Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Model and prototype rolling stock, locos, multiple units etc.
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Paul Willis
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Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Paul Willis » Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:16 am

Here's a question that I can't find an answer to by searching on the Forum...

Does anyone use/recommend a liquid for cleaning "crud" off locomotive (or other) wheels?

I'm currently running in my Y14 chassis after chipping it. One thing that is noticeable is that in the time that it has been stored, the wheels (Gibson, steel tyres) have picked up a film of general oxidation and dirt. Not rusty, but a bit grimy.

What I'm wondering is whether there is anything that could be applied with a cotton bud to take this off. I have the usual potions of Acidip, cellulose thinners, etc. However they do all seem a little violent, or leave their own residues, to use for this.

Any thoughts, or should I just continue with the trusty glass fibre brush that I've used this morning?

Cheers
Flymo
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Simon_S
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Simon_S » Sat Jun 15, 2013 11:08 am

Lighter fuel does a good job - it's an effective solvent, doesn't leave a residue or affect paint and isn't too volatile.

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jim s-w
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby jim s-w » Sat Jun 15, 2013 11:10 am

Another vote for lighter fuel. I switched to IPA but it tends to evaporate too quickly so it's back to lighter fuel as a first choice. (IPA as a back up, and it smells nicer)
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Natalie Graham

Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Natalie Graham » Sat Jun 15, 2013 12:14 pm

Flymo748 wrote: applied with a cotton bud


Or just make a bath between the platforms as the prototype https://secure.flickr.com/photos/walsal ... otostream/
Last edited by Natalie Graham on Sat Jun 15, 2013 2:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Martin Wynne
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Martin Wynne » Sat Jun 15, 2013 1:47 pm

Flymo748 wrote: the wheels (Gibson, steel tyres) have picked up a film of general oxidation and dirt. Not rusty, but a bit grimy. What I'm wondering is whether there is anything that could be applied with a cotton bud to take this off.

Steel wheels + solvent cleaner = rust. I suggest a light lubricating oil on a cotton-bud. 3-in-1 oil or similar.

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Tim V
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Tim V » Sat Jun 15, 2013 5:54 pm

Lighter fluid gets my vote, a lot cheaper than IPA, using cotton buds.
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

Philip Hall
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Philip Hall » Sat Jun 15, 2013 9:12 pm

RS electrical cleaning fluid in a can was my favourite years ago because it specifically wouldn't attack plastic. Then it became unavailable, probably because it was either nasty stuff in modern terms or maybe people were drinking it. I think the modern equivalent is an aerosol, stock no 513-679 and I spray a little into the lid and then use a cotton bud. However, this is only a final clean, after using either an abrasive rubber wheel in the minidrill which really shines them up a treat, or a brass brush in the drill. I find these days that with plenty of pickup (which of course you don't have, with a little engine) it's not as critical as I used to find it for the wheels to be spotless. Steel tyres or nickel, same procedure.

Perhaps I might also say that I would emphatically never, ever, entertain a glass fibre brush anywhere near a mechanism; the fibres get everywhere and combine with oil to create a gooey residue. I feel the same way about liquid lead, but at least that doesn't spike your fingers.

I did recommend to Paul Townsend of this parish a few months ago these rubber abrasive wheels and he later told me he couldn't find any. This prompted me to have a look around and I drew the same blank. So if anyone out there knows of a source, about 15 - 20 mm diameter, please let us know.

Philip

johnp

Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby johnp » Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:07 pm

Have you had a look at these people? - http://www.moleroda.com/acatalog/Mounted_Rubber_Points.html

Not wheels, I grant you, but there might be something that will do.

Regards,

John

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Will L
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Will L » Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:34 pm

Philip Hall wrote:Perhaps I might also say that I would emphatically never, ever, entertain a glass fibre brush anywhere near a mechanism; the fibres get everywhere and combine with oil to create a gooey residue...


