91 replies to this topic

[Ron Hershman]

RON.... You have to be kidding..
Is that what mike uses at tom thumb on his king??

Mr. Frank

Why of course I am kidding Frank

Somedays I wonder what Mike uses on his King.

[Mike Patterson]

Somedays I wonder what Mike uses on his King.

BITD it was Coleman fuel. Mike brought out 2 cans of fuel and some shop rags, and EVERYBODY cleaned the track! Usually took less than 5 minutes.

Then the glue bottles came out !

[Rick]

well, what did we learn from this tutorial? I learned that Mineral Spirits is oily in 49 states but not Callfornia.

I did some checking and in 2005 I could buy VM&P naptha in a 5 Gallon Can for about $18, today it is about $55 for the same can!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Coleman Fuel is now almost the same thing as pure Naptha, but not exactly.

Never heard of using WD40 to clean a track! I know it evaporates and doesn't work very well as a rust inhibitor as I thought it would. Live and learn.

I tried Daddyos and it sucked compared to naptha, but of course most tracks never saw glue like I have seen. It works ok on a spray glued track with rubber build up, but doesn't cut it for a heavily glued track.

Some racers are sensitive to the smell of naptha. Coleman or gasoline would make them puke. LOL Man up, FFS!

Port Jeff came up with the best way to clean a track using a swiffer mop and spraying on the naptha, no back breaking required.

What did you learn?.............

[Mopar Rob]

What did you learn?.............

That as a customer it's still not my problem what anyone uses, can't use or struggles with to clean their track.

[Rick]

That as a customer it's still not my problem what anyone uses, can't use or struggles with to clean their track.

LMFAO, you are correct Rob. WHen you come to a raceway, you expect it to be ready to run a car on.. Not come in to clean it.

[Mark Wampler]

That as a customer it's still not my problem what anyone uses, can't use or struggles with to clean their track.

Customers here are viewed in a different light. We clean it or run UGLY!


I won't let Ron have my stuff after the 21st.


I like the idea of the Swiffer Mop.

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

Why of course I am kidding Frank

Somedays I wonder what Mike uses on his King.

Darn it Ron. Did you have to give away the Lemon Pledge secret.

After cleaning the King for decades I have recently discovered the easiest way to clean it....

Let Cindy and Jessica do it.. ......

using naphtha. Mineral spirts seems to leave a film as does Coleman. I actually liked Daddy O's but it is gone for good.

And Ron...I wanted you to know how honored we are that you are spending your last hours with us on Saturday

[Ron Hershman]

And Ron...I wanted you to know how honored we are that you are spending your last hours with us on Saturday

I only hope we get the awards passed out and get one last race in before the roof caves in on us

Seriously.... the "Swiffer" with a rag attached to it works pretty awesome along with VMP Naptha.

[Mopar Rob]

Customers here are viewed in a different light. We clean it or run UGLY!

Years ago a track at a facility( no longer in business) we raced at was so neglected that we customers broke down and offered to clean it. It hadn't been cleaned in months and had many layers of glue, rubber, all mixed with tire conditioners. The track owner wasn't cleaning it and would just spray more glue in the turns. It took about 10 of us an hour to clean the track and in many turns we needed to scrub with a scotch brite pad to get the crud off. At that time I said to myself this is the first and last time I'm cleaning anyones track. In retrospect we should have all just packed our boxes and went out for dinner and told the track owner to call us when it had been cleaned and reglued.

About the only exception I could see is maybe the wing guys? Have the track clean when they walk in and let them glue it how they like and tell them to leave it in the condition it was when they walked in.

[tonyp]

Rob, Sounds like the last ever retro east race at Zep hobbies.

[Bill from NH]

About the only exception I could see is maybe the wing guys? Have the track clean when they walk in and let them glue it how they like and tell them to leave it in the condition it was when they walked in.

The Yankee USRA wing car group in the northeast has been doing this for years.

[68Caddy]

Read post #34.

Nesta

[Mike K]

WHen you come to a raceway, you expect it to be ready to run a car on.. Not come in to clean it.

Nice thought...

[Mark Wampler]

HERE'S THE STUFF...

