Cleaning those damn switches in cassette decks??

[Doug Tymofichuk]

I have cleaned hundreds of them, with much success, but it 
takes a bit of work. First, unsolder and remove the switch 
completely from the cassette deck. Then bend back the 
little tabs that hold the switch together and take the 
whole switch apart, being careful to note the orientation 
of the parts. Marking them beforehand is a good idea. Bear 
in mind that the spring inside the switch will want to jump 
out and get lost somewhere as you pull things apart. Get a 
piece of thin cardboard or a business card and soak one 
edge with contact cleaner. Place each little spring clip 
from the switch individually on the the card and run it 
back in forth the same way it moves in the switch, adding 
contact cleaner, until no more black stuff comes off it on 
to the card. Repeat for each spring clip, being careful not 
to bend or damage them. Clean the switch contact strip with 
a pencil eraser until the metal is bright and shiny. Brush 
or blow off any remaining eraser crumbs, coat all contacts 
with a contact cleaner that contains lubricant, and 
reassemble and reinstall switch. Try not to break off those 
metal tabs when you bend them back into position. Should be 
good for another 10 - 15 years.

I have found that just spraying contact cleaner into the 
switch will only give a temporary solution, the problems 
return within days or months.

Hope this helps,
Doug.

On Wed, 01 Sep 1999 16:53:10 +0900 The Dark force of dance 
<batzman at all-electric.com> wrote:

> Y-ellow Y'all.
> 	Any suggestions on cleaning those long record/play 
> switches on the boards of cassette decks. You know those 
> slide switches which are activated by the record switch. 
> Usually on long bit of spring wire or other mechanism. If 
> I can work out how to clean it up using simple household 
> items, I'll have revived yet another cassette deck destined 
> for the tip.
> 
> Not that I have any great love for cassette decks but mine 
> is pretty crap and it would be good to have one that worked 
> properly for a change.
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> Be absolutely icebox.
> 
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----------------------
Doug Tymofichuk
dougt at cancerboard.ab.ca