Rust on tape heads

From: pzachary_at_sasquatch.com <(pzachary_at_sasquatch.com)>
Date: Wed Sep 1 21:33:55 2004

>
> Leave the ScotchBrite for what ot does well: post-dinner lasagna...
>
>
> Cheers
>
> John

I guess I should have been more specific, and say that 3M company makes a
line of abrasives that use the scotchbrite technology but are MUCH finer,
(10000 grit or so I think is the bottom end, I don't use anything finer
than 1800) and these have supplanted most of the bar substances in the
machine shop, I routinely use this stuff to remove the last part of that
1/10000" of an inch on a high spot the grinder missed, I certianly
wouldn't endorse a pot scrubber (unless perhaps the heads had been
uncovered, in a backyard for 15 years and it might work) but have seen
some pretty scary things done with surface-plate honing too.

I suppose at some level this gets into the individual owner vs museum
debate where many of the things we do to old computers shouldn't be done
by other than trained professionals, supremely confidant in the execution
of the delicate task of restoring these increasingly rare artifacts, but
if the individuals hadn't been doing this, how many of these machines
would still be around? I'd like to have my packs professionally cleaned
and certified, etc but with it costing $2000 to have a servo written, who
can afford it?

actually, this reminds me of baking-soda blasting for microfinishing and
rust removal, I wonder if this is still done?

Pavl_
Received on Wed Sep 01 2004 - 21:33:55 BST