:scratch2:
I am ready to begin working on that RCA ctc40, and I wanted to know (before I really begin) what is the best way to clean the 40 or so years of dust off of the interior? I dont want to risk damaging what seems like a really neat tv set.

I have worked on vintage tube radios, so I know some of what to look for, but it is much easier to clean one that is about one foot square vs. one that is nearly as big as my desk!!!

Man, I love this stuff!

Newbie

It really depends on the chassis. I typically use a paint brush to loosen all the caked on crud, and just try to clean what I can that way - although it's not terribly effective. Compressed air is great, but it blows dust all over the place, and I'm a little hesitant to use a little vaccum cleaner for fear of sucking up useful parts. Normally I just take the tubes out and brush out/blow out the crud. Not the best way though, it's pretty time consuming and doesn't get all the dirt.

Now, the cleanest I've ever gotten a piece of equipment was when I was working at a previous job at a little hole-in-the-wall computer store. We had this little air compressor we used to blow the dust out of computer contacts. It was a small shop, and I had brought in an old solid state reciever to provide music. One day I got pretty annoyed with it because the tuning and volume controls were staticy. I opened it up and blasted out all the crud with the air compressor - that thing worked GREAT. Much better than the little canned junk. It got all the old, caked on dust and crud out, and when I was done the thing looked brand new inside. Sprayed out the controls with contact cleaner and the thing worked great too.

I've been planning on buying one of those compressors for myself, they got the one I used at Wal-Mart for like $70. It worked great on that receiver, and I could only imagine what it could do for some of these TV chassis. Only problem would be that I would need to use it outside, or in the garage, or in conjunction with a vaccum cleaner to keep the dust down - you should have _seen_ the shop at that store after we'd used that compressor on several machines...

Haven't bought the thing yet, don't have the spare cash, and right now, I'm in the process of doing a major clean-and-purge of my workshop so I can actually work! My CTC-38 is on hold until I can clear out the space to work, and until I can get one of those air compressors, that thing is FILTHY.

Wow. That reminds me, I was _planning_ on spending today cleaning, I've got so many projects on hold, waiting for me to get the shop cleaned up... It's a pain having no room to work, but at the same time, it's a major task to clean and organize. Anyone that collects old electronics probably knows exactly what I'm talking about.

-Ian

Sounds like a good plan. I have the TV in the garage and I will probably pick up a compressor on my next paycheck. It will also come in handy for the small paint jobs that seem to be constantly comming up around the house. Thanks loads!

I usually use a paint brish and vacuum cleaner for the dust and loose dirt, then alcohol for stuck on dirt. Alcohol works very well for cleaning in the HV section.