Re: [drakelist] dirty bandswitches - how to fix?

[Cfzepp]

Jason: Try to find a pencil eraser stick.  They look like a standard pencil but they have an eraser core. These eraser sticks are getting harder to find these days.   You will find that with plenty of light and some reading glasses (needed by age 54) that you will be able to slowly clean each section of the entire band switch assembly.  You must do this very carefully because you can just do a small section of the contact ring on each wafer switch at a time as you progress along.  You will have to turn the band switch a little at a time to gradually work your way around the entire ring as you clean it with the pencil eraser stick. You will have to go in at different spots on the contact ring.  Work carefully and don't bend any of the switches contact wipers.   Keep the eraser stick fairly sharp so the eraser is protruding a little beyond the wooden portion of the pencil stick. With a little patience you will be able to clean about 98% of the band switch.  Afterwards I always spray a little Craig Pro-Gold into a plastic lid, then I carefully lubricate the band switch contact rings with this lubricant.     The best thing I have found to apply the contact cleaner /lubricant with is a paper match stick held with a pair of hemostats or needle nose pliers. I just I dip the torn off end of the paper match stick into the cap with the lubricant and it will wick up some of the Lubricant, then you can gently paint it on each band switch wiper ring and contacts.  Do each switch one at a time while working the band switch back and forth.  DO NOT SPRAY the band switches as the wafer material will absorb the lubricant and that helps accelerates their failure. Drake always warned us about spraying the band switches.  You can also apply this same lubricant with a small needle applicator.   In sure you will receive no less than a dozen different ways of cleaning these band switches.  The way I just described has always worked 100% for me every time and I have cleaned many Drake band switches over the years.  Not to mention that you will end up with a neat job.   73, Don            WA9TGT / Don Garrett / Muncie, IN ARCI #6447, ARS #1717, AmQRP, ECI-QRP #001 (Indiana) Drake 2B, R4A, R4B, K2 #3186, K1 #1806 LDG Z-11 Auto Tuner, 102' CF Zepp using glass doobies!