Feeling like an idiot-“blow it out”

[DocAitch]

I have been working on a slot cutter for shits’N’giggles and have the jig all measured up to fit a particular rotary tool that has been sitting in the shop unused for a couple of years. After making all the measurements and drawing up the plans, it dawned on me that I should plug in the device and see if it still ran.
I was upset with myself when the thing didn’t make any effort to run. My initial thought was to think about where I would get another device and how I would have to change things after I got the tool and measured it when I recalled a conversation that I had with a helpful guy at Little Machine Shop when my original lathe stopped running.
“Instead of replacing the motor”he said, “why don’t you blow it out? (With compressed air)” Lo and behold, that was all that was required to get the lathe running again.
With that in mind, I removed the brushes on the recalcitrant rotary tool, blew it out and it also worked.
I then pulled out another more expensive rotary tool that had stopped and which had been replaced, removed the brushes, blew it out, and again it ran.
Now I feel like an idiot (but a somewhat pleased one, since I now have 2 working tools where previously they were just junk in a box)
DocAitch

[LatakiaLover]

Along the same lines: if you have a lighter that develops a slow leak and won't hold butane, don't throw it away or send away for a fix until you try filling it normally... while twisting/turning the can DURING the fill while the valve spring is compressed.

[KurtHuhn]

Or in my case - replace the start capacitor. I had three motors go south the exact same way at nearly the same time.

[n80]

There is a product call DeoxIt D5 that works wonders on virtually any non-functioning electrical contacts. It is a spray and costs about $15 for a small can. Resurrected a 'dead' stereo I had since high school.

[KurtHuhn]

That stuff is incredible - I brought back an old Sanyo radio that predates me with DeOxit.

[cpd2186]

Doc, These are the nuggets that keep us going!

Thanks for the information!