Desk Maintenance.. - Page 2

pinkmouse · 12th February 2008, 06:15 PM

Oops!

Stay tuned...

pinkmouse · 13th February 2008, 07:44 AM

Part 2a, ( I'm in a bit of a rush!) - Testing

Make another cup of your favorite beverage. Whilst it is brewing, get together a line level signal source, a mic and a powered monitor/poweramp + speaker combination.

The aim now is to check every single control on the desk. For each channel, start with the line level input and go through checking every single knob and switch, along with all the routing options to auxes and subgroups, as well as the main left and right. Make notes as you go on any faulty or noisy parts. This does involve a lot of plugging and unplugging on the output side, but is required to to throughly check the desk.

When you have finished each channel, go round the back and wiggle the input connector to check for loose connections, then check the channel with the mic, (you can do this the other way around, but using line level for most of the testing saves the voice, and the sanity of others in the room with you). Finally, pick up the desk from the bench and drop it back down from an inch or so high This is a great indicator of any dry joints or loose connections.

You should now have a list of issues, and we'll look at those in part 2b.

jethdub · 17th February 2008, 06:37 PM

Many thanks for all input so far.. the hot water is boiling now, so I think it's a tea for me and then the pile of knobs on the table is going in a bucket to soak off the same grime I have all over my fingers after removing them all.

Thing I'm most worried about is that due to the ridiculous humidity here the powder coat/paint finish is actually peeling away in places...I don't really want to be removing it any further...

Looking forward to any further installments..

pinkmouse · 17th February 2008, 06:45 PM

Well, you can always use a cotton bud for the fragile bits, but they are going to fall off sooner or later anyway, and the grease and sweat trapped underneath will continue to lift more and more of the paint unless removed.

Do you see why it's nice to start servicing with a clean desk now?

jethdub · 20th February 2008, 03:59 PM

Any suggestions for a readily available cheap product for cleaning coonector contacts?

dave_gerecke · 20th February 2008, 04:44 PM

Isopropyl alcohol is a good cleaner, but the Caig Deoxit I mentioned earlier on both cleans and lubricates the contacts. It's not a cheap as alcohol, but it is a longer lasting solution.

Peace,

Dave

jethdub · 20th February 2008, 04:50 PM

yes, but specific products such as deoxit aren't available here.. for that reason I was asking more for widely available generic products that would do the job..

Will give isopropyl a try...

A search threw up suggestions of WD-40, is this really sensible/effective?

12th February 2008, 06:15 PM	#11
pinkmouse diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chatham, England	Oops! Stay tuned... __________________ Al I conceive of nothing, in religion, science or philosophy, that is more than the proper thing to wear, for a while. Charles Fort

13th February 2008, 07:44 AM	#12
pinkmouse diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chatham, England	Part 2a, ( I'm in a bit of a rush!) - Testing Make another cup of your favorite beverage. Whilst it is brewing, get together a line level signal source, a mic and a powered monitor/poweramp + speaker combination. The aim now is to check every single control on the desk. For each channel, start with the line level input and go through checking every single knob and switch, along with all the routing options to auxes and subgroups, as well as the main left and right. Make notes as you go on any faulty or noisy parts. This does involve a lot of plugging and unplugging on the output side, but is required to to throughly check the desk. When you have finished each channel, go round the back and wiggle the input connector to check for loose connections, then check the channel with the mic, (you can do this the other way around, but using line level for most of the testing saves the voice, and the sanity of others in the room with you). Finally, pick up the desk from the bench and drop it back down from an inch or so high This is a great indicator of any dry joints or loose connections. You should now have a list of issues, and we'll look at those in part 2b. __________________ Al I conceive of nothing, in religion, science or philosophy, that is more than the proper thing to wear, for a while. Charles Fort

17th February 2008, 06:45 PM	#14
pinkmouse diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chatham, England	Well, you can always use a cotton bud for the fragile bits, but they are going to fall off sooner or later anyway, and the grease and sweat trapped underneath will continue to lift more and more of the paint unless removed. Do you see why it's nice to start servicing with a clean desk now? __________________ Al I conceive of nothing, in religion, science or philosophy, that is more than the proper thing to wear, for a while. Charles Fort

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17th February 2008, 06:37 PM	#13
jethdub diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Mexico, at present.	Many thanks for all input so far.. the hot water is boiling now, so I think it's a tea for me and then the pile of knobs on the table is going in a bucket to soak off the same grime I have all over my fingers after removing them all. Thing I'm most worried about is that due to the ridiculous humidity here the powder coat/paint finish is actually peeling away in places...I don't really want to be removing it any further... Looking forward to any further installments..

20th February 2008, 03:59 PM	#15
jethdub diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Mexico, at present.	Any suggestions for a readily available cheap product for cleaning coonector contacts?

20th February 2008, 04:44 PM	#16
dave_gerecke diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Vermont	Isopropyl alcohol is a good cleaner, but the Caig Deoxit I mentioned earlier on both cleans and lubricates the contacts. It's not a cheap as alcohol, but it is a longer lasting solution. Peace, Dave

20th February 2008, 04:50 PM	#17
jethdub diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Mexico, at present.	yes, but specific products such as deoxit aren't available here.. for that reason I was asking more for widely available generic products that would do the job.. Will give isopropyl a try... A search threw up suggestions of WD-40, is this really sensible/effective?

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