath in the dishwasher... I spent about another hour or two with Emory cloth and wire brushes getting all the rust off.
:
:I got almost everything clean but the real pitted parts were very deep. So I got them as best as I could then sealed everything under a couple layers of Deft clear gloss spray lacquer.
:
:So I think it's really sealed well now for many years to come...I hope...lol
:
:It's nice to see the before and after shots as it makes all the labor really seem worthwhile.
:
:This has a cruddy old Bakelite cabinet too that I'll have to save next.
:
:(News at eleven on that)...next week maybe.
:
:
:
:

10/11/2008 11:54:31 PMPeter G. Balazsy

:
:Peter,
:I just have to laugh when I read about your restoration cleanup methods. :O)
: Do you have a special dishwasher just for other than dishes, pans, and silverware? Or just run it through
:the cycle by itself I would guess? Now how about giving us a before and after shot with the dishwasher
:treatment? What setting do you use? What parts do not
:go into the dishwasher? I think you said the TX did not in a previous post. I am waiting for the post from you where you tell us about your ingenious modification to a clothes dryer where you do the final
:chassis dry down. :O)
:Its late I better quit.
:Bob E.

Hi Bob:
Mostly I just use the kitchen sink with various cleaning products and brushes... but the dishwasher is a lot easier and less effort and time.
It gets all the major crud off easily.

I use the regular or steam setting. No problem.
The dishwasher does NOT get contaminated...lol

Then hair drier or pre-warmed but "off" oven overnight.

Then I sand off any rust spots or just wire brush (using small tothbrush-sided wire brushes to bring up a good shine on the chassis)

Yes power transformers are always removed
...but only because it would take too long to get them really dry inside.

I did have a problem once recently where an old-style IF transformer (using a waxed wood dowel for a coil form) got the wood dowel wet internally and it caused leakage across the IF transformer.

But normally the IFs are of a non absorbent core material and present no problems in the dishwasher.

10/12/2008 3:02:53 PMMarv Nuce

Peter,
I used the dishwasher method, regular dishwasher soap to remove a generous coating of Naval Jelly on a chassis, then dried in a warm oven, but it came out with a white crusty film, which I did not expect. May have been some kind of chemical reaction between the soap and Naval Jelly. Do you do w/wo dishwasher soap?

marv

::
::Peter,
::I just have to laugh when I read about your restoration cleanup methods. :O)
:: Do you have a special dishwasher just for other than dishes, pans, and silverware? Or just run it through
::the cycle by itself I would guess? Now how about giving us a before and after shot with the dishwasher
::treatment? What setting do you use? What parts do not
::go into the dishwasher? I think you said the TX did not in a previous post. I am waiting for the post from you where you tell us about your ingenious modification to a clothes dryer where you do the final
::chassis dry down. :O)
::Its late I better quit.
::Bob E.
:
:Hi Bob:
:Mostly I just use the kitchen sink with various cleaning products and brushes... but the dishwasher is a lot easier and less effort and time.
:It gets all the major crud off easily.
:
:I use the regular or steam setting. No problem.
:The dishwasher does NOT get contaminated...lol
:
:Then hair drier or pre-warmed but "off" oven overnight.
:
:Then I sand off any rust spots or just wire brush (using small tothbrush-sided wire brushes to bring up a good shine on the chassis)
:
:Yes power transformers are always removed
:...but only because it would take too long to get them really dry inside.
:
:I did have a problem once recently where an old-style IF transformer (using a waxed wood dowel for a coil form) got the wood dowel wet internally and it caused leakage across the IF transformer.
:
:But normally the IFs are of a non absorbent core material and present no problems in the dishwasher.
:
:

10/12/2008 11:03:49 PMgreg

sometimes you can clean a chassis off nice with a magic erase and vinager. dont steal your wifes doush though. buy your own bottle.

