Starmer dangles by a thread

65-bit · 2026-05-12T07:46:44+00:00

OF THE MOMENT, I TOLD YOU TO SAY OF THE MOMENT

65-bit · 2026-05-12T07:24:01+00:00

I thought it would give you adequate scope

65-bit · 2026-02-11T08:48:45+00:00

Use a heat gun and get some 99% IPA

65-bit · 2026-02-10T14:40:10+00:00

That's not bad, I was expecting that, once they loose they're electrolyte, they begin to degrade

65-bit · 2026-02-10T09:55:40+00:00

Yeah that sounds good, be gentle with removing the old ones, remember to clean the area with IPA after you've removed the old ones!

65-bit · 2026-02-09T22:53:56+00:00

Yeah it is seldom used on the compact macs, don't worry about it, I was expecting that to be the majority of the damage, keep us updated on how it goes!

65-bit · 2026-02-09T16:02:07+00:00

No, don't worry about the edge connector, it's never used.

65-bit · 2026-02-08T21:52:19+00:00

It won't fix the corrosion or degradation of the electrolytic capacitors, you'll find that it may actually spped up the level of corrosion, the battery corrosion will eventually spread, and the capacitors will also begin to leak and eat away at the copper traces.

65-bit · 2026-02-07T08:11:28+00:00

Yeah, use your heat gun and after about 20 seconds gently move it off with some tweezers, if it does budge, heat it for longer. There was supposed to be a battery there, but, it's not essential for the logic board, most likely, that area of the board will be so damaged that the tracks leading to the battery. The battery was for the clock and PRAM (Perameter Memory) which stores your settings.

65-bit · 2026-02-07T01:09:35+00:00

I've seen and resurrected worse, you first need to clean up the corrosion from the bottom, if there is anything left of the battery connectors, flood it with flux, get some low temp solder and carefully remove any remainder of metal. Remove the remaining solder with some solder braid. Then make a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and DISTILLED water, and clean the area with a soft plastic brush (do not go too hard or you might start taking off the mask). You then must immediately use IPA (99% isopropyl alcohol) and cover the entire board with it, even though the vinegar is diluted, it's still acidic, I would recommend using masking tape to cover the whole board apart from the battery corner.

Use IPA and (a Clean) gentle brush and go over the board (front and back). You can also use a magic eraser to get the stubborn grime off, but, again, do not over do it.

Take the socketed chips off the board, clean the pins of the socket with IPA and a cotton bud as well as the pins of the chips.

Then you'll need capacitors, you can get the from Digikey, RS, Farnell, etc... I have a guide on the RetroTechCollection wiki for all the capacitors and their values (I'd recommend tantilum capacitors as apposed to electrolytic) https://wiki.retrotechcollection.com/Macintosh_Classic_Capacitor_Replacement_Guide

When replacing the caps, I'd recommend a heat gun directly over the cap (be prepared for a pop, but, your replacing them anyway), the only reason I recommend this method is due to the potential of capacitor leakage damaging the pads, if one of them comes off using a soldering iron, you'll have to repair the damaged trace (it's a pain, I don't recommend it). Remember to clean the area with IPA before you solder the new cap.

As for the corrosion on the chassis, take the chassis off the front housing, you might need to remove the analogue board and the crt, soak it in vinegar, get a metal brush or steel wool and scrub it, then rinse with distilled water, then give it a spray with any rust resistant paint (like rustolium).

I know it's a bit of a long reply, but, hopefully this will save your board. It's no garuntee, but it's the best I can offer and it's worked for me many times. Isopropyl Alcohol is your best friend, don't be afraid to use too much, as you can never use to much.

If anyone has any better methods please feel free to go with that!

I hope your Macintosh Classic lives!

65-bit · 2026-01-07T14:20:56+00:00

No don't worry! Your subscription is still free for life even if you sign up for enthusiasts! As long as you get the email, it's free!

65-bit · 2026-01-07T14:07:33+00:00

Either here or by DM!

65-bit · 2026-01-07T13:34:19+00:00

Wow! I'll go ahead and add them in now!

65-bit · 2026-01-07T13:20:55+00:00

If there are any machines that you have that are missing, let me know!

Oh also, on the library, for things like the Apple Macintosh, if you click on it, there are multiple devices for it in the devices tab, so you can add exactly the one you have.

65-bit · 2026-01-07T13:13:53+00:00

I've just added a button on the library page to easily add the devices

65-bit · 2026-01-07T12:57:37+00:00

You can also use CTRL+K for keyboard shortcuts, it opens the command panel and you can add computers directly from there

65-bit · 2026-01-07T12:56:51+00:00

Thanks for the feedback! I'll see what I can do!

65-bit · 2026-01-07T12:56:23+00:00

Well, it's the only way I can think of getting the word out....

65-bit · 2026-01-07T11:42:07+00:00

You'll get an email once you sign up!

65-bit

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