Clean tuner window with decal numbers?

[Bad Monkey]

I have a tuner glass that is filthy on inside surface. The dial numbers are a decal. How do I clean this without damaging decal?

 

[Pyrrho]

Any cleaning you do is going to be risky. I would probably use plain water on something like a cotton swab (though something lint-free would be better), and try to clean between the decal markings, and try to avoid touching the back of the decal markings.

A steady hand will help prevent damage.

It will be interesting to see if anyone has a better suggestion. I don't think anyone is going to be able to come up with anything that will be free of risk.

 

[audiocrzy]

Can you you still read the dial? It may be better to just leave it alone. If you damage any of the dial numbers there is no going back.

 

[HTHMAN]

Before I risked it, I would put that dial glass on a flatbed scanner and scan it to a file at 1:1(front and back). You could then get a new decal made to stick on the glass.

 

[Pyrrho]

One can get new decals to put on glass, though it would not be the same. Radio Shack used to sell such things (I think I still have some from years ago), though I am not sure where one would find them today. Certainly, the ideal is to not damage the old decals and not need to find anything to replace it. But it is within the realm of possibility, depending on what, exactly, the decals are like.

From doing a quick search, I found this:

https://www.radiodaze.com/decals-62/

From looking at the prices, I strongly recommend great care in cleaning, because you probably don't want to have to buy a new decal.


I also found this with a quick search; one might be able to print one's own:

https://www.radiomuseum.org/forum/dial_scales_homemade_with_inkjet_printer.html

But, again, the best is to be careful with the original, and not need any of these.

 

[Pyrrho]

Before I risked it, I would put that dial glass on a flatbed scanner and scan it to a file at 1:1(front and back). You could then get a new decal made to stick on the glass.

That is an excellent idea.

 

[Bad Monkey]

I thought I would follow up with what I did that cleaned well.

I ended up just fogging the glass with my breath. Just like cleaning your glasses in a pinch. It got things just damp enough to remove the dirt. It was not so damp as to loosen the decal. It took a few tries. It came out as clean as can be with no decal damage.

 

[restorer-john]

Glad you got it done without this:

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index...e-have-you-pulled.881408/page-2#post-12999818

 

[loudnoises]

Brillianize is my go to for cleaning acrylic or glass. Have yet to see it affect any printing on the surfaces.

Ymmv.

 

[gadget73]

I have a few smeared numbers on what was a perfect Sherwood S-7000 dial from touching it with a damp cloth. Some of them are fine, some disintegrate if you look at it too hard. I guess age and what the original print was factors in.

 

[Aptone]

It came out as clean as can be with no decal damage.

Good Monkey!