Date   : Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:20:10 +0200
From   : rick@... (Rick Murray)
Subject: Floppy drive cleaner

Alex Taylor wrote:

> 2009/8/15 Rick Murray <rick@...>:
>> http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=29011 but I'm not really
>> certain how that is supposed to clean things. It looks like it'd just
>> make a mess!
> these kinds of cleaning applications. If it's supplied as 'head
> cleaner', then I'd imagine that it's a particularly clean grade of
> solvent,

Having experience with WD40 and the like, I'm afraid I'd be a little bit 
wary of isopypyl in a HUGE aerosol can. And, as you point out, squirting 
it at the heads alone probably won't do much - you'd need something else 
to clean them with.


> I've got a book on repairing video recorders and that suggests cleaning
 > those heads with a 'chamois stick'

The best advice I ever got was to use the reverse (slightly rough) side 
of the paper of a brown paper envelope. Spin up the head and GENTLY 
press the paper against the head.
Saved my skin on numerous occasions when the dampness here has caused 
some manky stuff to get onto the tape (think of dry rot?). Obviously a 
lot of care is necessary, but it is better than nothing.

Ironically, the thing that caused the worst mess of all was a dry VHS 
cleaner (the non-solvent type). The dampness obviously had a bad effect 
on the coating that does the cleaning, and the heads simply scraped it 
all off - so much so that I could see a thin line on the back to the 
machine where it had been thrown off the drum as it span. A?e! Took ages 
to get a picture back after that!


Best wishes,

Rick.

-- 
Rick Murray, eeePC901 & ADSL WiFI'd into it, all ETLAs!
BBC B: DNFS, 2 x 5.25" floppies, EPROM prog, Acorn TTX
E01S FileStore, A3000/A5000/RiscPC/various PCs/blahblah...