[DeTomaso] New approach to ZF cleaning

[Himes, Terry (397C)]

Larry,

You must live in an area where there is lots of that needed.  Here in Sandy Eggo, I couldn’t find anyone.
I was looking for someone to do "soda blasting."  Which uses sodium bicarbonate (large, granular baking soda).
Allegedly, used for aircraft restoration.

Terry

 

"A Purple Heart proves you were smart enough to hatch a plan,
 stupid enough to try it and lucky enough to survive!"
 
Terry W. Himes 
JPL Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Dawn Spacecraft Team
Rosetta Sequence Team Lead
Phone: (818) 393-6261
Cell:     (818) 653-8213
thimes at jpl.nasa.gov
🇺🇸
 

On 7/24/17, 3:49 PM, "DeTomaso on behalf of Larry Finch via DeTomaso" <detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com on behalf of detomaso at server.detomasolist.com> wrote:

    All,
    
    My interest in Rub ’n Buff is driven by the fact that I now have a VERY clean ZF.
    
    I am not aware of anyone having done this previously, but I had my ZF cleaned using dry ice blasting. It uses shaved or pelletized dry ice at a low nozzle pressure (60psi).
    There is no media to infiltrate the ZF and so I had it cleaned fully assembled.  :-)
    
    This process is not yet widespread, but is often used for in-place cleaning of entire food processing/packaging facilities, as it leaves nothing behind that wasn’t already there.
    
    Search WIKI for ‘dry ice blasting’ to learn more.
    
    The photos below are the before and after.
    
    It was more or less clean, but had a deep-in-the-pores oily finish that resisted actually getting much cleaner.
    
    The process took about four hours of shop time. My cash price was $300. I had them avoid the side plates, but blasted the poor paint from the rear cover.
    
    It is now amazingly clean, and my goal is to somehow keep it that way. It does not, of course, present a uniform finish despite being uniformly clean.
    Forty-five years of use leaves issues. Perhaps a more aggressive media would have abraded enough of the long-term stains and flaws to a more uniform finish,
    but you can’t do that with an assembled ZF.
    
    Thanks to all here and on the PI forum for their feedback. Universal response for Rub ’n Buff is positive and my eBay $5.49 tube, with free shipping, is on the way.
    
    Larry