Cleaning a smoke box?

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DianneB
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Cleaning a smoke box?

Post by DianneB »

Has anyone found a solvent or cleaner that will wash away steam cylinder oil & coal ash?

I am trying to clean up my engine for winter and trying to get rid of the layer of baked on ash and oil from the last time I ran steam a few years ago. It is a devil of a job to dismantle all the piping in there so a liquid solvent would make things easier than having to take it apart and scrape everything.

Anybody found the "magic elixir"?

(Thanks!)
hoppercar
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Re: Cleaning a smoke box?

Post by hoppercar »

I have found, there isn't much wd40 can't wipe away....i use it before each run, rubbing it into the boiler jacket and running gear....after shutting down, all the dirt just wipes right off...I don't know how it would work in your case, with built up layers...but I would give it a try
dash9
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Re: Cleaning a smoke box?

Post by dash9 »

You will find nothing better. http://safesolvents.com/products/tarbuster/
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ChuckHackett-844
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Re: Cleaning a smoke box?

Post by ChuckHackett-844 »

DianneB wrote: Thu Oct 25, 2018 11:29 am Has anyone found a solvent or cleaner that will wash away steam cylinder oil & coal ash?
...
Anybody found the "magic elixir"?
Ummm, do what I do in my Northern - burn propane :-)

... somebody had to say it :-) ...

(Don't get me wrong, I know full well the reasons for burning coal - I burn coal in my shay :-) )
Regards,

Chuck Hackett, UP Northern 844, Mich-Cal Shay #2
Owner, MiniRail Solutions, LLC, RR Signal Systems (http://www.MiniRailSolutions.com)
"By the work, One knows the workman"
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DianneB
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Re: Cleaning a smoke box?

Post by DianneB »

ChuckHackett-844 wrote: Thu Oct 25, 2018 2:56 pm Ummm, do what I do in my Northern - burn propane :-)
I DO burn propane - just trying to clean up the mess left by coal.

I had some brake cleaner that didn't work too bad ( but it also takes paint off). Had to drop the front truck to open the bottom of the smoke box 'cause the stack mounts to the smoke box with 6 #4 screws and nuts and I had dropped my last #4 nut into the debris in the bottom LOL! (Why would anybody use screw and nuts when you can't get at the friggin nut??!! Tap the damned holes instead :x Oh well, salvaged 4 other #4 nuts from previous smoke box work :lol: )
apm
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Re: Cleaning a smoke box?

Post by apm »

Who needs solvent or cleaner? The way a smoke box is normally cleaned is with the locomotive on the steaming bay you just take the smokebox cover off the locomotive, you get a blowgun with a long tube on the end and stick it in the firebox. Usually it is best to wait until that time of day when a large crowd is gathered around the steaming bays after a long days run. Then all you need to do is pull the trigger on your blow gun and let her rip! Bonus points are scored if you get it all in someone's eyes or manage to change the skin color of an innocent bystander! :D :lol: :lol:

I say this as a joke but it does seems to happen all the time!
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neanderman
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Re: Cleaning a smoke box?

Post by neanderman »

apm wrote: Thu Oct 25, 2018 7:22 pm Who needs solvent or cleaner?
That's just mean! LOL...
Ed

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David Powell
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Re: Cleaning a smoke box?

Post by David Powell »

` It is almost impossible to properly clean ashes and soot from an assembled working model. Washing with any liquid cleaner will leave likely some parts unprotected and liable to corrosion.
Models are best put away dry of water , brushed out of all loose soot and ash and very oily. Give a blast of LPS protectant or any similar product.( WD 40 is NOT any use here. Clean thin oil applied by brush will also work )into smokeboxes and all over where there is unpainted metal. Certainly the models look a mess while stored but once steamed up in the spring a wipe with a clean rag brings them back up to their usual appearance. regards David Powell.
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tsph6500
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Re: Cleaning a smoke box?

Post by tsph6500 »

DianneB wrote: Thu Oct 25, 2018 11:29 am Has anyone found a solvent or cleaner that will wash away steam cylinder oil & coal ash?

I am trying to clean up my engine for winter
I found what works best is to not stop running for the winter. Just put on some longjohns and keep on steaming. If we can do it in Montreal, you folks in Winnipeg should be OK too. :)
Best regards,
Jim Leggett

Montreal Live Steamers
www.montreallivesteamers.org

A Founding Member of the Tinkerbell Scale Society - Northern Division
I'm an A.R.S.E. (Association of Railroad Steam Engineers)
Toad Swamp & Punk Hollow Railroad - Head Tycoon
The Juvenile Traction Company - CEO & Apprentice Machinist 3rd Class
White Mountain Central RR - Engineer & Fireman
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