Since this is presumably “lost on me” (I can accept this) you will be good enough to explain after the Detergent dissolves the ‘dirt contaminants’ into an oil suspension how one get’s rid of the ‘dirt’? Perhaps the word I hylighted “swab” is the clue?
In the case of any oil/dirt suspension on the track - and if it doesnt dry out - where does it go?? You might try going back and re-read my posts.
What’s next? WD-40?
Don,
Back in the 1970s when a lot of TV sets still had mechanical tuners I worked on TV sets. The good “tuner cleaner sprays” are NOT oil based. It was ALWAYS a bad idea to use oil on a tuner. The result was eventually worse than when you started. The good tuner cleaners were based on other chemicals. I have cleaned track with tuner cleaner and don’t particularly like it for that purpose. I have never tried the Wahl clipper oil because I can’t get a handle on the chemistry involved. It seems to me like oiling a lock instead of using the powered lubricants. It will eventually attract dust and dirt. But back to my point…if you spray your thumb with a GOOD tuner cleaner it will get very cold but it won’t get oil on it!
Ebriley
I cleaned TV tuners too - Earlier - with Carbon Tet. SOME commercial ‘Tuner cleaners’ did leave an oil film, and some Commercial 'Track cleaners have an light oil base. I used one for two years. the track stayed shiney but my plastic wheels developed ‘tires’. Today I have all JB brass wheels - not so much for ‘crud’ buildup, but eliminating gauge problems.
Yes, metal wheels do pick up ‘crud’ too.
Wahl Clipper oil I own (since I also own a Wahl Clipper). I don’t talk about thing I don’t actuly own, or haven’t had. Your ‘Fingers test’ is an accurate indicator. More people should try it.
Don
I’ve used ATF on a swab in conjunction with an engine cradle to clean wheels, I’ve also used it on a paper towel and driven one end of a diesel onto it to clean the wheels, but in 99% of the cases, just 2-3 drops on the tracks is all I use in front of an oncoming train cleans the whole train. Where the dirt goes, I dont know, or really care! I have seen cars “shed” small chunks of dirt, I can only assume that all do . I havn’t cleaned wheels on a car since I can remember. The cases of cars I have here that just came off the club layout ALL have clean wheels.
Maybe the difference is that in a prior post you mentioned brass wheels. ( I w
Pure, distilled water does not conduct electricity. It is a dielectric substance. Contaminants in non-pure water conduct electricity.
Solvents are solvents. Detergents are emulsifiers.
It does no good to clean your electrically-powered equipment and track only to have the rolling stock redeposit the grime and grunge onto the rails.
ATF is a very interesting idea!
For what it’s worth, the MSDS for Radio Shack’s brand of tuner cleaner lists the ingredients as being 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, cyclomethicone, and mineral oil. So, yes, Radio Shack’s tuner cleaner is oil based.
If an AC pugged-in radio fell into my bath water and electrocuted me, Are you suggesting I"M the contaminant?
Agreed. It’s got to be removed.
It’s still an oil. Oils attract dirt and dust. A Detergent / oil emulsion may dissolve dirt, but that doesn’t remove it.
OILS loosen dirt. Does It ‘clean’ Engine wheels in a cradle. Yes when you use a swab. Gals like bath oils. Once my wife poured a bath oil into my tub. - It left a ring.
Dissolved dirt HAS to go somewhere. If you like cleaning rolling stock wheels - use oil.
Tap water is not distilled water. Tap water contains numerous dissolved ions, like calcium carbonate, as well as halogen ions, like fluoride and cloride. These ions are what conduct electricity, not the water itself. Distilled water has had all of these ions removed, so it won’t conduct electricity. Try it yourself. Commericial electrolysis often involves adding very small amounts of sulfuric acid to the water to enhance the conductivity.
How many people remember your Dad saying “don’t turn the knob that fast on the TV - you’ll ruin the tuner!”? How many people even know what a TV tuner is?
I can’t believe that there is a war going on about the best way to clean track! (Anyone remember the letter war in Model Railroader when someone suggested that Walthers was committing some sort of fraud because it advertised a Penn Central steam locomotive decal?). I think that every method listed here works for the person championing it. The key is to read the various methods, pick a few to try, try them, determine what works best for you and then use that one.
Yes,I remember the letter wars on the Walthers’ PC steam locomotive decals…I also remember the howl about the Model Power 4-6-2 that came lettered for Chessie long before the 2101 was painted in Chessie.[}:)]
It only becomes a war when you see smoke; none so far.
Probably everything works. It just we wi***o minimize the frequency of efforts
and R U N T R A I N S so lets do it.
Happy railroading and thanks for the contributions.
BRAKIE: Didn’t you post about a year ago, either YOU or your CLUB - uses Brass track? Brass oxidizes.
Re: OIL It’s obvious you haven’t read the label on your can of Radio Shack Tuner Cleaner. I wouldn’t bring it up at club if they’ve been using it for 12 years -You know what they say about 'killing the messenger".
As I said earlier, Radio Shack TV tuner cleaner contains 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, cyclomethicone, and mineral oil. Yes, mineral oil, the very low viscosity petroleum-derived hydrocarbon sometimes used as a laxitive and the primary component of many lamp oils and model train smoke fluids. I have been running toy trains(3 rail O gauge) for many years, and I can tell you that mineral oil is definitely the last thing you want on your track. If nothing else, your traction-tire equipped engines will have their tires swell, and will throw the tires.
If Wahl clipper oil is so bad (many comments on how it draws dust, dirt, etc) why don’t barber’s clippers gum up? (or is this too obvious?).
BC
As an owner of a Wahl ’ clipper - they DO.
(They have to be regularly taken apart and ‘cleaned’).
THOSE that think oil disolves dirt - it will - but it doesn’t remove it.
Try applying it to a WINDOW sometime.
You learn something new every day. I found that hard to believe, so I did a web search. I found dozens of sites saying exactly that!
[:0][:)]
The club I go to uses nickel silver track made by Atlas…Now we did have a industrial park that had some old brass track as a temporary stop gap fix that lasted for quite some time before we remember it was brass…I am sure it has been torn out and replace as we voted to replace it some time ago…Come to think of it,it still might be there since we wasn’t having problems with oxidization. …I know its painted because I was the one that did the painting after I finished painting Steve lightly screen ballast and added weeds and such like details to the track…
I also stated that I know of a older club that still has about 75% brass track on their layout…This club operates once a week with no problems…Perhaps that’s what you was thinking of?