Just a warning about IPA (not the drinkable stuff!!)
I always thought that IPA was pretty safe to use on locos and didn't affect the paintwork.
Wrong!!
I was cleaning some track on my test layout and a couple of drops of IPA ended up on the roof of my M7 tank. Didn't notice at the time but then after a few minutes I noticed that the cab roof had gone white - dissolved the paint I guess.
Not a big problem as a couple of drops of thinned black paint will bring the M7 back to as good as new.
Just thought I'd warn people that IPA is not as safe as I thought.
:beers:
Yeah it is a solvent so it will bleach plastic. It is safe to use, just don't leave it on stuff :-)
Quote from: cjdodd on June 27, 2016, 09:39:24 PM
Yeah it is a solvent so it will bleach plastic. It is safe to use, just don't leave it on stuff :-)
you're right of course - but cos of the nature of what I was doing (cleaning track) I didn't know the IPA had dripped on to loco.. A tale of caution. Now where's that black paint??
:beers:
I have highlighted this before when I managed to let a drop of IPA get onto a coach roof :doh:
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/37/main_18088.JPG)
It's done a good job of taking the paint off my Tomix track cleaner :D
Paul
Quote from: newportnobby on June 27, 2016, 09:50:42 PM
I have highlighted this before when I managed to let a drop of IPA get onto a coach roof :doh:
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/37/main_18088.JPG)
Wish I had spotted that before NN... I would have been more careful!!
:beers:
IPA is safe in terms of it won't dissolve plastic, paint however....
Hi
IPA makes a good paint stripper when mixed with a little water far cheaper than the branded products. From memory you need around a 93% solution for it to work.
Cheers
Paul
Quote from: PaulCheffus on June 27, 2016, 10:40:58 PM
Hi
IPA makes a good paint stripper when mixed with a little water far cheaper than the branded products. From memory you need around a 93% solution for it to work.
Cheers
Paul
I'm sure you're right. I just wish I hadn't found out by accident!!
:-[
Quote from: austinbob on June 27, 2016, 10:46:25 PM
I just wish I hadn't found out by accident!!
You are in good company Bob - some of the worlds greatest discoveries were made 'by accident' - remember that fella who jumped out of the bath shouting "Eureka" and got hit on the head by a falling apple? :confused1:
It is exceptionally good at this - I've used it to strip paint from models before (ones I wanted stripping!). That's why I don't tend to use it as a track cleaner - just too risky of an error.
Cheers,
Alan
Quote from: dannyboy on June 27, 2016, 11:18:02 PM
Quote from: austinbob on June 27, 2016, 10:46:25 PM
I just wish I hadn't found out by accident!!
You are in good company Bob - some of the worlds greatest discoveries were made 'by accident' - remember that fella who jumped out of the bath shouting "Eureka" and got hit on the head by a falling apple? :confused1:
The discoverer of the waterproof iPad?
I must confess early on I was enthusiastically cleaning wheels of some 2nd-hand stock and wondered how well it would work on the bodies. Luckily I realised very quickly.
I think this should be on a big billboard surrounded by flashing lights somewhere. I've got a big bottle of IPA, acquired when I was about 18, and used to clean the heads on my cassette decks.
I've never seen a reference to it being used as paint stripper, and it never occurred to me that it might work - one sees regular references to brake fluid, but why would one use that when there's such a nice substance as IPA instead?
Put it on a cotton bud and it'll take all that horrible black sweat and skin remains or whatever from the insides of metal watch strap links :D
Mind you, you still have to use a toothpick to get at the really stubbon bits in the hinges and joins :sick2:
Thanks for that, George (I think) :sick: :stop:
It's brilliant for stripping Farish coaches, prior to using vinyls or whatever - leave for 24 hours and the paint just falls off leaving a perfectly clear shell. I was so impressed I did too many. Sure I can think of something to do with the extras! :doh:
Thanks, everyone; I think I've got it now - IPA's OK on unpainted wheels or for removing unwanted paint, but don't drink it as it's not as good as ethyl alcohol .
I used a small eye dropper with a rubber bulb to fill my Tomix track cleaner with IPA. After a few years it had eaten through the bulb. At least I assume that's what it was.
