Removing "Patina"?

[46243]

I've recently been given a collection of loco and tender kits.  They're really well built and I'd guess probably 70's vintage and all are brass/nickel with the occasional bit of white metal.  The chassis are old type motors with thick rimmed wheels, so I'd like to put new (Comet) chassis (What's plural for them?) under them, and get them running again.

My problem, as you can imagine, is that the brass is now almost black and I'd like to get them clean enough to paint.  There are too many to do by rubbing/scrubbing type cleaning and I'm looking for something that I can use as a "bath" type solution.

I've used Dettoll to remove paint but not sure if it will do this.  I've also tried Coca Cola as I remember cleaning coins with it when I was a youngster, alas. this doesn't seem to work any more.  Probably something to do with Safety, 'elf and Welfare.

It's quite a collection, with Black 5, Crab, Fairburn, several 0-6-0's and lots of tenders, mostly Fowler with a few Staniers.  Just as well, because I've built several 4F's ( I used to be Super D before the crash, but couldn't get it back afterwards, so re registered with this monicker) so any Help / advice/ suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Regards John.

[33C]

Ultrasonic cleaner bath. Seen them used for just such an application on YouTube. 

[cctransuk]

31 minutes ago, 33C said:

Ultrasonic cleaner bath. Seen them used for just such an application on YouTube. 

 

Will the ultrasonics on their own clean blackened brass?

 

I have a u/s bath, and it's great for cleaning 'gunk' and flux from assembled models, if some washing soda is added to the water.

 

However, if the brass is blackened with age, as you imply, I do wonder whether such an ultrasonic cleaning will take it back to bright metal.

 

CJI.

[4630]

You could try using something like this;

 

Horolene

 

Make up a solution sufficient to immerse the parts you want to clean.

[33C]

2 hours ago, cctransuk said:

Will the ultrasonics on their own clean blackened brass?

Ron, from "Classic Model Trains", (Youtube) uses the bath with a degreaser then, a soak in vinegar to bring metals back to clean and bright. Check it out with his "American Flyer".

[Flying Pig]

Is it necessary to remove the tarnish before painting?  See @Miss Prism's reply in this old thread.

[46243]

Thank you all very much for your replies.  I shall watch the uTube "ultrasonic cleaner" and the Horolene looks interesting.  I had also thought of trying dunking them in white vinegar.  Anyway, I'll let you know how I get on.

 

Cheers

John

[Ian Rathbone]

Any commercial lime scale remover should do it.

 

Ian R

[DCB]

Ultrasonic fluid is nasty stuff according to my late father in law who was a watchmaker and jeweller.  I inherited a Ultrasonic which I am loath to  use and which I am told is pretty much worthless.  My suggestion would be track down a watchmaker and ask if they would ultrasonic your kits for a modest fee.
Father in law also had a number of  Cast Kits some incomplete and some running (well) with solid brass chassis, Hamblings wheels  and X04 style motors and in later years he had some rebuilt with comet chassis and modern motors.  and they became Absolutely useless  as train hauling devices.  I am re rebuilding them with Solid brass or K's chassis and X04/MW005 or K's or even Airfix 14XX motors.    Such shame.  If you go the Comet route use the biggest motor which will fit,  maybe stick it in the tender and drive the loco wheels a la Dapol N gauge locos ( or leave the motor out and have them as display case models )

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

On 21/01/2024 at 18:31, 46243 said:

... I'd like to put new (Comet) chassis (What's plural for them?) under them, and get them running again.

Chassies does it for me, as unambiguous. But a group of chassis is also valid. (It's a term borrowed from French, so we can English it according to personal taste.)

 

If you enjoy building kit mechanisms, then that's one way. Personally, since competent RTR mechanisms came along I have been using these to get good old kit bodies running again. With past experience of building mechanisms it's usually the work of moments to rectify any running problems that have made the s/h price 'right'.  The extra weight from metal kit bodies typically enhances tractive performance of the mechanisms when  compared to how they ran under lighter plastic bodies.

 

The bonus is selling on the resulting bodies, tenders, bogies etc. , made easier by the brands not regularly selling 'exteriors'. Not unknown for the 'resulting parts' sale to yield as much as the buying in price,  "which is nice"...

 

 

On 21/01/2024 at 18:31, 46243 said:

I used to be Super D before the crash, but couldn't get it back afterwards, so re registered with this monicker

From another crash victim, formerly 34C.😎

[57xx]

On 05/02/2024 at 23:33, DCB said:

Ultrasonic fluid is nasty stuff according to my late father in law who was a watchmaker and jeweller.

 

I would say there's no such singular thing as "ultrasonic fluid" per se, seeing as you can use pretty much anything you like in there. Plain water, water with detergent, grease removing solution, rust remover, carb cleaner, flux cleaner etc etc. To say it is nasty stuff is a misleading generalisation.

[Barclay]

I have had success with an overnight soak in white vinegar, followed by a scrub with Cif:

 

Before & after:

 

[DCB]

On 10/02/2024 at 17:58, 57xx said:

 

I would say there's no such singular thing as "ultrasonic fluid" per se, seeing as you can use pretty much anything you like in there. Plain water, water with detergent, grease removing solution, rust remover, carb cleaner, flux cleaner etc etc. To say it is nasty stuff is a misleading generalisation.

This is what we used in the  Ultrasonic cleaner.  Nasty stuff.  We also used some air drying residue free cleaner for final rinse of watch parts.

[57xx]

So white spirits and enamel thinners basically. Nothing particularly deadly, just things a lot of modellers will already be using and can take the usual precautions.