A gooey residue? I've always used glass fibre brushes, never seen a gooey residue. Yes the fibres do get in you fingers, so I can see why people wouldn't like using them much, but as the glass wont breakdown in the oil, if you did get an oil/glass fibre mix I'd expect it to be fibrous and crunchy.

Will

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Paul Willis
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Paul Willis » Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:38 pm

Thanks for all of the advice pointing at lighter fluid.

I have a tin of this in my Lotions & Potions desk drawer. It's usually used for thinning the paint in my Bob Moore lining pen. However in this case it worked a treat, as can be seen from the picture below...

IMG_6600 (Copy).JPG


I have one or two pickups to tweak to get smooth running, but that can wait until the morning!

Cheers
Flymo
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Philip Hall
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Philip Hall » Sun Jun 16, 2013 1:26 am

Will, I am biased against glass fibre brushes, can't stand the things. However, having maintained some other folks engines over the years I have found that the fibres do combine with the oil. Not quite as liquid as 'gooey'' might imply, perhaps a poor choice of word, it is, as you say quite crunchy, but what I've had has also been sticky. Maybe the chassis have been over oiled. Whatever, it's a foul job to clean it out as it just attaches itself to everything. I've often taken the chassis outside and blasted it with an air duster and then swilled around with cleaning fluid and the little perishers are still there!

I do prefer Garriflex or similar abrasives (the Double O gauge association cleaning block is the best so far for me, followed by the EMGS track rubber) as the debris is bigger and kinder to the fingers. Rubber wheels ditto. Thanks, John, I'll check out the link in the morning as you will see the crazy hour at which I'm typing this...

Philip

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Ian Everett
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Ian Everett » Sun Jun 16, 2013 7:22 am

I find that most of the crud on wheels is fairly solid and can best be removed using a screwdriver or etch kit waste as a scraper. To make the locos' wheels turn I have a simple device made of a couple of short rail lengths soldered to pcb to provide the power.

For removing oily stuff, including on tracks, I have used surgical spirit with success. My pharmacist friend says that the aspirin in it is the magic ingredient which removes all modellers' headaches...

It also contains a little castor oil, which will inhibit rust and make them run well. :thumb

Ian

Terry Bendall
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Terry Bendall » Sun Jun 16, 2013 7:43 am

I stopped using all forms of solvents several years ago and have found that wheels on both locos and stock don't get nearly as dirty as they did during an exhibition. Much less cleaning is now needed before going to a show. Perhaps the dust raised by feet lands on the rails? Anyway I use a small glass fibre brush to clean wheels with the loco powered and the brush held against the wheels. For cleaning track I use 600 grit wet and dry paper used dry and wrapped around a small piece of wood which is a little thicker than the width of the rail head. This can be controlled easily, and won't damage fine track detail including rubbing off of paint on check rails etc. I have not had any problems with bits of glass fibre clogging in mechanisms.

Terry Bendall

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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby shipbadger » Sun Jun 16, 2013 8:11 am

I use the same system as Terry for my P4 stock and rarely suffer a fibre in the fingers; can't actually remember the last time (cracks about horny handed sons of toil can be made later) For my N scale stock (all wheel drive American diesels) which can be powered easily for cleaning I sit one end on kitchen towel which has had a squirt of Goo Gone or similar and set the wheels turning. I think I'd do the same for all wheel drive 4mm diesels. I do have a seperate piece of track to do this to avoid any stray Goo Gone dissolving the ballast adhesive. I have also used it on a cotton bud to clean P4 wheels but it's a bit laborious. Incidentally some of my chassis have built in lugs for attaching mini crocodile clips to in order to power the chassis during wheel cleaning, nothing fancy, just a couple of pieces of 0.9mm brass. Perhaps I should say the chassis are split axled so I'm not worrying about pick-ups. Don't think I've ever found glass fibre/oil goo, I oil with clock oil or synthetic engine oil. The synthetic oil mainly in gear boxes.

I also used to use RS cleaning fluid years ago, but as it was 'trike' (1,1,1-trichlorethylene) and considerd not good for the environment it's use was discouraged.

