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Author Topic: Cleaning the outside of a metal projector
Pere Pasqual
Film Handler

Posts: 43
From: Gandia, València, Spain
Registered: May 2017


 - posted January 07, 2018 06:32 AM      Profile for Pere Pasqual   Author's Homepage   Email Pere Pasqual   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi people.

This may sound a little dumb, but I have my doubts about how to clean the exteriors of a venerable machine I got recently.

There are a lot of tips on how to clean the internals, but I haven't found any thread about cleaning the outside. If it had a plastic casing, I wouldn't have any doubts - probably warm water with a light soap. But as it is a venerable metal machine (it will weight a ton or so), I have the following doubts:

- I don't want to cause any corrossion, so water is totally forbidden.
- Alcohol based products (or pure alcohol) will probably damage the painting.
- Any other solvant, petrol or synthetic products will probably have the same negative effects on the paint/coating layer.
- I can think of some furniture-cleaning sprays but they tend to leavy things shiny and greasy and I don't think if it's the best approach, either.

As a side note, it's not only dust and particles that could be removed applying compressed air, but this machine has a thick layer of dirt stuck on it [Razz]

What kind of products or process do you use to clean the outside of your metal projectors??

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Dominique De Bast
Film God

Posts: 4486
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jun 2013


 - posted January 07, 2018 07:06 AM      Profile for Dominique De Bast   Email Dominique De Bast   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Have you considered vinegar ?

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Dominique

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Paul Browning
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1006
From: West Midlands United Kingdom
Registered: Aug 2011


 - posted January 07, 2018 07:27 AM      Profile for Paul Browning   Email Paul Browning   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Try WD 40, its good at cleaning most things without any further damage occurring....

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007


 - posted January 07, 2018 09:44 AM      Profile for Maurice Leakey   Email Maurice Leakey   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Try some light machine oil applied sparingly on a cloth. If the projector is black, it will shine with pride.

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Maurice

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Pere Pasqual
Film Handler

Posts: 43
From: Gandia, València, Spain
Registered: May 2017


 - posted January 08, 2018 07:38 PM      Profile for Pere Pasqual   Author's Homepage   Email Pere Pasqual   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks a lot for your tips! I discarded the vinegar because it's acidic and certainly can corrode metal if applied for a long time, and probably could damage the paint coat, too.

About WD40: I got the first can in my life about a couple of months or so. Still it was unopened. Although I "know" it from the net, in this land it's not much known, for sure, and we don't have that notion of it being an "all-purpose" "miracle product" for almost any usage, but more of a an all-purpose lubricant oil like "3 in 1" or so. I tried it on my machine but only helped for the more external layer of dust - it has such a layer of grease and stuck dirt that it couldn't remove it.

Finally I couldn't resist aplying some dish soap dilluted in warm wather gently with a cloth, drying it very quickly. I started on some plastic pieces, like in a set of 4 switches for operating, and immediately the efects were obvious. I was more reluctant of applying it on the metal casing itself, so did it in selected areas and was very quick in order to not apply moisture for a very long time, so in the end it's not totally clean, but at least I can put it on the shelf for display [Big Grin]

The truth is the only thing that could properly clean it was wather with soap, so I think we still have yet to find the best product for use on metal parts prone to oxidize...

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Martin Dew
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 204
From: Henley-on-Thames, UK
Registered: Jan 2017


 - posted January 09, 2018 03:06 AM      Profile for Martin Dew     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
WD40 can take a while to break down grease and gunk, and can also help with de-oxidation. Try leaving it on for a little longer before dabbing or buffing. I use it to polish old metal and plastic film cans and spools, as well as metal projector parts, and the results are often superb, but it requires persistence.

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Allan Broadfield
Master Film Handler

Posts: 452
From: Bromley, Kent
Registered: Nov 2010


 - posted January 09, 2018 05:53 AM      Profile for Allan Broadfield   Author's Homepage   Email Allan Broadfield   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
WD40 is a wonder. I used it to remove adhesive left on lino when removing carpet tiles. Best effect if left for a few minutes. End of commercial.

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Pere Pasqual
Film Handler

Posts: 43
From: Gandia, València, Spain
Registered: May 2017


 - posted January 09, 2018 03:54 PM      Profile for Pere Pasqual   Author's Homepage   Email Pere Pasqual   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I was so sleepy while writing the later comment that (appart from probably a bunch of mispellings and other errors) I was unable to tell that on some clear, light-gray (almost white) painted parts, applying WD-40 made it look like "stained" with little oil dots. No sure yet if it's the best cleaner for this material [Razz]

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Will Trenfield
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 506
From: Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK
Registered: Mar 2016


 - posted January 09, 2018 05:17 PM      Profile for Will Trenfield   Email Will Trenfield   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Pere, you said that there is such a layer of grease and dirt that WD40 couldn't remove it. How did the machine get into such a state and what are the internal parts like?

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Pere Pasqual
Film Handler

Posts: 43
From: Gandia, València, Spain
Registered: May 2017


 - posted January 09, 2018 06:45 PM      Profile for Pere Pasqual   Author's Homepage   Email Pere Pasqual   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi Will,

I got it from a flea market. It didn't have any box; it was on the outside. The mains cable is missing, too, and it's not standard. A pity, because the socket is bigger than usual and no cable I have at home will fit in there. So I haven't been able to turn it on yet.

It's a Hanimex Loadmatic dual P300. Strangely, I haven't found any info about it on the net. I bet the seller got it from the dumpster or so. That would explain the amount of dirt on its surface, appart from the fact that it's very old - I would say from the early 70s. But appart from that, it seems to be in great condition, and it looks like a venerable machine I like aesthetically. The casing is 100% metal, and the few identifiable plastic pieces aren't weared of cracked. It's a dual, silent projector, and it weights a ton - almost the same as an Eumig s810D or even a bit more, despite being a 10-20% smaller.

Haven't dismantled it totally yet, appart from the piece covering the bulb, which is a 50 W one with the common "astronaut" shape.
I bet it doesn't have a rubber piece on it and that works flawlessly; looks unbreakable.

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Michael De Angelis
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1261
From: USA
Registered: Jul 2003


 - posted January 09, 2018 08:03 PM      Profile for Michael De Angelis   Email Michael De Angelis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Find liquid Gone Gone on Amazon.

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Isn't it great that we can all communicate about this great
hobby that we love!

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