I bought a brass loco in the late 60's that was incredibly detailed and ran very smooth, but i was transferred shortly after to a place where I couldn't have a layout. Now that I am nearing retirement and have the space, I am getting ready to build my dream layout. However, I pulled out the old brass loco (never painted) and found that the foam material protecting it had decomposed and stuck all over it. My question is, how do I clean this off? The original lacquer is in place but is covered with the decomposed foam. Thanks. dpw
Your paint is probably ruined.
I had the same problem with a model I picked up, and I used some alcohol to try and remove the foam that had bonded with the body. It removed the foam, and the paint. Lucky it was only the pilot, not a big deal to fix that. There still are a few spots stuck to the body, but I have left them as they are not very noticeable.
Brass locomotives should be wrapped in plastic film prior to storage in their boxes. The foam disintegrates over time and it will stick to the body.
Maybe someone else has a solution, but I am thinking it involves new paint.
Nautilus:
I've run into that several times when purchasing a used brass loco. Frankly, I've found that using a soft toothbrush and a mild liquid detergent VERY gently on the superstructure, will usually get the 'debris' off. It won't restore the brass finish, but if you're going to paint it, it will at least give the tarnished surface a good cleaning for the primer.
I bought a consignment PFM Rio Grande 2-8-8-2 last year from Caboose Hobbies (I generally deal with them, since Rio Grande is the major road I model), and it had been in the box for a long time. The toothbrush and liquid detergent method gave me a loco that was clean and ready for painting. Just be careful around the 'delicate' details. As far as any foam adhering to the rods and eccentric gear, a toothpick will usually loosen them enough to vacuum up with a small hand-vac with a small hose connection.
Hope this helps.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
I would try what Tom recomended first. I bought an old LMB enginebuilt in the 60's off of Ebay with a bad case of this problem and the foam acctualy ate through the paint and slightly etched into the brass as well. Once cleaned up, a new paint job should hide the slight etching of the brass, but it goes to show you how bad that old foam can be on a model over a long period of time. Once your remove the foam check the clear coat closely for any etching. You may need to strip the old clear coat before you paint.
John.
Phil, I'm not a rocket scientist; they are my students.
Here is a current Brass project that spent some time in a dishwasher (Minus the heat dry cycle) and was essentially clean and ready to be primed and painted. it is a old Westside Q Class Aux water tender for the B&O.
I am not yet certain how I am going to hit that brass yet. I think to use Rustoleum Primer and then Rustoleum Flat Black but am not decided on that yet, still researching possibilities that does not require baking.
No foam in sight for this model. It was kept on a shelf for a while and then shipped to me in a custom frame of wood.
Try Rustoleum "Wrought Iron Black", it's a great shade of black and isn't as chalky looking.....
Mark
I waited until the weather conditions were adequate for painting near sunset with no wind.
I hit the item with Rustoleum Dark Grey Primer and inspected for brassy spots and painted those over in the sunbeam until I did not really find any more brass except in very specific small spots.
I have Rustoleum Flat Black planned later because I could not find wrought iron. I have struggled so much making the choice between Flat Black and Semi Gloss to perhaps match my Q4 2-8-2 from Sunset. I am still debating the issue as the paint dries on the Primer.
Without further ado, the results of the priming:
I went ahead and finished the model in top coat of Rustoleum Black. Out of respect to the OP's topic regarding cleaning brass I point to the primer picture as hiding the small spots and slight blemish under the long walkway towards the center of the tender wall. However the Flat Black top coating reveals these small spots as it dries.
I decided that I will leave it be and let it dry a week or so before finishing the model and decaling it. Weather conditions for the top coat was identical for a short time before changing too much for safe painting outside.
I may mask off around the wooden walk ways around the center hatch and repaint them the primer color to provide a little bit of contrast as the B&O tended to hold on to wood quite a long time.
Without further ado: