Cleaning Cracks

[randroid]

Gents,

It's time to attack Pigiron's steering wheel with PC-7 but in rereading old posts nobody has suggested a good solvent for cleaning the cracks. I assume that alcohol would do it and leave behind a minimum of residue but thought I'd ask first.

-Randy

[randroid]

Shel,

Okay, I'll take some step-by-step pics and let you know. That way we can both learn.

-Randy

[Frank Elder]

Maybe lacquer thinner? Then some tack rags for wipe down.

[Dan Hiebert]

I just did my steering wheel earlier this spring. Used PC-7 and initially used good ol' soap and water to clean everything. Don't think that was good enough as I still had some of the repairs cracking after everything cured, it was separating right at the joint between the epoxy paste and the original steering wheel material. Re-grooved that area and cleaned with ethel alcohol (what I had lying around). Seems to have done the trick, you just need something that will clean out the oils and such without attacking that original material - whatever it is (rubber, plastic, both, mystery fiber?). The areas that separated happened to be where most folks hold the steering wheel - thus (I'm guessing) more oils and contaminants that soapy water couldn't cut. That steering wheel material does seem to be somewhat absorbent, so you should allow it to dry thoroughly before applying the PC-7.

[Joe Flanagan]

If you're going to try lacquer thinner, I'd try it on a small section that won't be visible. I've seen that stuff dissolve some kinds of plastic. I used it to clean the knob for my cowl vent control, which I think is made of Bakelite, and it seems like it ate into the surface. You might want to try a wax and grease remover from an auto paint shop.

[Plymouthy Adams]

one good cleaner that evaps quickly..Naptha..base ingredient in lighter fluid...it is the product I use to wipe down a car just prior to shooting my topcoat..good stuff...

[Frank Elder]

You are so right Tim, Naptha alphatic is much less harmful than thinner....its a good thing I don't have any MEK!:eek:

Randy you could probably get away with just buying a very small amount of naptha or a bottle of lighter fluid.....there should be no oils or contamination left after that.

On the front of my Ronsonol bottle it say's

EXCELLANT FOR REMOVING LABELS, TAR, GREASE AND OIL STAINS.

[Niel Hoback]

Coleman fuel, white gas, mineral spirits, all the same thing.

[Don Coatney]

Coleman fuel, white gas, mineral spirits, all the same thing.

Then why is Coleman fuel so expensive? Also why is lighter fluid more expensive than Naptha?

[Eneto-55]

What would brake cleaner do to the plastic? Melt it? (I got some on my garage floor, and it sure took off the concrete sealer....)

[Niel Hoback]

Good question, Don. I have substituted each for the other and saw no difference. I think Coleman fuel cost more because they add green color. It costs more because people will pay more.

[Don Coatney]

Good question, Don. I have substituted each for the other and saw no difference. I think Coleman fuel cost more because they add green color. It costs more because people will pay more.

Green, the color of money! I have used Naptha in my zippos for years if I am near a store that sells it. Dry cleaners also use Naptha as part of there cleaning process. It has been a while sence I have seen white gas available. I think it followed the path of coal oil and strike anywhere matches. I always loved it when the rough and tumble cowboys would strike a match on there face hair stubble. I tried that once but it did not work however it might work on the scar:D It has been a lot of years sence I used a colman lantern too. Last power outage we "roughed-it" and brewed our morning coffee on the gas grill and then used a candle in the kitchen to keep it warm.

[Plymouthy Adams]

strike anywhere matches can still be found..they are far and few between..Lou knows a place that sells them yet...he bought two large boxes of them..I like to keep them on the mantles in little shot glasses near my hurricane lamps for quick and easy access if the power goes out..Coleman fuel and about been surpassed by the cleaner neater less bothersome propane...I have not fired a gas Coleman in years but still carry my little gas stove that has zero moving parts that will perk a pot of coffeee from ice water to fresh brew in about 15 minutes..Stesco I think is the namebrand..fits in a very small can and will amaze you you on its performance..

[Don Coatney]

strike anywhere matches can still be found..they are far and few between..Lou knows a place that sells them yet...he bought two large boxes of them..I like to keep them on the mantles in little shot glasses near my hurricane lamps for quick and easy access if the power goes out..Coleman fuel and about been surpassed by the cleaner neater less bothersome propane...I have not fired a gas Coleman in years but still carry my little gas stove that has zero moving parts that will perk a pot of coffeee from ice water to fresh brew in about 15 minutes..Stesco I think is the namebrand..fits in a very small can and will amaze you you on its performance..

I just remembered I have a can or two of sterno in the garage. I bought it to fire up my steam engine.

[Young Ed]

We bought some coleman white gas last fall for a camping trip. Wasn't hard to find. And the last time I looked for strike anywhere matches we found those too. Maybe you gotta be in the midwest? When we were younger we always thought it was cool to light the strike anywhere's on the zipper of our jeans.

[Plymouthy Adams]

strike anywhere matches are useful in many ways..shot out of an air rifle against a hard surface will result in an explosion...and to really test your marksmanship with a .22 rifle..set these up and see who can strike a match by the pull of the trigger...(this ought to get .22 ammo sale a boost)

[Niel Hoback]

I seem to remember that using laquer thinner on my steering wheel dissolved whatever the wheel is made of. Some kind of synthetic hard rubber?

Sometimes these threads need a guard rail to keep them on track. Fifty some years ago selling naptha from a 50 gallon drum behind the hardware store, its what you got whatever you asked for. Some people would ask for naptha, others wanted white gas. Nobody complained.

[randroid]

Gents,

First order of business was to clean it really well so I put it in the kitchen sink with a couple tablespoons of TSP (Tri-Sodium Phosphate, an all-around cleaner loosely related to baking soda) and as I was filling the sink with hot water the grime instantly started billowing from the wheel in great festoons of murk. I never knew the wheel was originally brown instead of black.

I'll eventually get a picture or two up if anybody wants to see them but the "Before" pictures I took yesterday are a bit dark (full sun and the flash - go figure) so I'm going to take another picture or two as progress is made and bunch them all together.

Niel,

Thanks but there's no way TSP can hold up against Sterno and strike anywhere matches because TSP is for a chore and the other two are for fun. Thanks for trying, though.

-Randy

[Young Ed]

Ah TSP. I've washed a few walls with that stuff. Works good to clean before painting. My cousins had to wash the entire ceiling of my great aunties cabin with it. The ceiling had a light coating of soot from being heated with wood for years. Not sure why someone must not have operated the chimney correctly or something. Anyway it was like that for years and since it was uniform everyone just ignored it. Until one day my cousin wrote "Clark was here" in the dirt. Then you could really tell what color it was supposed to be! We also later found out clark didn't write it his brother framed him haha

[desoto1939]

We would go to the AMACO gas station and purchase therir white gas back inthe 60 and 70's also know know as LEAD FREE gas. You paid more for it but it is the same stuff that we all now use in our cars.

Lead Free Gas or white gas same stuff

Rich Hartung

[Eneto-55]

Back home in Oklahoma it was always called White gas, but around here they (the Amish) call it "clear gas" - I think it costs more than double normal unleaded. Some people here swear by it for winterizing their 2-cycle lawn mowers, etc. They claim it does not break down & gum up like the normal stuff.

[Don Coatney]

We would go to the AMACO gas station and purchase therir white gas back inthe 60 and 70's also know know as LEAD FREE gas. You paid more for it but it is the same stuff that we all now use in our cars.

Lead Free Gas or white gas same stuff

Rich Hartung

Rich;

You said "Lead Free Gas or white gas same stuff".

I just did a search for MSDS sheets for white gas and lead free gas. Of intertest white gas, Coleman fuel, and naptha are all the same.

http://www.nafaa.org/Coleman_MSDS.pdf

Lead free gasolene is a completely different animal.

http://hazard.com/msds/f2/bhv/bhvxm.html

[randroid]

Don,

Thanks for posting that. I've long thought Coleman fuel and white gas were the same but naphtha threw me.

-Randy

[Plymouthy Adams]

I believe that you will find the entire family of "naptha" to be various stages of refinement and added ingredients making it different if but slightly..

[TodFitch]

... so I put it in the kitchen sink with a couple tablespoons of TSP (Tri-Sodium Phosphate, an all-around cleaner loosely related to baking soda) ...

We have a box inherited when cleaning out the in-laws house that is real tri-sodium phosphate. But I notice the stuff in the local hardware store with big "T.S.P." letters on it is something else. Both seem to clean about the same. Not sure what the story on that is.

I wonder if the "hard rubber" steering wheel on my 1933 would be damaged by them... I've never gotten it as clean as I'd like. It never occurred to be to use TSP on it.