I know this is like beating the dead horse, but last night I discovered something that was almost mind boggling! After noticing that most of my many freight cars had begun to refuse to ROLL, I realized that the wheels had become disgustingly DIRTY! Some of them over fifteen years old, and never been cleaned.... not a job I really looked forward to! Then I found out the aerosol can of "Electrical Contact Cleaner" I use on loco wheels was all but GONE, I went looking for options. First thing I grabbed was my bottle of mineral spirits that I use to thin my oil-based paints in my airbrush. I figured this would be a waste of time, as this is not what you would call a very "strong" solvent, and it's kinda slow drying. Well I am officially amazed! This stuff appears to be the "biological enemy" of whatever that gunk is on the wheels. The crud on the wheels LIQUIFIED immediately upon application with a Qtip, and saturated the swab! Being a "slow solvent", I could keep on cleaning with one Qtip, as the gunk just soaked in, rather than building up on the swab! I can't tell you how well it worked on my TRACK... one application on the felt pads on my "Tidy-Track" gizmo, I cleaned the whole layout, with the pads staying moist with solvent. It does have a "smell", but in a few minutes...gone. If you haven't tried it, you need to! It won't hurt plastic (not immediately, anyway), as most of my freight cars have plastic wheels. It CAN DAMAGE PAINT! I bought it at Walmart, it's cheap (32oz bottle), and it's made by "Klean Strip", and it's called: "Odorless Mineral Spirits". Please try it...it WORKS! Edit: I have since tried it on various types of plastic, to see if it will damage it. It does not dissolve, or "attack" any plastic i could find. Styrene, polystyrene, acetal, etc.... even safer than alcohol on dry acrylic paint...
Mike C.
Thanks for sharing.....I may have to try that. I have some in my tool trailer.
I will definitely try it on my steel wheels and rails, carefully. I am apprehensive about the longevity effect on plastic though. Who knows only time would tell.
I use mineral sprits as a general purpose cleaner for all kinds of things, but I have never used it on models.
.
I also have concerns over long term problems, especially with the little plastic nubs that hold the rails to crossties.
I am interested in reports of other's experiences.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Almost amazing...
but not quite.
Is it because you have hundreds of wheels to clean still.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
For me I don't have many plastic Wheels to clean because I've been replaced them with steel so quick they never got dirty.
I did a little research and read a few forums today. A painter talking about cleaning his paint brushes with mineral spirits claimed his plastic paint brush handles became brittle and broke overtime.
Now was that the sun's fault or the mineral spirits? I don't know.
I'm going to have to go along with Kevin on this one. I'm a little worried about those little plastic tie nubbies too!
If you're just cleaning the rail heads, the tiny spike heads should be safe. Worth a try. In fact, it sounds like an idea to try after painting the sides of the rails rusty color. I'd wear gloves if you are using it with cloth wipers. Dan
SAFETY DATA SHEET for Klean Strip Odorless Mineral Spirits
http://www.kleanstrip.com/uploads/documents/KS_Odorless_Mineral_Spirits_MSDS.pdf
RR Baron
Appreciate the cleaning solution concept! I'm all about fast and effective products to clean the track. Can someone pls tell us the name of that product? Walmart has many different options here:
https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=odorless%20mineral%20spirits&cat_id=0
I don´t see any reason to make a big fuss about using mineral spirits or any other solvent for cleaning rails and wheels. It´s nothing new, nor is it amazing. It´s been done for decades, although it is not without risks. Solvent fumes are not really harmless and this job should only be done in a well ventilated environment, preferably outdoor.
You can achieve the same effect using denatured alcohol, which is less harmful ynd does not leave an oily residue on the wheels or the track.
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
I hate to say it, but all this hysteria over "toxic fumes" is just plain RIDICULOUS....anybody ever heard of "common sense"? How about NAIL POLISH REMOVER (acetone)...? The girls rub it all over their fingers and toes... I guess they all should be dead by now...or brain-damaged, but that's another story altogether....
wobblinwheelI hate to say it, but all this hysteria over "toxic fumes" is just plain RIDICULOUS..
Tell that to the Hazmat folks!
