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Cleaning wheels with a Dremel tool?
Cleaning wheels with a Dremel tool?
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Anonymous
Member since
April 2003
305,205 posts
Cleaning wheels with a Dremel tool?
Posted by
Anonymous
on Saturday, March 4, 2006 6:34 PM
Folks,
Was curious as to what most use to clean their wheels on their locomotives. I have a Dremel tool that I use with a synthetic polishing brush. Is this the best device to use? Also curious about keeping them from oxidizing after. Any electrically conducive lube or the like that can be applied after the wheels have been cleaned to keep them that way while not in use?
Thanks,
Brad
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dieselfan04
Member since
December 2003
From: Bennettsville, South Carolina
40 posts
Posted by
dieselfan04
on Saturday, March 4, 2006 7:41 PM
I use my Dremel with a brass brush attachment. Be careful or you can melt the end of the shaft or journal on the truck. I always place a finger on the other wheel to keep it from spinning too fast.
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MisterBeasley
Member since
December 2004
From: Bedford, MA, USA
21,481 posts
Posted by
MisterBeasley
on Saturday, March 4, 2006 7:51 PM
But don't let it hang up in one spot, either, or you'll get a flat spot on your wheel. The Dremel is spinning really, really fast and it can flatten a wheel if you're not careful.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
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Eriediamond
Member since
March 2016
1,447 posts
Posted by
Eriediamond
on Saturday, March 4, 2006 8:01 PM
I also use a Dremel tool with a brass brush, but only on metal wheels. On plastic wheels I use a round tooth-pick that has be cut off and filed to a chisel point with an emory board to get the caked on crude off then follow with a cotton swab and lighter fluid. I don't use oil on them after cleaning. This may be debatible, but oil will help any dust or dirt to stick to the wheels, although, oil on the track will do the same thing. Yeah, I know, that miracle clipper oil is supposed to do wonders for electrical pick up and I won't argue that fact. Just that I choose not to oil my wheel treads. Ken
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cbq9911a
Member since
December 2001
From: Chicagoland
465 posts
Posted by
cbq9911a
on Saturday, March 4, 2006 8:41 PM
No way I'd use a Dremel tool - it's a waste of a good cleaning brush.
I clean wheels by moistening a napkin with Goo Gone, putting it over the track, and running cars over it. It works every time to get out the gunk.
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Anonymous
Member since
April 2003
305,205 posts
Posted by
Anonymous
on Saturday, March 4, 2006 9:06 PM
I also use a brass brush on a Dremel to polish wheel treads, but only after weathering a car.
See, EVERY car of mine gets metal wheel sets (Usually P2K) before it sees rails, so once they are put on the pike, I NEVER have to clean the wheels again! All I have to do is run them and they stay clean! [^]
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