Question about cleaning disks

[DobaMuffin]

I know as the years go by, it's getting harder and harder to get cleaning disks for 5.25 and 3.5 inch drives. I was wondering if there was a tutorial of sorts to build your own reusable cleaning disks that don't damage the heads or pose any particular risk to the drive. I ask this as I am now the proud owner of my first 5.25 inch drive, and want to keep it in decent condition for as long as possible since they are expensive online, and locally are not available used on the 2nd hand markets. Having an easy way to inexpensively build my own cleaning disks would be wonderful. Thank you in advance.

 

[krebizfan]

There are several threads here that cover that topic. Have a link to one: https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?t...aning-kit-for-5-25-floppy-drive-my-way.44026/ Ignore the links are the top; the information on how to build the disk are reproduced further down. Hopefully, one will work well enough for your needs.

 

[Chuck(G)]

Nonwoven filter fabric is the usual modern substitute. Make sure that it's stiff (thick) enough. Since Freon TF has been banned, however, IPA is a lousy cleaning substitute if you have badly fouled heads. I'd go with a special flat gun-cleaning swab (no fibers) and some heptane. I do not advocate cotton swabs--the fibers can get caught on the head edges and make more trouble.

 

[DobaMuffin]

There are several threads here that cover that topic. Have a link to one: https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?t...aning-kit-for-5-25-floppy-drive-my-way.44026/ Ignore the links are the top; the information on how to build the disk are reproduced further down. Hopefully, one will work well enough for your needs.

I believe I stumbled upon that link but gave up once I saw that it was just a piece of paper and was not spinning. Didn't realize that someone was making modern day equivalents as linked in the bottom most post of that thread.

Nonwoven filter paper is the usual modern substitute. Make sure that it's stiff (thick) enough. Since Freon TF has been banned, however, IPA is a lousy cleaning substitute if you have badly fouled heads. I'd go with a special flat gun-cleaning swab (no fibers) and some heptane.

Thanks for the clue as to what they use. I believe something similar was used in a video I saw for 3.5 inch drives, but did not know the generic name since they just gave a specific brand and model. As for the condition of the heads currently, I did clean them up best I could using some q-tips and some 99% ipa.

 

[Chuck(G)]

You really don't want to use Q-tips. Try a cleanroom foam swab instead example. Firearm suppliers also have them. The point is to not catch on any parts nor leave cotton fibers behind.

 

[DobaMuffin]

You really don't want to use Q-tips. Try a cleanroom foam swab instead example. Firearm suppliers also have them. The point is to not catch on any parts nor leave cotton fibers behind.

I really should get myself some of those. If I wish to look at all the floppies I have, then I'll need to clean that drive very often. Most are Wabash DATATECH floppies (Yes I know their rep), that seem to have been stored in decent conditions over the years, but if the label doesn't interest me I'll probably have to skip it.

 

[Chuck(G)]

Wabash? Bake and cyclomethicone before you lose the data. They were bad in their day and haven't improved with age. Otherwise you'll end up destroying a fair number of them.

I do know whereof I speak, believe me.

 

[nunoalex]

I really should get myself some of those. If I wish to look at all the floppies I have, then I'll need to clean that drive very often. Most are Wabash DATATECH floppies (Yes I know their rep), that seem to have been stored in decent conditions over the years, but if the label doesn't interest me I'll probably have to skip it.

Also pay attention to the DISKS they can ruin your drive and subsequent disks you insert on the drive
Google or search here
Disks get mold or degrade the magnetic media and this then drags on the drive heads and scratch your disks rendering them useless
then you insert another disk and the heads destroy it immediately

read about it how to clean your disk surface before inserting them on the drive

Good luck!

 

[syzygy]

You really don't want to use Q-tips. Try a cleanroom foam swab instead example. Firearm suppliers also have them. The point is to not catch on any parts nor leave cotton fibers behind.

I ended up getting some of these. For me, they work very well. Yes, they are more expensive than cotton swabs, but it will take a while to go through 100. I still have cotton swabs, but for when I do not want those, impossible-to-avoid threads, from getting around, these work. I have used them, with ethanol, to spot clean floppy disks.

I don't use them on a floppy drive head (and don't use cotton swabs for them either), because I have special cleaning swabs specifically for lens', as in optical lens, and I am confident that they will not scratch the head. Also, I only have a few floppy heads to clean so there is no pressing need.

Still I like these in my tool drawer.