Resuming an old build.

A bit over 20 years ago I started building Tubal Cain's 'Lady Stephanie'. After about 12 years I reached the painting stage, but then I moved house, and it all got packed up and forgotten. After yet another house move I found all the boxes again and have just decided to see if I can finish it. It stored pretty well, very little rust to be seen, but I have a problem with old oil gumming-up over time. I've already had one breakage of a rather vital 12 BA bolt (which means I'll have to re-make the part that bolt goes into) and I'd rather not have too many of those...

What's the best treatment to maximize the removal of gummy oil from small steel and brass parts before disassembly ? A soak in penetrating oil perhaps, or the application of heat ? Any suggestions will be gratefully received.

See http://www.bobunitt.me.uk/steph/steph.htm

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I use acetone to degrease small parts, keep it away from some paints and plastics, particularly when cleaning parts prior to Loctite them together.

Bob

Acetone is a good solvent for oil and grease however it is highly flammable - below is an extract from the MSDS:

"Highly flammable. In combustion emits toxic fumes. Forms explosive air-vapour mixture.

Vapour may travel considerable distance to source of ignition and flash back".

So please use it with caution!

Leave the parts in paraffin for a few days. It will soften gunk sufficiently to allow it to be brushed off with a tooth brush.

You could also use Gunk engine cleaner but that is intended to be washed off with water which might lead to rust.

John

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A sense of relief actually - it's been sitting on the shelf staring accusingly at me for several years...

Whether I can actually manage it is another matter - I've been away from model engineering for quite a while, what with house moves and other interests, and I'm not quite as young as I was when I started it. Wish me luck

Having found all the bits, I'm going to try spraying rather than brushing for the remaining painting (never tried it before) - can anyone recommend a good, and inexpensive, spray-gun for model painting ?

To clean old oil off the parts use aerosol carburrettor cleaner (the best method) or one of the solvent sprays,its also good for cleaning old soluble oil stains from machine tools.