• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

Removing the platter of a RL0x disk for cleaning?

MattisLind

MattisLind

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2013
Messages
1,219
Location
Stockholm, Sweden
I seem to remember a thread where some one was able to remove the platter with hub from a RL0x disk with the purpose of cleaning the upper surface. I think he did something withe handle but I cannot remeber the details neither can I find the thread. Anyone that remembers?
 
It has been so long now since I have done this, but I seem to remember I had to remove two pins from the handle somehow to detach the platter and hub from the handle and separate it from the upper plastic case.

I also remember having to support the platter to ensure there wasn't too much tension on the handle mechanism.

I had a faulty handle mechanism (someone tried to bend the handle up to remove the RL02 from the drive without sliding the little catch and bust it). I had to swap the disk platter into a donor shell - so I had to do this twice. I perfected the technique on the platter I wished to save... But that was so long ago now...

Dave
 
MattisLind said:
I seem to remember a thread where some one was able to remove the platter with hub from a RL0x disk with the purpose of cleaning the upper surface. I think he did something withe handle but I cannot remeber the details neither can I find the thread. Anyone that remembers?
Click to expand...
The thread was here: http://www.vcfed.org/forum/showthread.php?72247-Dismantle-an-RL02-pack

Now it's here: https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/dismantle-an-rl02-pack.73413/

And specifically this entry: https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/dismantle-an-rl02-pack.73413/post-892522
 
The RICM has an RL01/RL02 pack cleaner:

index.php
 

Attachments

  • 1666446789516.png
    1666446789516.png
    947.3 KB · Views: 140
m_thompson said:
The RICM has an RL01/RL02 pack cleaner:

index.php
Click to expand...
I have the same machine but for RK611, the problem is consumables. The 91+% alcohol is easy enough, but the pads are supposed to get changed every pack and they just aren't available. I suppose in this modern day one could 3D print new ends and somehow attach media (Kimwipe, Lens tissue, cleanroom wipe?) to the printed ends. Ultimately they do a less thorough job with more risk of damage than a really careful hand-wash, but of course are much faster and require no skill.
 
DougIngraham said:
What do the pads look like? Microfiber towels would potentially be a great material for the pads.
Click to expand...
The pads are a flat paddle end that clip onto the arm, I'll try to remember to get a picture.
While microfiber cloth in general is what one would usually use to clean those surfaces, using "towels" of the sort one buys for household cleaning is contraindicated. They are not assured to be chemically clean and have a lot of loose fiber particles, cutting them to size will release many more.
Lab and cleanroom supplies aren't so expensive as to be prohibitive, but if you don't want to go that route, picking up some wiping cloths from an automotive paint supply house will give you a similar (or identical) product.

If you make up a rinse using alcohol and water, make sure to use distilled water at least and RO + deionized for preference. According to our optical staff, ethanol leaves less residue than Isopropanol or methanol. In any case, if you do use a flood-irrigation cleaning method, the trick is to leave the mix on for a while so it can soften the deposits and then when the liquid starts to look "thin" but hasn't evaporated so much as to leave dry patches is the ideal time to wipe it off or use an air-blade to push it off. Of course you use dry-nitrogen or another clean gas and not shop-air if compressed-gas is your removal method.
When cleaning packs, wearing a mask a mask so aerosolized microdroplets don't settle on and stick to your freshly cleaned surfaces is best practice.
 
Teletech has some great advice. I have disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled a 40 MB MFM drive that was having issues before. I used all the same cleanroom methods, as I happened to work in a cleanroom at the time, and to my great satisfaction, it formatted just fine after that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top