Cleaning Faders on a vintage Electrodyne channel strip

[The Tasmanian]

I need to clean a vintage fader from one of my Electrodyne channel strips - I tried de-oxit with no luck.
It only gets crackly when there is a bass signal going through it - and its a PTA in a big mix situation.
Also I would like to do all of the channels while I am at it.
Do I need a lubricant and a cleaner?
What would be the best product - and where would one get such a thing?
Should I pull the whole thing apart and clean/lube - or can I just squirt some in from the groove in the strip?
I know there is another post on the synth page - but I thought this may be different.

Hopefully Rob can chime in here as he knows these particular vintage Altec faders and the Electrodyne modules in question.
Thanks gents

[Alistair]

If it's only on bass signals are you sure it's the fader?

[The Tasmanian]

Yes - this fader is definitely dirty/crackly when moved - all modules have all been recapped.
So a fader clean would be best first step in the process and as they are 40 years old and it would be time to do them all while I am at it.
I somehow remember in my past a tech telling me don't clean faders with Deoxit - use only a cleaning lube - maybe because the Deoxit takes away the lubricant?

[Sammas]

It depends on the type of deoxit you use. There is a product called deoxit fader that is designed for conductive plastic and carbon compound faders.

[Alastair Reynolds]

What brand faders are they ? I use the deoxit fader-lube on alps,p+g,audiofad and duncan all with good results.if you can disassemble them as per a p+g then you can do a very thorough job.

[The Tasmanian]

These are vintage Altec one's (must be mid 1960's era of build) - and I don't think they pull apart either.
No plastic in them - its all old school stainless and copper.
I didn't know there was a deoxit fader product - so it must be a lube as well?

[Alastair Reynolds]

Yeah,called faderlube .I got a couple of cans with my last order from Caprina.they also have a special deoxit gold now for gold pins & edge connectors.

[The Tasmanian]

Found a pic with the model number

[The Tasmanian]

So if there is no conductive plastic and carbon compound in them - would this faderlube be the best product to use?

[Alastair Reynolds]

I've used it on wire-wound rotaries with success.there may be a little corrosion and the faderlube would help that and lubricate the slider bar.

[The Tasmanian]

Thanks Alistair - just what I wanted to hear - I'll get my hands on some.

[rob]

yep, yep and yep.
Caig make three products of interest. Deoxit : good for big switches and connectors and relays, especially where there is corrosion, not good for faders, pots or small switches that appreciate lubrication. Pro Gold : good for small switches where a lubricating and protective film is desired. Faderlube : good for pots and faders.

In almost every case the only way to effectively clean a fader is to disassemble it, clean the tracks and wiper fingers with mild detergent in water or after checking that it won't strip the tracks, isopropyl alcohol. Then a light application of faderlube smearing it across the face of the tracks with a cotton bud. Sometimes a very gentle re-tensioning of the wiper fingers can be a good idea, but be super careful.

Any guides or mechanical moving bits can also be cleaned and lubricated with light machine oil or ballistoil is good ... dry film lubricant in a spray can ... bunnings used to sell this. In a pinch faderlube can also be used as a mechanical lubricant here too.

Usually just spraying into the slot wets the build up of grime on the tracks and isn't very effective.

At the end of the day nothing beats full disassembly and a good wash. Once this is done most lubricating contact cleaners, ie ones that when they dry leave a film, will be good enough to do the job.

[The Tasmanian]

Thanks Rob - I'll be very careful and attempt to take it off the module and clean via the top.
Where do you guys get Caig products online?
I used to get de-oxit near Botany - but need to get a bottle in the post.
Any ideas? - Caprina is a pretty backwards company as far as online sales.
Its always been a PTA to get this product!

[Alastair Reynolds]

Certainly if a fader can be disassembled and cleaned properly that is the way to go as Rob says . P+G are great for this (I have PDFs of P+G Service manuals for anyone who wants one ) Faderlube I use more for sealed units or press fit assembly where disassembly would damage or destroy them . P+G recommend a silicon based oil for fader bars and the PTFE dry lubricant for the conductive plastic element.
Caig ,I do buy from Caprina, over the phone wth an order emailed . painful but .... There is a crowd in WA with the agency for the west coast but they direct east coast enquiries back to Caprina..

[The Tasmanian]

Thanks Alistair
I'll give them a call.
Its amazing that some companies are still so neanderthal in thinking they can continue to be a successful by not embracing internet sales. If I were managing them I would kick their collective ass!

[rob]

just last week I needed a slab of Caig products. I needed them fairly urgently and because they are pressure pack cans they can only travel by road. Based on previous experience with Caprina, to make it happen requires a two pronged approach. A phone call to give them a heads up and get the email addy of the person who answers the phone, then an email order to the person reminding them of the previous phone call and requesting that the order is expedited as discussed. This approach worked and the cans turned up 3 working days later.

[Ben M]

I recently did a big fader clean. I used demineralised water and cotton buds to wash the faders once they were disassembled.
It's the strangest thing putting electronic parts in a tub full of water.

50 faders later...