Accidentally spilt a drop or two on the roof of a siphon G which I only noticed next day but .......it actually looks quite authentic as weathering so decided to leave it.
Correct me if I am wrong but I think it has some connection with Acetone, which would explain why it may attack some plastic especially abs or polystyrene.
I don't think IPA has any connection with acetone and it doesn't have much effect on most plastics. I did a previous post on this _ can't find the link. However IPA attacks paint.
:beers:
Quote from: austinbob on July 03, 2017, 07:39:36 PM
I don't think IPA has any connection with acetone and it doesn't have much effect on most plastics. I did a previous post on this _ can't find the link. However IPA attacks paint.
:beers:
You can make IPA by hydrogenating Acetone, that is pretty much the only connection other than being organic.
I got a drop of IPA on the tender of a loco, noticed straight away and managed to cure most of the damage later with polishing compound but it was pretty nerve wracking. I have always been very careful with it but accidents do happen, especially if you're not concentrating fully.
Quote from: austinbob on July 03, 2017, 07:39:36 PM
I don't think IPA has any connection with acetone and it doesn't have much effect on most plastics. I did a previous post on this _ can't find the link. However IPA attacks paint.
:beers:
Found the link here
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=37820.msg448703#msg448703 (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=37820.msg448703#msg448703)
:beers:
Quote from: austinbob on July 04, 2017, 08:18:02 AM
Quote from: austinbob on July 03, 2017, 07:39:36 PM
I don't think IPA has any connection with acetone and it doesn't have much effect on most plastics. I did a previous post on this _ can't find the link. However IPA attacks paint.
:beers:
Found the link here
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=37820.msg448703#msg448703 (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=37820.msg448703#msg448703)
:beers:
Where it states that it can damage ABS!
It wont attack polypropylene, a lot of solvents don't even Acetone, I can confirm this as I use quite a lot of the stuff which is sold to me in 5ltr polypropelene cans!
5 litres of acetone? What do you use all that evil stuff for? :hmmm:
Quote from: Bealman on July 04, 2017, 09:22:17 AM
5 litres of acetone? What do you use all that evil stuff for? :hmmm:
Just checked now down to about 7.5 ltrs! :)
Eeek!
You must wear an awful lot of nail polish :D
I buy it in 5l cans as well and use it to get tyres for RC racing cars off the rims once worn out. They are glued on with CA and the acetone softens it very effectively leaving the wheel rims ready for a new set of tyres.
Quote from: silly moo on July 04, 2017, 10:08:36 AM
You must wear an awful lot of nail polish :D
:-* ;)
Quote from: silly moo on July 04, 2017, 10:08:36 AM
You must wear an awful lot of nail polish :D
:laughabovepost: :laughabovepost:
I have been using IPA for nearly 10 years now, to clean the railhead of the track and in cleaning away dirt/oil deposits from the backs of wheels and pick ups, and for more general cleaning when I strip a loco down. used sparingly and with care, it pays dividends in smooth running, as with oil, the trick is not to use too much.
Regards,
Alex
In my opinion lighter fuel is the best solvent for track cleaning and it doesn't harm paintwork.
Best regards,
Joe
IPA isn't that kind to the plastic used in Peco Setrack.
Both of my first two exhibition layouts Furtwangen Ost and Hawthorn Dene had to have extensive replacement of Setrack after it literally fell apart. I used to use a cloth on the end of a stick which I soaked in solvent to clean inside the tunnels on Furtwangen Ost. Setrack was used here as the curves are tight and hidden. The layout is only 2 feet deep.
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/53/1473-110717190117.jpeg)
The picture shows the missing track on Furtwangen Ost- the daylight is an extra hole that had to be cut in the end of the layout to get to the broken rail and how difficult access for cleaning was. You can also see a couple of odd sleeper ends of the disintegrated curve.
Moral here is double- don't use solvents on Setrack if you can't get to it to use VERY sparingly, and make sure hidden bits of a layout have adequate access. The latter is something I learned quickly enough to make Hawthorn Dene more accessible, but still with an odd tricky bit. Croft Spa won't have the tricky bits....
Les
And I was just about to buy vast quantites of IPA, BUT I use Peco setrack... :uneasy: :-\ :confused2: :helpneededsign: