Re: Cleaning solutions

[Keith Taylor]

- Original Message -
From: "Keith Taylor" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Cleaning solutions


>
> Dave and Earle,
> I think if Earle didn't want to wade through all of that,the
prevailing
> view would be some use it andd some don't. for cleaning.
.[snip]...
[un snip!]  Once the pertoleim distilates evaporate, Whoops! I do
know how to spell petroleum! My fingers once again got ahead of my
brain! (that happens a lot of late!)
Keith


 

Re: Cleaning solutions

[Keith Taylor]

Subject: Re: Cleaning solutions


>   http://www.mail-archive.com/sslivesteam%40colegroup.com/
 > and put in:  wd-40
> and you'll get a sense of what has been discussed in the past.
> (capsule review: most people don't use wd-40 for cleaning, though
> there are enough partisans to make it an open question.)

Dave and Earle,
I think if Earle didn't want to wade through all of that,the prevailing
view would be some use it andd some don't. for cleaning. However, the
bit where there is a difference of opinion is whether or not to leave it
on the piece in question. Personally, and not to speak for anyone other
than myself, I no longer use it at all, not because it doesn't work for
cleaning, it does and quite well. But because if I leave any on the
metal or painted surfaces, it hardens into an almost impossible to
remove varnish like coating. Once the pertoleim distilates evaporate,
the remaining elements turn into a glass hard coating which might cause
one to damage either a polished machine finish, or remove a thin layer
of your paint, when trying to disolve or physically scrape of the
residue. If you can insure that after you've used the WD-40 for it's
cleaning role, and then either leave the surface dry, or in the case of
unpainted steel machined surfaces, a coating of light oil, you will be
fine. But rather than worry about removing evry last drop of WD-40, why
not use something that if a small coating remains, will not harm your
locomotive or machine tool? kero for everyday clean up, and for a real
baked on mess, some mineral spirits have always worked for me. And when
I'm done, and wiping everything down, manage to miss a spot of kero or
Spirits, it won't leave a brown glazed incrustation of residue! But if
it works for you, do what ever you wish! I am not one to argue with
success! I just got tired of having my paint work turn brown, and gunk
build up in the vorners of fluting on side rods etc. so leave the WD-40
for cleaning garden tools of mud and fertilizer.
Keith Taylor

 

Re: Cleaning solutions

[Dave Cole]

At 4:50 PM -0700 9/11/02, Earle wrote:
>Any of you using WD-40?

go to the archive web site at

  http://www.mail-archive.com/sslivesteam%40colegroup.com/

and put in

wd-40

and you'll get a sense of what has been discussed in the past.

(capsule review: most people don't use wd-40 for cleaning, though 
there are enough partisans to make it an open question.)

\dmc
-- 
^^^
Dave Cole
Gen'l Sup't:  Grand Teton & Everglades Steam Excursion Co.
   Pacifica, Calif. USA  
List Mom: sslivesteam, the list of small-scale live steamers
   

^^^ 

Re: Cleaning solutions

[Phil Paskos]

I've never liked Windex for anything other than cleaning windows and/or
mirrors either. And I do use WD-40 for cleaning as you do. It leaves a nice
shine on the loco and does remove oil and grease. And I also agree that it
is NOT a lubricant.

Phil

> Any of you using WD-40? I've used this successfully for years to clean the
> gunk and grit off of vintage motorcycles with great results and was
> considering using on my Forney.  Seems to loosen off old oil and grit
while
> leaving a protective residue that doesn't seem to hurt paint, plastic, or
> rubber.
> Of course I'd follow up with light oil for the bearings and bushes since
> WD-40 is not really a lubricant but more of a
cleaner-protectant..Earle

 

Re: Cleaning solutions

[Earle]

Any of you using WD-40? I've used this successfully for years to clean the
gunk and grit off of vintage motorcycles with great results and was
considering using on my Forney.  Seems to loosen off old oil and grit while
leaving a protective residue that doesn't seem to hurt paint, plastic, or
rubber.
Of course I'd follow up with light oil for the bearings and bushes since
WD-40 is not really a lubricant but more of a cleaner-protectant..Earle
- Original Message -
From: "Anthony Dixon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Multiple recipients of sslivesteam" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2002 11:15 AM
Subject: Re: Cleaning solutions


> Hi John,
> Do you know the ingredients, make, and supplier where I can check it
out?.
> Thank You,
> Tony D.
> At 03:51 PM 9/10/02 -0700, John Coughran wrote:


 

RE: Cleaning solutions

[Ciambrone, Steve @ OS]

I would think it would be a pretty weak solution, sure a lot gentler than
some of the other stuff mentioned.  Plus some of the other stuff stinks
pretty bad.

