best way to clean between point blade and stock rail?

[bluedepot]

what method do u use?

i couln't get cloth around tweesers soaked in ipa to work very well...

i have put a few drops of peco power lube between stock and blade...

anyway if there is an easy way please tell!



tim


PS
i've just painted points (i had thin masking tape over these parts), but i just want to clean them anyway to be sure no paint got in...

[londonboi1985]

I Normally use a small precision flat screwdriver and scrape away quite lighty to remove dirt debris

[polo2k]

Ive heard that a little vaseline before painting can help tremendously.

To get out paint thats already there, I usually use a fibreglass pen and then owrking from the trailing end of the point I run it along the rails, if you fancy change the point so that the fibre glass changes it as it passes through (with this the additional pressure should help)
Otherwise some 1000grit wet and dry over the end of a lollypop stick

[bluedepot]

cheers for tips

i have a small screw driver so i'll try that method first!

could a fibre glass pen damage the track?

where can you buy 1000 grit wet and dry paper? again, are you sure this wont damage the track?


cheers



tim

[Sprintex]

A fibreglass pen won't damage the rails, but wet 'n' dry will - even 1000 grit will leave small scratches that will trap dirt much easier than a smooth rail will 


Paul

[bluedepot]

ok ta

so i'll buy a very fine fibre glass pen and use that then.....

any suggestions about where to buy one?


tim

[poliss]

I use the pointy end of a Hornby track rubber.

[painbrook]

Paul, I've always been cautioned about using fibre glass pens, the danger is, being brittle they leave sharp minute bits and if not cleaned correctly there is a danger of doing mega damage to your loco stock. I would only use it for cleaning after soldering. Cheers john.

[Fratton]

been trying Isopropyl alchohol on a cloth stretched over a emery board,,, seems to be working and not abrasive,,,,

[kiwi1941]

anyway if there is an easy way please tell!

For a non-abrasive regular maintenance method just use a piece of heavy [cartridge] paper, the rougher its surface the better.

I sometimes soak it with a tiny drop of "Railzip" but its use seems to divide the modelling world into strongly pro- and even more strongly anti-.

I'd avoid the use of oil.

HTH, Brian

[Sprintex]

Paul, I've always been cautioned about using fibre glass pens, the danger is, being brittle they leave sharp minute bits and if not cleaned correctly there is a danger of doing mega damage to your loco stock. I would only use it for cleaning after soldering. Cheers john.

I would just follow the same routine as I always do after using a fibreglass pen for ANYTHING - hoover up well after 


Paul

[swisstrains]

For normal cleaning I use a cotton bud (good quality) dampened with Servisol switch/contact cleaner. Best results are obtained by flattening the bud slightly and then trapping it between the rails using gentle finger pressure against the point blade.

John.

[red_death]

Definitely no abrasives here - so no track rubbers, fibre glass or emery boards.

Paper is actually really good, of failing that a small flat tip screwdriver for stubborn crud.

[EtchedPixels]

I mostly use weetabix packet although "not painting that bit in the first place" also features prominently in the technique list

Alan

[Jellicoe]

Actually, I have found the easiest way to clean between point blades is not to clean them.  I bond the point blades to their respective stock rails, isolate the frog and hook it up to a polarity changing switch.  I can then slop paint all over the blades, inside and out because I no longer rely upon a wiping contact to ensure electrical integrity.  An occasional "sweep" with a blower brush will get any bits of loose ballast out from between the rails.