Refurbishing Idler Wheels. - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

julie_m · 23rd Mar 2016, 3:48 pm

Butanone (the 2 is redundant because there are only 4 carbon atoms in a straight line, and you can't have a -1-one -- that would be an aldehyde) is the modern chemical name for what used to be called methyl-ethyl ketone.

Propanone is also known as acetone, and is found in nail polish remover.

Beobloke · 24th Mar 2016, 2:01 pm

Wouldn't it just be a lot easier and safer to send your idler wheel to one of those nice people who re-furbish them professionally?

'LIVEWIRE?' · 24th Mar 2016, 10:11 pm

I have a can of Rubber restorer (don't recall the brand name) which i bought from CPC some time ago. Used it on a couple of cassette recorder pinchrollers this afternoon. Hadn't used the product for ages, in fact I forgot that I had the stuff. Seems to do the trick, though!

Mike-repairman · 22nd Apr 2016, 9:57 am

With regard to MEK, like others have commented on it, a horrid substance and should be used outside really. I used it in the composing room of the printers in the 60's to clean copper printing plates among other uses. It did make you feel a bit whoosy on reflection. Suddenly we got notice that it had been banned in our works; someone in the country had died from inhalation of the fumes; a lucky escape for us as it was used regularly all day in an enclosed space.

On a lighter note I had a light bulb moment the other day (not sure if anyone had thought about it before) but would it be possible to glue a small cassette belt around the outside of the rubber wheel with hot melt glue top and bottom?
I haven't tried this yet, will try and find an old jockey wheel and experiment when I get a spare minute. Refurbishment is very expensive I understand, and even second hand ones are fetching silly prices.

Mike-repairman · 11th Jul 2016, 11:27 am

EUREKA! Having hunted ebay and the web for rubber refurbisher I eventually found this one which works very well on the jockey wheels. Have experimented with some very old wheels I found in a box in the workshop and it brings them back to nearly new. It's around £10 a bottle (unfortunately no smaller sizes available) and sold by several sellers on ebay.

Instructions after experimenting. Firstly run a foam sanding block (fine side) around the rim of the wheel to roughen slightly. Pour a little of the liquid in the bottom of a tin and soak the wheel for around 2 hours. (Leaving overnight produced a few problems, although it worked it took several days of repeatedly drying with a kitchen towel to get rid of the excess which creeps under the rubber top and bottom of the wheel.) Soak the excess away with a kitchen towel two of three times till it feels dry. Then roughen the edge with the sanding block again. Amazing how it softens up the rubber.

As a bonus you can use it on your car door rubbers if they have gone a little hard, as this is what it is sold for.

Mike.

23rd Mar 2016, 3:48 pm	#21
julie_m Dekatron Join Date: May 2008 Location: Derby, UK. Posts: 7,735	Re: Refurbishing Idler Wheels. Butanone (the 2 is redundant because there are only 4 carbon atoms in a straight line, and you can't have a -1-one -- that would be an aldehyde) is the modern chemical name for what used to be called methyl-ethyl ketone. Propanone is also known as acetone, and is found in nail polish remover. __________________ If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments.

24th Mar 2016, 2:01 pm	#22
Beobloke Heptode Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 821	Re: Refurbishing Idler Wheels. Wouldn't it just be a lot easier and safer to send your idler wheel to one of those nice people who re-furbish them professionally?

24th Mar 2016, 10:11 pm	#23
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Refurbishing Idler Wheels. I have a can of Rubber restorer (don't recall the brand name) which i bought from CPC some time ago. Used it on a couple of cassette recorder pinchrollers this afternoon. Hadn't used the product for ages, in fact I forgot that I had the stuff. Seems to do the trick, though!

22nd Apr 2016, 9:57 am	#24
Mike-repairman Heptode Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 613	Re: Refurbishing Idler Wheels. With regard to MEK, like others have commented on it, a horrid substance and should be used outside really. I used it in the composing room of the printers in the 60's to clean copper printing plates among other uses. It did make you feel a bit whoosy on reflection. Suddenly we got notice that it had been banned in our works; someone in the country had died from inhalation of the fumes; a lucky escape for us as it was used regularly all day in an enclosed space. On a lighter note I had a light bulb moment the other day (not sure if anyone had thought about it before) but would it be possible to glue a small cassette belt around the outside of the rubber wheel with hot melt glue top and bottom? I haven't tried this yet, will try and find an old jockey wheel and experiment when I get a spare minute. Refurbishment is very expensive I understand, and even second hand ones are fetching silly prices.

11th Jul 2016, 11:27 am	#25
Mike-repairman Heptode Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 613	Re: Refurbishing Idler Wheels. EUREKA! Having hunted ebay and the web for rubber refurbisher I eventually found this one which works very well on the jockey wheels. Have experimented with some very old wheels I found in a box in the workshop and it brings them back to nearly new. It's around £10 a bottle (unfortunately no smaller sizes available) and sold by several sellers on ebay. Instructions after experimenting. Firstly run a foam sanding block (fine side) around the rim of the wheel to roughen slightly. Pour a little of the liquid in the bottom of a tin and soak the wheel for around 2 hours. (Leaving overnight produced a few problems, although it worked it took several days of repeatedly drying with a kitchen towel to get rid of the excess which creeps under the rubber top and bottom of the wheel.) Soak the excess away with a kitchen towel two of three times till it feels dry. Then roughen the edge with the sanding block again. Amazing how it softens up the rubber. As a bonus you can use it on your car door rubbers if they have gone a little hard, as this is what it is sold for. Mike. Attached Thumbnails