Maintenance of Running Gear

You can use the dishwasher tablets on their own. You can put a couple in a bowl and wash it in there with VERY hot water, too hot to keep your hands in and using gloves will help no end as that extra heat is what really helps! When we have burned food in pans the Mrs just puts some water in and a tablet, heats it up and it never fails.
Cheers
Rob
 
MAYBACH said:
You can use the dishwasher tablets on their own. You can put a couple in a bowl and wash it in there with VERY hot water, too hot to keep your hands in and using gloves will help no end as that extra heat is what really helps! When we have burned food in pans the Mrs just puts some water in and a tablet, heats it up and it never fails.
Cheers
Rob
Click to expand...
That is why glasses go milky if low on salt and rinse aid...dishwasher tabs are pretty caustic little things :o:
 
nice info
ill siwtch from blue 3 in 1 to motor oil
i too clean stuff as oil becomes liquid sandpaper when dirty
this is good not only for steam engines but electric stuff in need ot a good re-lube-get rid of all the old lube and make it squeaky clean

and for the dish tabs-
totally agree
in the US, the formulas have recently changed to use less phosphate, and therefore are less caustic-they dont work as well

they will, however, still slowly eat and dull paint work-so if used -they should be used infrequently
also
they tend to score and otherwise discolor aluminum, brass and other metals
i use acetone to really clean my locos-hard on the hands-needs ventialtion and away from igntion sources
while it can melt some plastics-it works wonderfully for really cleaning the paint to a like new appearance- i have used repeatedly on my frank and the SRRL-just eats through steam oil and grease -

it being cool and dampish today-and swmbo out for a hair-do-
i think ill steam up today

since roundhouse has used white metal, i would not take the chance with dishwasher tabs as this stuff will have white blotches etc from dish washer soap
that dmanable stuff is delicate and needs no help in being weakened in otherwise affected
 
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. As there are some brass parts in the running gear I think I will pass on the dishwasher tablet option and set to work with some meths & an old toothbrush which was my first instinct !
 
Good thread, Ive been using 3in1 on the gear, but will change to a bit of motor oil.

As for dishwasher tablets, these are now the most dangerous item in the kitchen that a small person could eat. (or anyone) probably why US has changed them. Unfortunately accidents happen and child supervision is a bit suspect sometimes...
 
Try a mix of white spirit and paraffin brush applied. You will need to re-oil after of course...
 
Thanks Tag I will give that a whirl . I will assume its a 50/50 mix.
 
I only use one oil for everything.That includes the cars,both classic and modern motorcycles,lawnmowers,vintage stationary engines and of course my accy locos.
15/40 diesel engine oil
 
Oh and I forgot,me pushbike
 
Bumping an old thread.

I've just used wd40 to clean my loco and it worked really well. I was about to ask if this was a good or bad thing to do. Seems its a good thing but wd40 may not be the best, hope the o rings are ok and it's just repeated use that causes problems.

Is there a better alternative to wd40 for cleaning after a session?


Edit found this on wd40 http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/534631-does-wd40-hurt-o-rings-a-test/ < Link To http://www.thumpertalk.co...0-hurt-o-rings-a-test/
 
Tag,

A few years ago I was talking to John Prescott when he was still making locomotives. We got round to the question of lubrication. I mentioned using WD40 on the motion and bearings, he nearly fainted!

The reason being that WD [Water dispersant] should not be used for lubrication on our locomotives!
It forms a film over the metal in the scores and valleys we cannot see on the metal, unless we look under a microscope. When another other oil is then squirted onto the metal it will run off and have no lubricating benefit, thus causing wear.
Just passing on what I was told.

John.
 
John Morgan said:
Tag,

A few years ago I was talking to John Prescott when he was still making locomotives. We got round to the question of lubrication. I mentioned using WD40 on the motion and bearings, he nearly fainted!

The reason being that WD [Water dispersant] should not be used for lubrication on our locomotives!
It forms a film over the metal in the scores and valleys we cannot see on the metal, unless we look under a microscope. When another other oil is then squirted onto the metal it will run off and have no lubricating benefit, thus causing wear.
Just passing on what I was told.

John.
Click to expand...
I use white spirit and paraffin for cleaning where the running gear is not stainless... We used WD 40 on helicopters as a water dispersant in the RN.
 
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