[cctalk] Re: Recovering floppies attacked by mould
On 2023/05/25 5:11 p.m., Sellam Abraham via cctalk wrote: Tom, You may save yourself some time with this nifty contraption ==> https://www.ebay.com/itm/303620862566 It's a floppy disk cleaning apparatus. You place the floppy disk into the frame, apply your cleaning solution and cloth to the index opening, and then manually spin the disk. Sellam If you have a 3D printer then Thingiverse has 3.5 and 5.25 inch floppy cleaner files: https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=floppy+disc+cleaner&page=1&type=things&sort=relevant John :-#)# On Thu, May 25, 2023 at 3:36 PM Tom Stepleton via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: Greetings, Amidst all the floppy archiving discussion, here's a slightly different question: The weather is warmer now where I live, so it's starting to be a good time to do messy work outdoors. I have some mouldy floppy diskettes that I'd like to try to read (mostly 5.25"), plus a good flux reader. What is the best way to attempt to image these floppies? My thinking right now is that for each floppy I can attempt this procedure: - remove the mouldy cookie from the infected disk jacket; discard the latter - give the cookie the best clean I can (how?) and allow to dry - place the cookie in a clean disk jacket - attempt to image - clean floppy drive heads Does this seem like a sensible plan? If so, what would be the best way to clean as much mould off the cookie as I can? Tools that come to mind are distilled water (tap water here is full of chalk), dish soap, cyclomethicone, and of course more fearsome solvents. I have kimwipes, microfibre cloths, and... 200-grit sandpaper, I guess :-) Thanks for any advice, --Tom -- John's Jukes Ltd. 7 - 3979 Marine Way, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5J 5E3 Call (604)872-5757 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games) flippers.com "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out"
[cctalk] Re: Recovering floppies attacked by mould
On Thu, 25 May 2023, Sellam Abraham via cctalk wrote: Tom, You may save yourself some time with this nifty contraption ==> https://www.ebay.com/itm/303620862566 It's a floppy disk cleaning apparatus. You place the floppy disk into the frame, apply your cleaning solution and cloth to the index opening, and then manually spin the disk. It looks handy for mild cleaning, where the cookie doesn't need to be removed from the jacket. Some disks should be removed, and discard the old jacket, and not even put the disk into another jacket until it has had some cleaning. If leaving the disk in the jacket, . . . I have encountered plenty of 5.25" and 8" disks, where the disk doesn't turn freely. Rub the edge of the disk/jacket on a corner of a table, firmly enough that it is bowing SLIGHTLY. Do that for all four edges of the floppy jacket. The disk will now turn free-er. -- Grumpy Ol' Fred ci...@xenosoft.com
[cctalk] Re: Recovering floppies attacked by mould
Tom, You may save yourself some time with this nifty contraption ==> https://www.ebay.com/itm/303620862566 It's a floppy disk cleaning apparatus. You place the floppy disk into the frame, apply your cleaning solution and cloth to the index opening, and then manually spin the disk. Sellam On Thu, May 25, 2023 at 3:36 PM Tom Stepleton via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > Greetings, > > Amidst all the floppy archiving discussion, here's a slightly different > question: > > The weather is warmer now where I live, so it's starting to be a good time > to do messy work outdoors. I have some mouldy floppy diskettes that I'd > like to try to read (mostly 5.25"), plus a good flux reader. What is the > best way to attempt to image these floppies? > > My thinking right now is that for each floppy I can attempt this procedure: > - remove the mouldy cookie from the infected disk jacket; discard the > latter > - give the cookie the best clean I can (how?) and allow to dry > - place the cookie in a clean disk jacket > - attempt to image > - clean floppy drive heads > > Does this seem like a sensible plan? If so, what would be the best way to > clean as much mould off the cookie as I can? Tools that come to mind are > distilled water (tap water here is full of chalk), dish soap, > cyclomethicone, and of course more fearsome solvents. I have kimwipes, > microfibre cloths, and... 200-grit sandpaper, I guess :-) > > Thanks for any advice, > --Tom >
[cctalk] Re: Recovering floppies attacked by mould
On 5/25/23 15:35, Tom Stepleton via cctalk wrote: > Does this seem like a sensible plan? If so, what would be the best way to > clean as much mould off the cookie as I can? Tools that come to mind are > distilled water (tap water here is full of chalk), dish soap, > cyclomethicone, and of course more fearsome solvents. I have kimwipes, > microfibre cloths, and... 200-grit sandpaper, I guess :-) Sounds like a workable plan--I use distilled water and Kodak Photflo (a wetting agent), lint-free wipes and air-drying. I usually coat the cookie with a drop or two of cyclomethicone before reading, just as a precaution. --Chuck
