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IBM 026 Keypunch

A number of years ago, I picked up a teletype model ASR 35. A real monster. Initially it would not work at all. As I remember there are four screws that allow the 'works' to come out. I removed the mechanical works and put it in a large pan and doused it with kerosene. LOTS of dirt was washed off. I let it stand for a few days to drip dry, then I poured new clean engine oil over it. Again some more dirt etal was washed away. Again then after allowing it to dip dry for a few days, I wiped it off, laid a towel under the works in the case and screwed it down. It came to life and has worked ever since.

This may sound rather crude, but I can't argue with results and it was a cheap fix. Mike
 
Standard at the time with the MAI PM teams that went around to the user's offices was trichloroethane and lantastic (or whatever was the equivalent at the time) this in mid 60s.
I used to use tri cleaning out the printing mechanism of IBM interpreters and keypunches. By the gallons with the interpreters. Of course it splattered and the mandantory white shirts ended up tinted purple.
In the earlyier days with my 6800 stuff I used a tt33 and tt37s that I picked up DOD surplus. Never bathed them in anything but did use the light machine oil on the running parts.

Conmega,
Will you be going to the VCF? If so I will attempt to get a care package to you via Atlanta attendees.
 
NF6X: Thanks! If your ever on the east coast your more than welcome to come try it out once I get it going again ;)

Mike: That does sound rather crude but if its more machine than electronics, which I know the teletypes usually are, then that doesn't sound all that bad, especially if it was really caked up with dirt and grease. But the keypunch has a bit more electrical connections and surfaces that should take grease vs oil vs fine oil which worries me about just dumping standard engine oil on it. It would end up requiring me to re grease and oil a lot of extra pieces. Right now nothing is necessary stuck together all the grease and oil that was on there seems ok enough to troubleshoot and get it going. Once I know its working at-least mostly then I will probably take gears off and wash them down with kerosene and re-grease them to make sure its in tip-top shape. I'd probably try this with my ASR 33 if it was more dirt than rust, but sadly its the other way around so that is going to be a tear completely down, clean all the pieces off with a scotch brite pad or something rough enough to get rust off but not take off too much of the surface. Then do a backyard bluing job on all the steel bits to protect them from rust again. Then throw it back together and troubleshoot from there heh...

Edfair: Do you mean VCF East? I will be going to VCF East, I'm an active member at MARCH so I'm up there at all the workshops and such too. If you could do that I would greatly appreciate it!

A little update.
Last night I got the card punch area free of debris like old chads and such and cleaned all the other card working surfaces so a card should be-able to make it through the machine now without problems.
Next I will have to throw the keyboard back together for testing and hope it doesn't give me too much trouble :)
 
I don't think that bluing provides much (if any) protection against rust. Guns are blued to make them not be shiny, but we still need to rub them down with oily rags to prevent rust. There are other treatments that prevent rust (i.e., galvanizing), and treatments that don't directly prevent rust but help oil stick on the surface better (i.e., Parkerization).
 
Actually, both Parkerizing and bluing are "conversion" processes that react with the iron in steel and provide a degree of protection.

I used to put a coating of wax on steel by dissolving a can of paste wax in trike and spraying parts with the result, letting the trike evaporate. It seemed to work. Nowadays, I just apply a coat of Permalac on large parts. It works pretty well. You could also probably use a rattle-can coating of a polyurethane lacquer.
 
Paint evidently was thrown away.
The last meeting before VCFE is the 11th so will attempt to put together enough to make it useful. Manual tells you which oils and greases to use. You'll have 6, some 9, 22, and possibly 23. Probably some DC44med for the friction clutch.

I did dump the entire tilt bed part into a boil tank one time. It was for an 027 (keypunch with Friden adding machine attached) which had accumulated a whole lot of card and carbon dust from punching source document cards (back sheet of 2 part sales tickets from JCPenney stores). I had pulled the major parts, feed unit, punch drive, punch unit, pin sense unit, and stacker off one afternoon, boiled it overnight, and put the thing back together the next day. Think it was the first one that had ever been done in Atlanta. Feeds sure did quieten down from what it had been before. My boss wasn't happy that I took that much time but it was my responsibility and Penney was happy to give it up for a day if I thought it was neccessary.
 
Well the only reason I was going to blue the pieces was because it appears they were blued originally. Obviously they will still get a light covering with oil to keep the machine running nicely and to further prevent rust, but its better than nothing.
I was thinking of using a lacquer or something but was worried the added thickness to parts that move, especially on the metal to metal contact areas, would cause problems mechanically.
I will be working on the ASR 33 probably quite a bit later, so when I make a thread for that more discussion on what the best method will be can be done there :)
 
"then I will probably take gears off and wash them down with kerosene and re-grease them to make sure its in tip-top shape."

Nah, you don't want to do that. Those gears last forever. The last 3 machines I had in a customer's office were purchased used in 1974 and the gears were still going strong in 2008. You are at risk of cracking the gears when you drive the pins (those are taper pins, small end beveled). Better worrying about the bearing and shaft on the drive pulley running the large fibre gear. That tends to lock up and eat the shaft and/or the base plate.
 
the only reason I was going to blue the pieces was because it appears they were blued originally.
Yes, blued spring steel. The pullrod spring, the keystem fixed and movable straps, the feed pressure roll springs, the punch unit circuit braker operating and fixed straps, and the card feed circuit breaker springs.

Obviously they will still get a light covering with oil to keep the machine running nicely and to further prevent rust
Oil will evaporate and the fumes migrate to the interlock disks, better a non evaporative grease thin, thin coaring. Maybe put a little on then wipe it off with a rag.

I was thinking of using a lacquer or something but was worried the added thickness to parts that move
no issue on the weight of a light coat but it will crack as the spring metal flexes

especially on the metal to metal contact areas
tungsten so no issues with corrosion, just nothing to block the flow of current. Some were silver contacts, can't recall when I ran across them.
 
Conmega,
If somebody at VCFE was to look for you during the event to give you some parts where would they find you?
 
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