[Coco] Cleaning Coco disks (gene heskett) (Andrew)

[Robert Gault]

Andrew wrote:
> All,
>
> Thank you for taking the time on this.
>
> @Bill Pierce: While that is a drive cleaning kit, it looks like it was made for
> 3.5" floppies; I was thinking a 5.25 floppy kit, but I'll stick to gene's advice
> on avoiding such disks for any drive as too abrasive (which is what I've heard
> about them). Maybe such a kit could get me the alcohol (maybe Fry's Electronics
> has something in MG chemicals section - I see the MG offers 99% pure isopropyl,
> which I think is the same that you see in video/tape cleaners?). Thanks for help.

A typical head cleaner product: Chemtronics "Head Cleaner" - ispropanol, 
n-propyl acetate, hexamethydisiloxane. The last chemical would be a lubricant.

>
> @Robert Gault: As noted above, I'll keep the advice on cleaning; I'll also avoid
> trying to align any of the drives, since I certainly don't have any of the
> special alignment disks (I was kid when I remember seeing them advertised
> though). I had thought the disks had a strobe pattern on them, but you say
> that's one the drive - ok.

There have been strobe patterns on drives I've looked at; flywheels. If yours 
does not have one, I can send you a program I wrote, runs under Disk Basic, and 
graphically does the same thing as a strobe pattern.

> What would be the best way to set this speed to 300
> rpm? I seem to recall something about using a fluorescent lamp to do this from
> somewhere - something to do with the 60 hz flicker? I've got an AKAI turntable
> that has a speed adjustment system like that - it uses a small neon lamp next to
> the edge of the table, and you adjust a little potentiometer to vary the speed
> until the pattern holds still. I assume something like this is also done with a
> floppy drive...?

Almost any bulb running off AC power can work but the more AC flicker in the 
light the better. A good strobe disk will have patterns for both 50 and 60Hz power.
The strobe pattern on a drive designed to run at 300rpm will appear stationary 
when the speed is correct.

>
> @gene heskett: Is the "paint thinner" alcohol (menthanol, I'd imagine)
> more-or-less as good as anything from MG?

Paint thinner is typically petroleum based rather than methanol and called 
something like "mineral spirits". Latex paints are water based and don't need 
thinners.

> I'll definitely look into those swabs
> as well; I have some acetone meant for cleaning up a mini-mill (something I have
> vowed to get to this year - its been sitting in red-grease for a couple of years
> now with a bag over it) - and such swabs might come in handy for that as well.
>
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