[Coco] CoCo Cassette Relay (Remote)

[Gene Heskett]

On Sunday 20 October 2013 10:03:54 Steven Hirsch did opine:

> On Sat, 19 Oct 2013, Chad H wrote:
> > Hmm.. ingenious use of what would otherwise be some useless issues of
> > free newspapers I keep getting in my mailbox.  If it acts up again, I
> > will try that!  So far the jeweler screwdriver scraping is working.
> 
> The reason Gene recommended newsprint was to prevent cumulative damage
> to the precious-metal coating on the contacts.  You will eventually
> destroy them by using a metal tool with higher surface hardness.

So will the newsprint, but you'll have to work at it a lot harder.  The 
newsprint is a relatively smooth abrasive, one that if applied to a 1950's 
style automotive voltage regulators relay points made with tungsten, can 
with enough time, polish away the arc transfered metal from one contact to 
the other, restoring normal performance to those tungsten contacts, in 
effect giving your 50 Chevy a brand new voltage regulator.  Really burnt 
contacts got the diamond "burnisher" that General Cement sold back in the 
day as a start on reconditioning, but that left too rough & frosty a 
surface, so once the pits and burrs were cut away with the burnisher, then 
newsprint was used to restore the original mirror-like finish.  Worked a 
treat for me several times.

Bear in mind that on any contact with the potential to arc as its broken, 
and the cassette motors currant and inductance is sufficient to make a 
mini-arc, cannot tolerate any liquid cleaning agent left behind, so it best 
not to use it in the first place, blowing any micro-debris away with an air 
hose instead.  Any cleaning agent carrier left behind is just a source of 
carbon to screw up the contact again in just a short time.

Want to finish burning up a sticky light switch?  Give it a shot of WD-40, 
but get in the car & head for Lowes for a new one because you'll be putting 
it in in a week.

Cheers, Gene
-- 
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