:Peter,
:I used the dishwasher method, regular dishwasher soap to remove a generous coating of Naval Jelly on a chassis, then dried in a warm oven, but it came out with a white crusty film, which I did not expect. May have been some kind of chemical reaction between the soap and Naval Jelly. Do you do w/wo dishwasher soap?
:
:marv
:
:::
:::Peter,
:::I just have to laugh when I read about your restoration cleanup methods. :O)
::: Do you have a special dishwasher just for other than dishes, pans, and silverware? Or just run it through
:::the cycle by itself I would guess? Now how about giving us a before and after shot with the dishwasher
:::treatment? What setting do you use? What parts do not
:::go into the dishwasher? I think you said the TX did not in a previous post. I am waiting for the post from you where you tell us about your ingenious modification to a clothes dryer where you do the final
:::chassis dry down. :O)
:::Its late I better quit.
:::Bob E.
::
::Hi Bob:
::Mostly I just use the kitchen sink with various cleaning products and brushes... but the dishwasher is a lot easier and less effort and time.
::It gets all the major crud off easily.
::
::I use the regular or steam setting. No problem.
::The dishwasher does NOT get contaminated...lol
::
::Then hair drier or pre-warmed but "off" oven overnight.
::
::Then I sand off any rust spots or just wire brush (using small tothbrush-sided wire brushes to bring up a good shine on the chassis)
::
::Yes power transformers are always removed
::...but only because it would take too long to get them really dry inside.
::
::I did have a problem once recently where an old-style IF transformer (using a waxed wood dowel for a coil form) got the wood dowel wet internally and it caused leakage across the IF transformer.
::
::But normally the IFs are of a non absorbent core material and present no problems in the dishwasher.
::
::

10/12/2008 11:41:33 PMPeter G. Balazsy

I have only recently started using the dishwasher, to be honest. Up till now I've done it by hand in the sink with various cleaners and small brushes.

But the dishwasher does do an easier rather "good" job too...but I have seen a little bit of white residue too sometimes. But I hadn't let it finish the whole rinse cycle.

Perhaps a little vinegar or baking soda in the 2nd wash cycle might help.

Never try any regular dish-washing liquid soap in there unless you want a flooded kitchen...lol

How do I know this?

My upstairs tenant's did that and all the foamy soap stuff somehow caused the machine to leak all over their kitchen floor ... and stain my dining room ceiling in the process...lol

10/13/2008 11:04:58 AMMassengill

A douche??? Please don't tell me you've done this

:sometimes you can clean a chassis off nice with a magic erase and vinager. dont steal your wifes doush though. buy your own bottle.
:
::Peter,
::I used the dishwasher method, regular dishwasher soap to remove a generous coating of Naval Jelly on a chassis, then dried in a warm oven, but it came out with a white crusty film, which I did not expect. May have been some kind of chemical reaction between the soap and Naval Jelly. Do you do w/wo dishwasher soap?
::
::marv
::
::::
::::Peter,
::::I just have to laugh when I read about your restoration cleanup methods. :O)
:::: Do you have a special dishwasher just for other than dishes, pans, and silverware? Or just run it through
::::the cycle by itself I would guess? Now how about giving us a before and after shot with the dishwasher
::::treatment? What setting do you use? What parts do not
::::go into the dishwasher? I think you said the TX did not in a previous post. I am waiting for the post from you where you tell us about your ingenious modification to a clothes dryer where you do the final
::::chassis dry down. :O)
::::Its late I better quit.
::::Bob E.
:::
:::Hi Bob:
:::Mostly I just use the kitchen sink with various cleaning products and brushes... but the dishwasher is a lot easier and less effort and time.
:::It gets all the major crud off easily.
:::
:::I use the regular or steam setting. No problem.
:::The dishwasher does NOT get contaminated...lol
:::
:::Then hair drier or pre-warmed but "off" oven overnight.
:::
:::Then I sand off any rust spots or just wire brush (using small tothbrush-sided wire brushes to bring up a good shine on the chassis)
:::
:::Yes power transformers are always removed
:::...but only because it would take too long to get them really dry inside.
:::
:::I did have a problem once recently where an old-style IF transformer (using a waxed wood dowel for a coil form) got the wood dowel wet internally and it caused leakage across the IF transformer.
:::
:::But normally the IFs are of a non absorbent core material and present no problems in the dishwasher.
:::
:::

9/26/2009 5:39:29 PMDon

I have actually washed an entire chassis in my kitchen sink. minus tubes. was careful to keep chassis puright as to no let too much water to underside and into transformer. worked great, just had to let it dry for a while.