So you're saying to just remove the insides from the enclosure and sprinkle the baking soda all over everyting?I'm working on one of the 2 oscilloscopes I bought (a B&K Precision 1472c) from a smoky little house/camp in the woods right now. I cleaned the enclosure very well and it looks nice now but it still would smell If I put it in my computer room and turned it on. The insides are pretty good though. I've had the insides and the enclosure sitting on the deck in the sun for two days (only during the day of course).
If I can't get the smell off the enclosure I think I might just sand off all the paint because I don't care if it's the original colour.
I'm surprised how well old plastic knobs, plastic enclosures, plastic parts boxes and front faceplates clean up with a bit of some kinda Green cleaner and then a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
It makes a HUGE difference and the really old fashioned knobs don't smell like anything now even after being in smoke since the 50s. Today I Magic Erasered the knobs I salvaged from an Eico 324 RF Frequency Generator. I wonder if they're some bakelite-like substance?
Tomorrow I might try cleaning the stuff I salvaged from an extra smoky EICO 460 oscilloscope. It's extra smoky because we turned it on then went into the next room, after a while it smelled even smokier than normal (the kitchen has a wood stove) and it was the EICO about to burst into flames puffing out smoke
If sanding off the paint is the only thing that works for the enclosure I will probably do it to the Advance OS1000A I got too, if it's possible to fix. The rotary switches are crusty and it doesn't seem to want to trigger correctly.
Luckily lots of the little parts where still in their Archer/Radio Shack packages and the contents don't smell.
in ham radio is common the use of Baking Soda (Sodium bicarbonate).
1) open your old electronics
2) put into a cardboard box
3) drop a large quantity of Baking soda inside your electronics.
4) make a hole to the box to put a fan (10cm computer)
5) run for a couple of days...
6) clean and assembly all.
7) enjoy it
notes: I do this in the garage since some smell go out of the box.
I use a old PC power supply + a 10cm (4") case fan to force the air.