Cleaning tube pins

[atul.mehta6]

Hello All,

Was wondering if it is safe to clean tube pins using the sanding drum (60 grit) which comes with Dremel? I was thinking of following that up with metal polish/Caig DeOxit.
Will the vibrations from the Dremel damage the tube insides?

Rgds,

 

[Doc B]

60 grit? Yeow! You won't have any pins left. Maybe 400-600 grit. The best way is to chuck a cut off Q-tip in a Dremel and polish with something really gentle like Simichrome.

https://forum.bottlehead.com/index.php?topic=8888.0

 

[atul.mehta6]

Cool.. thanks Doc!

 

[Mucker]

I just cut a small piece of 400 grit sandpaper, roll it up and do it by hand and do the inside and outside of the pins. Then coat with Deoxit using s small paint brush or qtip.

When I first started using tube amps and smallish tubes, I tried the dremel and quickly learned that is the wrong way to go. Yes tubes can be broke that way. Just hand doing it works 100% fine.

 

[Karl5150]

As detailed before I'm lazy and plunging the pins in and out of a "Magic Erasure" with a little twisting motion does a pretty good job on all but the most oxidized pins.
Karl

 

[atul.mehta6]

I've tried a few suggestions from this forum on cleaning tube pins.. But this is the best !!!

The best way is to chuck a cut off Q-tip in a Dremel and polish with something really gentle like Simichrome.
https://forum.bottlehead.com/index.php?topic=8888.0

Wow Doc!! ! It is like a night and day difference afterwards.. thank you so much (and to John 'Buddha') ...

 

[Doc B]

You are welcome. That technique comes from a lot of years of trying a lot of different ways to clean pins. It's the only method I would use for critical equipment like studio gear. A little Deoxit application after the polishing will help the pins to stay clean a little longer.

Deoixit on all the connectors in your system once a year can be a real mindblower too. Sometimes it's like getting a new system. I use a bluetooth OBDII reader in my ambulance/race hauler that works with an Android car stereo and the Torque app. It kept cutting out yesterday morning on the way to work. A little Deoxit on the ODBII reader pins and it worked like new.

 

[atul.mehta6]

You are welcome. That technique comes from a lot of years of trying a lot of different ways to clean pins. It's the only method I would use for critical equipment like studio gear. A little Deoxit application after the polishing will help the pins to stay clean a little longer.

Just a suggestion, Doc.. Perhaps all the manuals can be updated with a section listing these techniques for long term equipment care.. I am sure a lot of people would benefit from this (and similar hacks).. Something to think about