Why is Deoxit a secret ?

Discussion in 'Track maintenance' started by Splitpin, Jan 17, 2019.

  1. Davoetype

    Davoetype Full Member

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    My Deoxit arrived from the USA last week and has been applied in accordance with the instructions outlined in this thread. So far the results have been excellent although I fear I did not appreciate the "just a small dab" as well as I should have and a bit of wheel slip has been experienced with some longer and heavier loads. I will be a lot more careful next time. I got a good deal on a job lot of 10 tubes so it would appear that I have 25 years supply or so.

    Cheers

    and happy modelling

    Richard
     
  2. Ben Alder

    Ben Alder Full Member

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    Just got round to using this week. I had cleaned the track with DeLuxe Track Magic which seems to have made a big difference in running qualities, and have now cleaned just about every loco wheel - the task continues - and the amount of gunge it has taken off each one, including from apparently clean ones, is amazing. The difference in smooth running is very noticeable and I will be interested to see how long this will last. Next job is now to clean contacts of my 1977 Technic's system, still in use almost every day....the turntable languishes in a cupboard but the speakers, amp, tuner and tape deck are in general service. I though it was a lot of money back then -it was...., but getting forty years plus out of it has been a good return...
     
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  3. Splitpin

    Splitpin Full Member

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    hehe another one to the fold, thanks for the posts all and I hope it's goodness is continuing for everybody like it is for me.
    And wow Ben, '77 !! Long enough for Turntables to come back into fashion ….. I hope flares never do.
     
  4. hartleymartin

    hartleymartin Full Member

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    Is the stuff also known as "contact cleaner"? I have used a generic contact cleaner in the past which seemed to work well. Only trouble is that all my layouts are end-to-end so I have tended to use other methods.
     
  5. Dr Tony

    Dr Tony Full Member

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    With the contact cleaner the secret is to use stuff which has a non-polar molecular structure. The de-oxit is fairly non-polar, whereas isopropyl alcohol for instance is quite strongly polar (has different charge at each end is the overly simplified explanation of this). Some contact cleaners are polar some are not.
    Model Railroad Hobbyist made a very good article explaining this this year
    https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/...UuWBHabsUxljRBzc1nXSstmOcXYvw0qmKGWjjTRIg-GA4
    1977 for a stereo, that's still a baby. Technics of that era was and still is very nice gear. I've got (although not in regular use since our move), a 60s Luxman amp and a couple of early 1970s Pioneer turntables, vastly better sound than streaming!
    Cheers
    Tony
     
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  6. Splitpin

    Splitpin Full Member

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    Yes Dr Tony an excellent article and exactly on point. But I'd have a couple of comments. To me cleaning track and preventing oxidation are two distinct subjects. Just as described I'd been using mineral spirit (white spirits to me) and it did seem the more I cleaned the worse it got. Then after much internet-ing I found Deoxit and suddenly it was all about not cleaning. The track was clean, I just had to keep it that way with wee bit of Deoxit. Secondly the article only mentions Deoxit D5 that's a Deoxit magic solution at 5% whereas the Deoxit that was recommended to me and that I've used is Deoxit D100L which is a 100% solution. Unfortunately the article doesn't give us it's polarity score.
     
  7. hartleymartin

    hartleymartin Full Member

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    My usual approach had been to use some super-fine sandpaper to polish the head of the rail and then rub a 6B or 9B artist's graphite pencil. Though, I have not had a layout myself for quite a few years. It did seem to work well on my little test-track wired up on the bench.
     
  8. Dr Tony

    Dr Tony Full Member

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    Another test for the Deoxit was today at my first exhibition. Admittedly my layout is only a small shunting one. I gave the tracks a Deoxit treatment months ago, and haven't done anything else with it cleaning wise. Today I had locos running all day with no contact issues whatsoever. There was a mixture of metal and plastic wheeled stock getting around. I do not anticipate any issues tomorrow either.
    Cheers
    Tony
     
  9. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Any ideas if any good outside? I may just invest..:thumbs:
     
