Bush ivory DAC90

[Bushbaby]

Hi All,
i have just taken ownership of a quite nice looking DAC90 in ivory - I beleive that the ivory versions a moderately rare, with very few cracks and a black dial glass. I'll put a pic on shortly.

I am truely amazed at the asbestos 'coffin' surrounding the dropper and as such I have transferred this to the garage until i can find out the best way to treat this and render it safe (it looks quite friable too!).

Has anyone experience of treating the asbestos in these sets - I can recall someone telling me that they have used emulsion paint but i can envisage this getting very hot and peeling?

Regards

Rob

[Bushbaby]

The DAC90a is an excellent starter set to work on. The 90 has much older/bigger/top cap valves and was notorious for overheating! The mains dropper as I have indicated is shrouded in asbestos and there is quite a lot of it.

As a safety professional in the construction/consultancy industry and teach asbestos awareness I cannot stress how dangerous asbestos can be, especially if it is friable (flaking or delaminating). It cannot be thrown away by normal means. The best solutions are to leave alone if not breaking up or seal. The only problem is I'm not sure what to seal it with at the moment!

Regards

Rob

[Yorkie]

There are two types of asbestos that were in common use - white and blue, the latter known as 'crocidolite', and that is by far the most dangerous. Most asbestos, such as that which used to be used on ironing boards, garages, garden sheds, rainwater good, gas boiler flues etc, is white asbestos, often bonded with cement. That used extensively for insulation purposes in electrical equipment will almost certainly have been white asbestos, and poses little danger. Personally, I'd put it in a plastic bag and chuck it in the bin without a second thought. Asbestos is in the air all around use, much of it from car brake pads and discs. It's true that people who worked extensively with asbestos in UK factories have contracted asbestosis, and indeed, their family members due to asbestos coming into their homes on dirty overalls, but that's in large quantities.

The most dangerous use of asbestos was the use of blue asbestos to insulate large boilers and large diameter pipes on commercial heating system in schoohls, hospitals, ships and the like. The slang name for that was 'monkey muck'. At 72, I must be a walking time-bomb because I worked extensively with asbestos cement pipe and sheet for the first ten years of my working life as did my work colleagues, many of whom I'm still in touch with, none of whom have yet to suffer any consequences.

I don't want to make light of a safety issue or sound dismissive or complacent, but I do think that over the years, the hazards have been grossly overstated and snesationalised - in particular, the 'one-fibre theory' that all it takes is one fibre to kill you. That may be true in itself, but we all inevitably have thousands in our lungs from the atmosphere and theres' just no way of steering clear of it.

There must be millions of garden sheds and garages made from asbestos cement sheet all over the country, and flue pipes for old gas central heating boilers. Why then does it suddenly become a really big deal when they're dismantled and taken to the local tip? (Rhetorical question).


David

[beam me up schottky]

Although the DAC90 and 90A are very common and familiar I consider them to be iconic sets. My collection includes one of each, my dark brown almost black 90 works very well and many would be horrified by the fact it's totally original save for the suppressor cap ! Have to admit that I will replace the usual culprits soon though. My 90A is also in excellent original condition but has no sound, heaters are on and there is audio hum so it's most likely going to be the local oscillator, will get that sorted soon. This is a chocolate brown version with a very nice green tuning scale.
The ivory versions are very appealing also, I'd like to acquire one to complete the set ! Aren't they more prone to case problems though ?

---

I don't want to make light of a safety issue or sound dismissive or complacent, but I do think that over the years, the hazards have been grossly overstated and snesationalised - in particular, the 'one-fibre theory' that all it takes is one fibre to kill you. That may be true in itself, but we all inevitably have thousands in our lungs from the atmosphere and theres' just no way of steering clear of it.

David

I would tend to agree with this view. In my school days I remember wearing asbestos gloves when working in the brazing area during metal work, we would use asbestos sheet in the brazing hearth, often breaking it up to fit the work, and we used asbestos cloth mats around flasks etc in chemistry. When the asbestos scare started I became very anxious due to the above ! Nothing so far and I have had chest X rays a number of times since then for other reasons and there was nothing sinister apparent. So, fingers crossed then !

[Joe]

Agreed. If it were as dangerous as it's reputation suggests we'd all be dead as it's so common. I'm not a doctor but it must be other factors that decide if it harms you or not.

[Shaman]

Hi, its not so much the Asbestos but the particles, that are dangerous, remember lint in Hospitals they don,t use it now it has very much the same particles as asbestos, the thing with this material it can take years before it manifests itself as a health problem. Damp the asbestos outside, if you have a face mask wear it or buy one, and rubber gloves, carefully remove all asbestos into a polythene bag, tie, then seek the best place to take it, local dump it site....Alan.

please read link i think it applies to most councils.
http://www.mendip.gov.uk/CouncilService....2-A7801B96

[Bushbaby]

Hi All,
Thanks for your comments - I have a large cap (I think that its 4.5uF or 5.5uF/1000v) that I bought new which is for use on big starter motor. I'll have a look at the calcs again but I think that I'll use this and strip out the old resistor dropper.

I agree that we should not go overboard with regard to asbestos but being over 60 years old its very likely to be blue asbestos and by looks of it its become friable (flakey or delaminating - which every you prefer) as such, it now in a dangerous condition as it will readly generate fibres.

Regards

Rob

[tiv48]

i to think the dac 90/90a are iconic in both looks and constuction,designed with service men in mind. for a novice they have the advantage of cheep valve line up loads of info around, as for asbestos.in dac90 most seem ok,so have been left alone.
as for being common a fully restored ivory can fetch £90+ if you want to replace asbestos you could try 6mm sundeala frb if you can finf an off cut. re wattless dropper the set may take a long time to come on,from experiments that i have done (not on dac 90)
rob t

[big band heaven]

I have recently removed some asbestos from a radiogram which had been used to shield the wooden cabinet from the pilot light underneath. I pondered whether to remove it or leave it in situ but in the end decided to remove it.

To prevent shedding of fibres I mixed together a solution of water and PVA glue and used a sprayer (like the ones that some household products like windowline come in) and spray the asbestos gerously. I let it dry before commencing - that way any loose fibres are literally glued in place. Alternatively I guess just water is sufficient. I then removed the asbestos and placed it in a plastic bag ready for disposal. Because in my case the asbestos didn't come away from the cabinet cleanly - it looked like it had been glued - I did spray the underside of the cabinet where it had been just to make sure any fibres were sealed.

Whilst the dangers may be overstated, my motto has always been better to be safe than sorry.

Could you post a pic of the radio please when possible as I don't know what one of these looks like.

Richard.

[Shaman]

Hi, the DAC90a, was a common production line set, like Rob says even if you love or hate them. have become Iconic, easy to repair, parts easy to change etc, the White DAC looks nice, i have two brown ones in my collection, they run well and sound well, for a small radio....Alan.