Sincerely
Steve Ciambrone
Sr. Test Engineer
L-3 Ocean Systems

-Original Message-
From:   Anthony Dixon [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent:   Wednesday, September 11, 2002 11:22 AM
To: Multiple recipients of sslivesteam
Subject:RE: Cleaning solutions

Hi Steve,
I thought Windex contained ammonia, (corrosive?), but maybe the
% is to 
small to cause paint problems?.
Tony D.
At 04:49 PM 9/10/02 -0700, Ciambrone, Steve @ OS wrote:
>I just use Windex window cleaner on the painted and wood parts to
get the
>oil off. Just wipe the metal parts off with a rag.
>
>Sincerely
>Steve Ciambrone
>Sr. Test Engineer
>L-3 Ocean Systems
>
>
  

Re: Cleaning solutions

[Anthony Dixon]

Hi Steve,
 I agree about using Kerosene for cleaning and degreasing everything 
including its characteristics of drying out bearing lubricants and seals.
 In my apprenticeship days, I recall washing the "outside" of needle 
and roller bearings to clean off the heavy shipping and storage greases 
prior to assembly.
 But you did not soak the bearings in a bath of Kerosene, as you also 
removed the actual internal lubricant grease very quickly. i.e. bone dry 
bearing, which was a definate no-no.
All the Kerosene cleaned dry surfaces would start to rust very quickly. 
Therefore an absolute neccessity to immediately give them a light recoat 
with lube oil afterwards, prior to use.
 Tony D.

  PS. I guess I will be heading to Aaron Brothers for some "Turps".


At 09:08 AM 9/10/02 -0700, Shyvers, Steve wrote:
>Aw, shucks, Tony. My locos are hardly pristine and surely candidates for a
>bath.
>
>I was about to recommend using something like "409" or "Murphy's Oil Soap",
>and then it occurred to me that the desired cleaner needs to be compatible
>with the lubricants in the loco's bearings and seals. What we don't want is
>a solvent or cleaner that leaches the lubricants out of the o-rings,
>gaskets, and bearings, and possibly leaves its own residue behind.
>
>Also we want it to evaporate fairly quickly without leaving a residue and
>not require a separate rinse. It sounds like a mixture of turpentine and
>light oil, or kerosene and light oil, would serve as a generic WD-40,
>although kerosene is a little slow to evaporate.
>
>Steve
 

RE: Cleaning solutions

[Anthony Dixon]

Hi Steve,
I thought Windex contained ammonia, (corrosive?), but maybe the % is to 
small to cause paint problems?.
Tony D.
At 04:49 PM 9/10/02 -0700, Ciambrone, Steve @ OS wrote:
>I just use Windex window cleaner on the painted and wood parts to get the
>oil off. Just wipe the metal parts off with a rag.
>
>Sincerely
>Steve Ciambrone
>Sr. Test Engineer
>L-3 Ocean Systems
>
>
 

Re: Cleaning solutions

[Anthony Dixon]

Hi John,
Do you know the ingredients, make, and supplier where I can check it out?.
Thank You,
Tony D.
At 03:51 PM 9/10/02 -0700, John Coughran wrote:
>Hello All,
>
>I use Pure Mineral Spirits Paint Thinner for cleaning locos with no bad
>effects so far.
>
>
>All the best, John Coughran,   310-318-1547, 1525-A Artesia Blvd,
>Manhattan Beach, CA  90266-7160, USA
>
 

RE: Cleaning solutions

[Ciambrone, Steve @ OS]

I just use Windex window cleaner on the painted and wood parts to get the
oil off. Just wipe the metal parts off with a rag.

Sincerely
Steve Ciambrone
Sr. Test Engineer
L-3 Ocean Systems

  

Re: Cleaning solutions

[Geoff Spenceley]

John et al,

I concur-- this is used in the industry to clean air tools. Any mixture
that includes oil will leave the dirt in suspension that it will stick to
the parts that have been "cleaned"--especially with a coal fired loco where
there is fine ash.

Geoff



Hello All,
>
>I use Pure Mineral Spirits Paint Thinner for cleaning locos with no bad
>effects so far.
>
>
>All the best, John Coughran,   310-318-1547, 1525-A Artesia Blvd,
>Manhattan Beach, CA  90266-7160, USA
>


 

Re: Cleaning solutions

[John Coughran]

Hello All,

I use Pure Mineral Spirits Paint Thinner for cleaning locos with no bad
effects so far.
 

All the best, John Coughran,   310-318-1547, 1525-A Artesia Blvd,
Manhattan Beach, CA  90266-7160, USA