Cleanign Dec Block Fingers

[Marty]

Hi All;
How do I go about cleaning the Contacts in the Dec Block ?? I have cleaned the Fingers on the Boards themselves.. But in the Blocks I don't know the correct procedure, I don't want to ruin anything, now that it is Partially running.. Do I use Alcohol and a cotton swab ??
THANK YOU Marty

 

[Lou - N2MIY]

Marty,

Good or bad, my technique is to soak an index card in alcohol, and fold it around a thin metal putty knife. Shove it in the contacts and rub it back and forth a few times.

Lou

 

[Marty]

Hi Lou;
Great !!!
THANK YOU Marty

 

[jackrubin]

Before the wet treatement, turn the blocks upside down and smack on a hard surface a few times to loosen up the crud, then vacuum and/or blow out with _low_ air pressure. Then do what Lou does. I personally tend to follow up with DeoxIT just to make sure. Finish with a careful visual inspection using a low power magnifying glass to check for shorted fingers and residual spiders.

Jack

 

[Lou - N2MIY]

Jack is absolutely right there - vacuum first. I like the brush attachment on my shop vac for this service - it is amazing the crud that falls into backplanes. It's almost as bad as what falls into keyboards....

Lou

 

[Marty]

Hi All;
THANK YOU Both for your wonderfull suggestions.. Tomorrow I will do the cleaning thing and see what falls out.. maybe that will help cure what ails the system..
THANK YOU Marty

 

[Marty]

Hi All;
I just got thru cleaning the Backplanes they were not too bad..
THANK YOU Marty