03-14-2013, 12:17 AM
I have seen several posts on soaking variable capacitors in vinegar overnight, but haven't tried it.
I like to tighten down the trimmers and note how many turns and partial turns needed for each one. Then you can back them out all the way and carefully remove the mica, and clean everything. assemble again and back off same number and partial turns you wrote down and you will be very close to original settings. Any slight difference will be taken care of when you do the realignment, which will certainly be needed anyway.
Whatever you don't put gasoline, paint thinner or alcohol in an ultrasonic, and do your work outside if you need to use those solvents.
Of course bearings and bushings will have to be lubed when you are all done. I use a tiny amount of lithium grease and a tiny amount of WD40, applied with a toothpick.
I like to tighten down the trimmers and note how many turns and partial turns needed for each one. Then you can back them out all the way and carefully remove the mica, and clean everything. assemble again and back off same number and partial turns you wrote down and you will be very close to original settings. Any slight difference will be taken care of when you do the realignment, which will certainly be needed anyway.
Whatever you don't put gasoline, paint thinner or alcohol in an ultrasonic, and do your work outside if you need to use those solvents.
Of course bearings and bushings will have to be lubed when you are all done. I use a tiny amount of lithium grease and a tiny amount of WD40, applied with a toothpick.
![[-]](https://philcoradio.com/phorum/images/bootbb/collapse.png "[-]")