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  10. Splitpin

    Splitpin Full Member

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    Hmm Andy, I don't know. However I'd think you can't do any harm. Dust, dirt and animals will still be working against you so cleaning will probably still be on the agenda, but better running between cleanings would still be a win. One real 'don't know' though would be I wonder how the Deoxit reacts to water/rain ...
    My chief enemy I've found is my two cats, a paw print on the track seems to attract crud quite well :facepalm:

    In the interests of full disclosure I must say I think I've found the limit to my laziness. While doing some more scenery work recently I've been seeing track close up that I haven't seen in some time and it very visibly needs a clean. Things are still running ok, but one or two of the aforementioned paw prints were quite impressive given that things were still working. So I'm thinking that in my dusty environment an annual good clean is in the program and that's about now. Then reapply the Deoxit before running anything.

    Dr Tony - great stuff I hope the second day goes just as well - but that's tempting fate :cheers:

    John
     
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  11. Davoetype

    Davoetype Full Member

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    Just on two months now since I first applied the Deoxit. I have not touched the track since then and every loco runs perfectly every time.

    This stuff makes railway modelling a dream.

    Cheers

    and (very) happy modelling
    Richard
     
  12. Ron

    Ron Full Member

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    I haven't touched my track since last January and every loco is running without a hitch, great stuff!!
     
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  13. class48nswfan

    class48nswfan Full Member

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    I've applied some on odd loco wheels and there is a noticeable improvement. Having read the posts above I think I will start applying to the track for wider impact. thanks.

    Dave
     
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  14. Ben Alder

    Ben Alder Full Member

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    I have previously rubbed graphite ovet the rails to effect. Would this affect the Deoxite, does anyone know?
     
  15. Sol

    Sol Full Member

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    I use Wahl clipper oil without problems but no good for traction tyres. Other use Automatic transmission fluid with lots of success.
     
  16. Echidna

    Echidna Full Member

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    Hello All,

    re the perennial issue of track cleaning ! I refer you all to the following YouTube video , "Track Cleaning Do's and Don't's How "NOT" to clean your track. And How to do it better !" ( 12 April 2020 ) FishplateFilms by Gregg, who has 40+ years experience as a Signal Maintainer, currently on Queensland Railways / QR.

    ( www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r2L8NSxOnQ )

    This YouTube video is a bit of a larrikin rant, but it explains and demonstrates the reasons why not and why.

    Bear in mind that your railway line is an electrical conductor, hence it needs to be clean for electrical contact purposes, ie NOT covered by chemicals that promote oxidation, such as water !

    DO NOT use track cleaning rubbers as they contain fine metal particles which is part of the abrasive, and when used, leaves detritritus around your track which will be collected by your trains.

    DO NOT use Isopol Alcohol as it contains both water and other chemicals, the combination of which is good for cleaning spray guns or thinning some acrylic paints, but IS NOT intended, nor is it good for, for cleaning electrical contacts.

    Gregg recommends INOX, an Australian made electrical contact cleaner. It comes in a spray can, you spray a bit on a piece of cloth and wipe a small section, your trains will spread it around the layout, and problem permanently solved. A little bit goes a loooooong way. ( CRC can be used by persons outside of Australia. )

    Regards, Echidna.
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2020
  17. Walkingthedog

    Walkingthedog Full Member

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    Fair enough. I have always used 99% IPA (not beer :cheers:) and have problem free running. YouTube is not always your friend.
     
  18. Davoetype

    Davoetype Full Member

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    I remain a total devotee of Deoxit. June 2019 was my initial application, still going strong when I reported to this thread in August 2019. Since then I have applied it in roughly six monthly intervals. The only thing I notice is that all my regular locos (ie, those currently in favour) operate without any problems. Those not used for a while will require wheel cleaning but once returned to regular revenue service, continue to operate just as well as the other regulars. My Dargan layout has just on 100 metres of track so the Deoxit approach has been a godsend.

    Cheers

    and happy modelling

    Richard
     
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  19. Dr Tony

    Dr Tony Full Member

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    One thing to be aware of with the INOX is that it is not good if you have locos with traction tyres. Pretty sure he mentions this in the video.
    Cheers
    Tony
     
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  20. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    Here is a video about the science of track and wheel cleaning. This was published today (04/03/21) on youtube...



    Cheers, Gary.
     
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