Found a 1972 Zenith portable color set

[TVTim]

I have to know Doug, how do you clean the insides to make them look showroom new?

[Findm-Keepm]

Dunno what Dooug uses, but we used a canister vac and a soft-bristled brush on sets we serviced. We carried a small 1-gallon wet vac in the service van for service calls. Nowadays, with the air-in-a-can, you could probably take it outside and blow out most dust. A rag moistened with either IPA or naptha will wipe away sticky stuff.

I got caught by my Dad while cleaning the HV area of an Admiral tube color set that belonged to a police officer. We had replaced the boost rectifier and a cap, and I wanted to make the whole area look as good as new - Dad told me not to waste my time, but I finished the job, and the set went back to the cop. We went over to his place a few weeks later to play Atari (they were new then) and Dad told the story of me cleaning the caps in the HV section. The cop, one of the funniest men I've met - gave me the moniker "capacitor cosmetologist" - and it stuck....the cop, now retired, is a missionary to the poor with his wife - really wonderful guy....

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by TVTim

I have to know Doug, how do you clean the insides to make them look showroom new?

Most of the sets were pretty clean, when he gets them.
Look at the homes they come from! Not exactly, the poor section of town!

[drh4683]

The sets coming from a clean non-smoker home is the key. If it's got grey fluffy dust inside, like most sets from clean homes, then they come back looking like new with minimal effort. I use a very small portable electric air compressor regulated down to about 20 PSI so any loose labels don't get torn or blown off. I do that in combination with a soft bristled paint brush throughout the chassis. After that, the tops of tubes are carefully wiped off with a water dampened cloth being careful not to wipe off any of the original markings on the tube. That's about it.

[DavGoodlin]

Doug, What glue is best to to re-attach labels? Im afraid of using something that reacts and discolors the lable.

I have one of these 16" Zeniths - an A-set with filament transformer that looks fantastic, then I got two more from Bryan G, so I passed them on to Tim P.

[drh4683]

What works great is UHU brand glue stick, which is a German made product. I used to use liquid glues and evenly spread it behind the (larger) labels, but that often led to the glue over saturating the paper causing it to wrinkle and/or tear easily when trying to position it. Glue stick is just the right density, doesn't absorb into the paper like other liquid or paste glues, yet adheres very well to all surfaces and has lasted years in many cases with no issues. I use it for all labels that have completely separated where I can turn the label over on a table and apply the glue. In situations where a label is only partly detached but still adhered enough to where you don't want to risk tearing it by completely removing it for re-glue, then I use Aleen's Tacky glue. I put a little bit on a toothpick and gently get it under the label and then use something to weight the label down in case it wants to peel back when it's trying to cure.

[TVTim]

Thank you Doug. I appreciate the info.

[TVTim]

Originally Posted by Findm-Keepm

The cop, one of the funniest men I've met - gave me the moniker "capacitor cosmetologist" - and it stuck....the cop, now retired, is a missionary to the poor with his wife - really wonderful guy....

Thank you too!