I use acetone to clean the wheels on my engines. I am not always satisfied with the job it does. I tend to get more slip than I like.
Has anyone had better luck? I’m looking for ideas.
Acetone is one of the best cleaners in the world. It can do some really amazing stuff. One of the amazing things it can do is permeate your skin and go directly to your Liver and make it look like Swiss Cheese quicker than a lifetime of chugging whiskey. I used it for years until I found out the damage it can do. I don’t use it anymore. I miss using it, but I won’t touch the stuff anymore. Rubber Gloves you say? Goes right through them, except for the heavy, thick acid-proof ones. Imagine trying to do fine detailing or hold a small brush while wearing those big gloves!
Isn’t Acetone really nail polish remover ? I would imagine that alot of women have swiss cheese livers in that case.
Nail polish remover contains acetone, but it isn’t pure like the stuff from your favorite supplier, its mixed with fragrance, oils and such…
Acetone, especially if it inst pure, can leave some oil behind. For cleaning my track, and the wheels of my locomotives, I prefer using a wet rag with a drop of Dawn dish soap. I put a drop of Dawn on the rag, and then run water onto the rag, on the drop, that way I get the whole rag wet with Dawn and water. It removes grease, crud, bird doo, and doesn’t leave a greasy film behind.
I tried to remove stuff with solvents at first. Then I bought a powered wheel cleaner and asked the manufacturer what he used, and he said, believe it or not he said Fantastik or 409. He told me he did not have good results with solvents.
I had a greasy black buildup that just seemed to smear even with solvents.
Now I use a Swiffer with the pre-moistened pads, and it really picks stuff up and no worries about solvents around plastic.
Acetone softens many plastics, and nail polish removers always have oils and moisturizers.
Greg
At the risk of starting a flame war, you might try what I use. It’s cheap, readily available at automobile supply stores, and goes a long way. It’s Dexron III automatic transmission fluid. Put a few drops on the rails, then run you locomotive through the stuff. I got the idea from HO model rr club folk
So far, it has improved operation on brass, aluminum, and stainless steel, and nickle silver track.
Are you running plastic wheels ?
Dick, I tried that when I had my N scale layout. But I never ran that unfinished monstrosity enough to notice if it had helped or not.
Dick, I think I have some on the shelf in the garage! I’ll give it a shot.
Also, I want one of those electric brushes Greg was talking about but I can’t find them! Does anyone know who sells them?
As a Kadee user I will be glad to shop with them. I have bought couplers from them for years and never realized they could clean my wheels!
Bill, We live on the desert and have to stay away from plastic wheels. They melt!
Oh yea, I have worn out one of the KaDee wheel cleaners already. Yea, it took me like 12 years to do it, but I done did it. Nice tool.
It might even outlive me! I look forward to having sparkling clean wheels!
If transmission fluid is anything like brake fluid i would advice caution around paint or plastic. It is not friendly to either and doesn’t take much to ruin stuff. I have a proto 2000 SW1200 that makes for a great train wreck display after using brake fluid to remove stubborn paint on a suggestion of an experienced modeler. It took off the paint and made the plastic so brittle it basically fell apart. I was not happy. No warning was given.
Brake fluid is NOT ATF fluid. Don’t judge, unless you’ve tried it. I only state what works for me. You’re mileage may vary.
Dick Friedman said:
Brake fluid is NOT ATF fluid. Don’t judge, unless you’ve tried it. I only state what works for me. You’re mileage may vary.
Dick my apologies, I meant no judgment at all. I was just offer that with anything being used outside of its designed use one should exercise caution. I believe in trying anything and if you have had good luck with it I would likely try it myself. But from past lessons I would do so with caution on a test piece first.
Again, I apologize. Its an internet thing, tone can’t be conveyed over a computer and I am afraid my “tone” did not come across as intended.
ATF is a hydraulic oil. Brake fluid is glycol-ether and well-known to dissolve paint, but I didn’t know it can damage plastics.
I have used brake fluid to strip paint from models before. Most times it works without issue. But I did have the same thing that happened to Devon, happen to me when I was stripping the paint off of a 1:72 Cessna 337. Some plastics do react to the brake fluid by becoming soft or brittle. Use with caution.
The thing about putting a thin film of oil on the rails is it can cause slippage on grades. The reason for putting oil on the rails is it will break up a lot of the crud that accumulates on the rails, and it will help to prevent oxidation of the rail head.
No offense taken, Devon. I didn’t believe it either, but more than one HO guy told me it work indoors. I tested it out on my 30 foot Red Mountain Loop, and it seem OK. I helped a friend rework some serious grades on his layout. We always ran train counter clockwise because of s steep grade. After a small application of ATF, we could go UP the big grade.
What’s so great about ATF is that a transmission will not work unless there is friction between the fluid and the transmission vanes. The stuff has detergent in it to keep the transmission clean. Dexron III also conducts electricity – really useful if you use track power of any kind.