Tony Comber

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David B
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby David B » Sun Jun 16, 2013 8:25 am

Philip Hall wrote:I did recommend to Paul Townsend of this parish a few months ago these rubber abrasive wheels and he later told me he couldn't find any. This prompted me to have a look around and I drew the same blank. So if anyone out there knows of a source, about 15 - 20 mm diameter, please let us know.

Philip

Squires sell them. They are on p128 of their Tools catalogue. Only problem is that the minimum order is £15.

Abrasive wheels.jpg
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Will L
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Will L » Sun Jun 16, 2013 10:18 am

Philip Hall wrote:Will, I am biased against glass fibre brushes, can't stand the things. However, having maintained some other folks engines over the years I have found that the fibres do combine with the oil. Not quite as liquid as 'gooey'' might imply, perhaps a poor choice of word, it is, as you say quite crunchy, but what I've had has also been sticky. Maybe the chassis have been over oiled.


Now that makes a deal of sense, though over oiled loco's accumulate much more junk than just fibre grass fragments. Years ago when the world was young and I was running my first exhibition layout, I though that oil was good for locos and set about my locos with the 3-in-1. I spent the next ten years cleaning it off again. Interestingly, as I eradicated the results of my error, the wheel stayed cleaner for longer and longer. These days my locos used regularly on Knutsford will go a full two days without needing a re-clean, and I promise that the Knutsford operating crew does not tolerate locos that don't go when asked. I decided that excess oil gets on wheel treads and track and the result is prematurely dirty wheels. These days locos never get more than the merest smidgen of sowing machine oil.

Will

P.S. and yes I do now know that 3-in-1 attacks plastic, but as the my locos don't contain much plastic this wasn't how I found out.

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Simon_S
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Simon_S » Sun Jun 16, 2013 3:23 pm

Martin Wynne wrote:Steel wheels + solvent cleaner = rust. I suggest a light lubricating oil on a cotton-bud. 3-in-1 oil or similar.
Martin.


Cleanliness over oiliness every time for me thanks Martin. No rust problems with wheels or rails in my experience; on the other hand, I have seen how quickly crud builds up with oil on the rails.
Last edited by Simon_S on Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Philip Hall
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Philip Hall » Sun Jun 16, 2013 4:42 pm

Thanks David,

Next time I'm about to order from Squires I'll have to remember to add them on.

Philip

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Tim V
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Tim V » Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:04 pm

I arrange points on the loco that a couple of croc clips can be attached to for turning the wheels. No sparking which can upset DCC chips.

Spent weekend at Wigan, the loco wheels were cleaned before I went. The track was cleaned Friday night - on arrival, Saturday morning and Sunday morning.

I didn't see any failures though others may.
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

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steve howe
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby steve howe » Fri Jul 12, 2013 12:04 pm

I run small 4 wheel industrial locos at slow speeds, steel rail and steel wheels seem the best combination. I cleaned the wheels and track on Horsley Bank with meths and cotton buds several years ago, then applied a light film of soft graphite (6B pencil) to wheeltreads, backs and collectors and a light film to the rails. I haven't cleaned the track or wheels and my locos have run at a crawl ever since.

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Re6/6
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Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby Re6/6 » Mon Jul 15, 2013 7:38 pm

We have used one of these for some years. http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=M66602 with great success.

Remove some small notches in the plastic next to the contacts and it will fit P4 track easily. I too agree with lighter fuel as a good cleaner.
John

John Fitton

Re: Recommended wheel cleaning solutions?

Postby John Fitton » Tue Jul 16, 2013 3:36 pm

I use a dremel moto tool with a stainless steel brush for cleaning steel wheels on rolling stock. I use a foot-activated speed controller to take the rpm down from 20,000 to about 1,000, and hold the tool at a slight angle across the wheel treads.

This has the advantage of polishing the treads, and if the wheels are blackened it removes that as well and makes the wheel treads more realistic in the process.

John Fitton


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