To make the job of wheel cleaning
easier there are a few products that can be of help.
The cheapest way to clean wheels is to
use cotton swabs and isopropanol or cleaning fluid (track cleaner). Wet
the cotton swab with the cleaning fluid and rub it agains the wheel
threads. Hold the opposite wheel on the same axle with your free hand.
A service cradle, made of foam, is handy not to damage the model when
it is upside down. Take great care of roof details, pantographs in
particular. This method is cheap and effective, but time consuming.
Wheel
cleaning track
Tomix makes a handy wheel cleaning device, which consists of a piece of
Tomix 'Finetrack' trackwork (a 140 mm long straight section) with
built-in wheel cleaning pads that are driven by a small motor. The
traick is that you put cleaning fluid on the wheel cleaning pads, run
your train or car on it, stop the train and turn on the motor that
moves the cleaning pads. Now turn the wheel slowly (move about 5
millimetres / ¼ inch) and repeat. Move on until all wheel have
been done. The cleaning track can be built into a layout, your hidden
sidings / fiddleyard / staging is a good position for this useful piece
of equipment.
If you have lighted coaches or cars with electrical pickup, it is wise
to put in a little conducta lube on the wipers, to ensure good
electrical contact.
Tomix wheel cleaning
track
Peco service cradle Peco
Electrolube
Tomix track and
wheel cleaning fluid. Aerocar track cleaner
Products for wheel cleaning
- Cotton swabs: sold in supermarkets and all shops that sell body
care products
- Service cradle: Made by Uhlenbrock
or Peco. It's not too difficult
to make your own out of soft foam.
- Wheel cleaning track: made by Tomix.
- Track / wheel cleaning fluid: made by Tomix, Aerocar and others. Do NOT
use 'SR24', this stuff contains oil and leaves a film that attracts
dirt.
- Isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) : sold by chemist's and stores that
deal in supplies for electronics workshops. VCR / tape / cassette head
cleaner contains a great deal of isopropanol and is suitable for wheel
cleaning.
- Conducta lube: is made by Aerocar and Peco (Electrolube). Also sold by Atlas and Bachmann under their own
name. Kato oil could also be used.
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