Could it be that you are a little off track from sniffing at the bottle of glue? I think you better step down a little!
Just want to blow some fresh air into this conversation,
Perhaps the "oily residue" is what that is improving performance?
Far as application, wear gloves, try getting a piece of wood about a 1/2" thick, a little wider that the track, and about twice as long as it's wide. Wrap a cloth, or paper towel, find something that doesn't fray or rip. Dampen the cloth with your favored fluid (Alcohol, Acetone, Mineral Spirits) use whatever floats your boat and rolls your trains.
It'd be a good idea to have plenty of ventilation with a good flow of air through the work area.
I'd like to hear the long term benefits/effects of using mineral spirits on track.
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
NWP SWPPerhaps the "oily residue" is what that is improving performance?
That is highly unlikely, as the residue acts as a lubricant, reducing friction and therefore traction.
NWP SWPI'd like to hear the long term benefits/effects of using mineral spirits on track.
Don´t expect any. Mineral spirits or any other cleaning agent just remove any non conductive residue until new one accumulates again and you have to repeat the cleaning procedure. Aside from dust and dirt, traction tires and plastic wheels are the main culprits for the gunk on the rail heads.
Yet another cleaning thread.
Call the paramedics and get them on standby. It seems goat getter has struck again.
This Thread reminds me of an old life lesson. The kid who got teased in high school. The best thing he could do was laugh along and join in. Then it went away. If he let it be known it got to him, things just got worse and worse.
Now if you will excuse me I am going to go clean some locomotive gears with xylol.
Age is not neither an accomplishment nor a guarantee for wisdom, as can be taken from some of the posts here.
Anyone who has dealt with mineral spirits for cleaning in a not well vented, confined environment will be able to talk about the effects the fumes can have on breathing as well as the eyes. I find it irresponsible if not foolish to ignore the risks, and belittling those people who warn about the risks is simply ignorant and stupid.
I sincerely hope that the mods will step in and remove this thread!
What I use does not leave a residue. This I know. It does evaporate slower than your "fast solvents (acetone, laquer thinner, denatured alcohol, etc)", and that's one of the reasons it works so well as a cleaner. It dissolves the "black stuff" on the wheels and track faster than anything I've ever used. Liquified imediately...not EVAPORATING immediately! (good thing). If you think it will kill you, buy a HAZMAT SUIT, or DON'T USE IT, but don't say I don't know what I'm talking about... if you try it, and it doesn't work, THEN you might be qualified to voice an opinion! (once you get out of the hospital for breathing the deadly "fumes", or having a PANIC ATTACK because you "smelled something")...by the way, save the hazmat suit to wear to your next Train Show, in case someone is operating one of those DREADED SMOKE UNITS! Oh, and being within ten miles of a REAL STEAM ENGINE is a definite NO NO! If you're "afraid" to try it, then DON'T. That's all I can say at this point... unbelievable...
I can believe that mineral spirits/paint thinner is good at dissolving gunk. What it is not good at is evaporating. So there will be a residue of mineral spirits. That has been claimed as a good thing by other advocates of using the stuff.
Others feel that a clean dry rail is better, as it is less "sticky" to dust.
Mike, you could get that film off, I think, by wiping it up with alcohol. THAT evaporates cleanly.
Or. You could leave it there. If it suits you.
I am more of a believer in the clean-dry route. So I use alcohol. I also sometimes just use paper, sometimes. In particular, coffee filter paper wrapped around a wood block. It's cheap, and it doesn't have much "fuzz".
Ed
I just cleaned my cell phone and tablet screens with it. Began to evaporate much faster than I expected. Left no streaks and no sign of residue. It also says on bottle: "Low odor, good for INDOOR USE". I Even took a SATURATED Qtip, and put a heavy "stripe" down the center of the screen. Under bright light, I watched the liquid evaporate, took about twenty seconds. Nothing visible left. This being said, I can't see how it could possibly be in any way harmful to wheels or track. Maybe being "odorless", it's more highly refined than your typical paint thinner...? I just wish someone would try it, and THEN tell me they had "issues", or it "doesn't work" like I say it does...