CTT 700E Restoration Article Questions

[arkady]

EIS2

Thanks for the reply. I use the WD-40 to spray on steam engine wheels to spruce them up a bit.  I learned that trick from one of Jim Barrett's Backshop videos.

Oh, I see. I guess I'd wonder if that might also tend to attract dust.

I use furniture polish to spruce up the paint on my steamers.

So do I. Minwax Dark, to be specific. Seems to do a nice job.

What petroleum distillates was CTT referring to when they said to use caution due to possible paint damage?

No idea what they might have in mind. "Petroleum distillates," as a category, covers a number of different substances, none of which I've ever used on trains.

http://www.p2pays.org/ref/19/18161/alt.cfm-id=pd&cat=ov.htm

[EIS2]

Thanks for the reply.  I use the WD-40 to spray on steam engine wheels to spruce them up a bit.  I learned that trick from one of Jim Barrett's Backshop videos.  It works quite well.  I use furniture polish to spruce up the paint on my steamers.

What petroleum distillates was CTT referring to when they said to use caution due to possible paint damage?

Earl

[arkady]

EIS2

The CTT 700e Restoration project mentioned cleaning some parts in full-strength lemon juice and some parts in vinegar and said cautioned should be exercised using petroleum distillates due to possible paint damage.  (CTT March 2010, pg 67.) I have always used alcohol, which I assume is a petroleum distillate...

It's not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol

...to clean parts and I have used WD-40, which I also assume is at least partially a petroleum distillate...

That's true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40

... to enhance the finish.

You spray WD-40 on your trains to make them shiny? To each his own, I guess, but I don't think I'd go that way.

I once bought a 6220 that had been oiled up by its previous owner. The Santa Fe decals were stained a light pink by it. I had to replace them.

I soak greasy small parts in the alcohol long enough (less than 1 hour) to loosen caked on grease and grime.

So do I. I also clean the crud from wheels with a Q-tip soaked in alcohol. I've never slopped any on paint, so I can't say what damage it might or might not do. I have never used lemon juice, vinegar or WD-40 as cleaners, so I can't comment on their usefulness.

[EIS2]

The CTT 700e Restoration project mentioned cleaning some parts in full-strength lemon juice and some parts in vinegar and said cautioned should be exercised using petroleum distillates due to possible paint damage.  (CTT March 2010, pg 67.)

I have always used alcohol, which I assume is a petroleum distillate, to clean parts and I have used WD-40, which I also assume is at least partially a petroleum distillate, to enhance the finish.  I haven't seen any paint damage as a result of using these products.  I soak greasy small parts in the alcohol long enough (less than 1 hour) to loosen caked on grease and grime.  What cautions shoud I be taking when using these products?

I had not heard of using lemon juice or vinegar to clean train parts before, although the acidic nature of these products should work well.  What parts should should be cleaned with lemon juice and vinegar and how should it be done?  Has anyone used these products before to clean train parts and how well did they work?

Earl