On Cleaning Insulators
Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", September 1971, page 17
RESEARCH DIVISION (On Cleaning Insulators)
Dear Dora:
It was so nice meeting you in Colorado Springs! I'm just sorry that I was so
busy trading that we didn't have more time to visit. This is the letter I
promised you describing my method of cleaning insulators. I hope it may be of
some use to your readers.
My method is really a combination of several that I've read about over the
years, plus an addition of my own. First, a good brushing with water and a
toothbrush gets rid of all the accumulated mud and spider nests. Next a 24 hour
soak in hydrochloric acid (muriatic). Of course several precautions must be
observed in using this acid. One must never get the acid on the skin as it can
produce severe burns quite rapidly. I handle my glass with stainless steel
tongs, or if the piece is too big, I use some polyethylene gloves (after making
sure they are water tight). Also, hydrochloric acid gives off very corrosive
fumes. The soaking pot should have a tight cover to keep these fumes in check.
Otherwise they will start rusting any iron or steel in the vicinity. If any acid
is spilled or splashed on the skin, it should be flushed off immediately with
plenty of water.
After the soak, I rinse the glass well in lukewarm water, and go over it
lightly with a nylon pot scrubber. This takes off most of the grime which has
been loosened up by the acid. Then comes my own addition to the system. I put
the pieces in an ultrasonic cleaner using a good dishwashing compound and
water as the solution. This ultrasonic treatment really makes the insulators
shine. About ten minutes in the cleaner and they are ready for the final
scrubbing with the nylon pot scrubber. By this time all of the flow marks have
come clean, even the hairline weather cracks get cleaned out. A final rinse in
deionized water, and a wipe with a paper hand towel completes the job.
I'll have to admit that I do have some advantages, since I work in a
laboratory and have all of this equipment at my disposal, but the price of an
ultrasonic cleaner is coming down. Also, there are quite a few of them around.
Jewelers use them, as well as dentists for cleaning purposes, and one might be
able to pick up a used one quite inexpensively from one of these sources.
I can't say that the ultrasonic cleaning is fool-proof. I have cracked three
insulators out of the hundreds that I've cleaned and all three have been a cut above the average in value. Two of them were H. G.
Co. PETTICOATS, clear, without drip points, CD 160 (baby signal). I was really
sorry about these as they traded real well for me at the National Meet, but in
spite of these mishaps I still have a few left for trade. Hope I can build up my
collection of baby signals with them.
Did you notice that the Postal Service is making an "improvement"
and has changed my address from Davenport, Iowa to BETTENDORF, Iowa 52722? Don't
know how that will improve things any. We really have pretty good service,
except that the new issues of INSULATORS never get here quickly enough.
Keep up the good work and Keep looking up,
W. Dennis McHenry
Trexend, Rt. 1
Bettendorf, Iowa 52722
Dear Dora:
Ever since insulator day #1, all the articles and comments on cleaning them
have ended up by essentially saying that there wasn't anything that would work
on them - that it just took a lot of scouring pads and plenty of elbow grease.
This, even down to the last issue of "Crown Jewels" with your similar
comment on page 31.
Well, happy days are here. Some time ago I came up with a chemical that is
real magic on dirty insulators - both porcelain and glass. I have been so busy
for past 6 months on the book that I hadn't done anything yet on this. This
chemical is very expensive in reasonably small packages but becomes practical
when bought in very large lots. Thus, Ron Leland and I are in the process of
packaging this from a large lot we purchased and we will have this available for
sale soon after Ron returns from his vacation period.
This chemical is a white crystal, which you mix 4 ounces per gallon of water.
You just put your dirtiest insulators in this solution for five minutes, then
remove and rinse off with tap water. All that scudge just flows off like so much
dairy cream. You must use some care with this stuff like keeping your hands out
of it unless you wear rubber gloves, don't smoke, eat or rub eyes until after
washing off your hands etc. Ordinary care that you would use with any light
chemical is all that in required.
This gunk will sell for $2 per 4-ounce package, and it will be available
sometime next mouth.
Just to make a believer out of you, I am sending by parcel post a package of
this which you can mix up and try yourself. I have also included two insulators (don' return - one glass, one porcelain - which I
have cleaned half of so you can see the before and after. Sorry, but after
playing around with this stuff for some time, I'm out of any super-dirty
cadavers. We had some once that pare white with clay-like scudge, and which
resisted all cleaning efforts by the "elbow grease" method. After the
five minute dip in our cleaner, they are just like "out of the mold".
Attached on a separate sheet are instructions. Be sure to read these before
you clean any insulators. After you try this out, would appreciate your
comments.
Sincerely yours,
Jack H. Tod
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