Card reader head cleaning

[Dave Britten]

(12-30-2019 10:09 PM)teenix Wrote:  

(12-30-2019 04:51 PM)Dave Britten Wrote:  Ah, so it would be better to stick a little cleaning strip in from the left side instead?

I made a little "unprotect" card for my 65 so I can rewrite application pack cards that have degraded magnetically, and when inserting it from the left, I can feel a small increase in friction/resistance at about 1.5 inches in, and then it's blocked completely at 1.75 inches (I'm assuming it's hitting the drive wheel). Is that quarter inch of increased friction where the heads are located?

That's correct. The slight friction is the head, then you hit the drive wheel. The ball switches are further in which you won't get to from this side unless you force the card through the drive wheel.

cheers

Tony

Okay, and the heads themselves would be on the bottom, right? i.e. the cards have data written on the back. I wouldn't use anything more abrasive than paper to clean the heads, with maybe a tiny drop of alcohol applied on the cleaning side, then just give it a couple of swipes in and out the left side of the slot. Does that sounds like a safe way to do it?

So far the card reader is working fine, I'm just planning ahead in case the heads get any oxide buildup.