We got on the track tonight and whipped it out fast using this product. Doesn't irritate eyes or lungs. (That's my experience). Cuts through crud much better than naphtha. There's a catch if you're in California.

Why was it not available last Monday? A very recent ordinance was enacted by environmental authorities which states that certain businesses, namely auto body shops, are restricted to the purchase of ten gallons PER YEAR.

Routine cross check inventory audits are in place to detect unlawful purchases of this and other products. This restriction applies to ALL body shops large or small. A high volume shop owner could easily go through ten gallons in two or three months!

The rest of what I'd like to say is better addressed in Freeblog!

[Ron Hershman]

Sounds similar to "Pre-Kleeno" to me in the description on the container.

[Dan Searcy]

Mark,

I'm in the regulatory field, so I'm very familiar with air regs, although I don't work for Santa Barbara County APCD. It looks like it's 20 gallons per year according to SBAPCD Rule 339.

It's here:

Rule 339

See page 2 about one third of the way down the page.

The body shop has to comply with the Rule, but I wouldn't be too sure about the slot car track. You could make the argument that cleaning the slot car track it is not regulated as part of autobody refinishing activities there because it has absolutely nothing to do with the body shop. If that is the case, Rule 339 doesn't apply. Then, Rule 321 would likely apply, which is a general solvent cleaning rule. It's just as strict, but it has an exemption for "janitorial cleaning" in Section B.7. Janitorial cleaning isn't defined in the rule, but you could make an argument that cleaning the track is janitorial cleaning.

Also cleaning of "electrical apparatus components" has a limit of 900 grams per liter ROC, which is well above your cleaner's content, according to the label. "Electrical apparatus cleaning" is defined in the rule in Section C (page 6 & 7). It's more of a stretch but you might argue that the track surface, including the braids fit into that category, especially the braids.

It's here:

Rule 321

Hopefully this helps. I'm at PCH a lot on Saturdays, so look me up if any thing isn't clear.

Dan

[Phil Irvin]

Many years ago when I spent my time making real car horsepower we had a cleaner company that had a parts cleaner and it was called Safety Clean. I have used some old stuff that I have had around for years and it works well for cleaning gunk out of motors. I wonder how well it would work as a track cleaner? When new it would take your body oil from your hands and dry them out . We used to put a quart of auto tranny oil to help keep your hands from drying out.

OLPHRT
PHIL I.

[redbackspyder]

Now, here is the funny one. While just on a business trip to Salt Lake City, and knowing that we Californians can no longer go to buy VMP Naphtha at Home Depot or Lowe's, I went to the Home Depot in Salt Lake, bought four quarts, threw them in my suitcase, FLEW HOME, and had no problems with Homeland Security at all. I could have had a Thermonuclear Device inside my suitcase, and to quote another famous entity, "If it fits, it ships".

Nothing like the smell of fresh naphtha in the morning, and by the way, try your local oil refinery, they have more naphtha as a byproduct of cat cracking than they know what to do with. With Jerry Brown and Nancy Pelosi to watch out for us, it won't be long before slot racing is deemed evil to the carbon footprint. That is when MY FOOTPRINT will become deemed lethal to their health!

[Mike K]

Mill-

I wouldn't try checking that in your luggage on a regular basis.
BIG FINES for transporting HAZMAT on commercial flights or at the very least you get added to the TSA database... forever. This TSA has NO sense of humor.
As me how I know...

What did you pay for a quart in SLC? What will you sell them for???

[Mike K]

HERE'S THE STUFF...

We got on the track tonight and whipped it out fast using this product. Doesn't irritate eyes or lungs. (That's my experience). Cuts through crud much better than Naphtha. There's a catch if you're in California.

Can you use it to mix spray glue???

[redbackspyder]

Mike, yes, you mix it with glue to make spray glue. Sold for $8.50 a quart. I was going to order a five gal pail through my lab. Give me a call if you need some.

Mill

[Mark Wampler]

Dan, janitorial of course. Separate from the body shop. Are you going to show up at slot car tracks to take notes back to the air quality control board? Bounty on busting offenders? Somewhat joiking, but somewhat serious.

[Dan Searcy]

You're on to me. I was sent here by Big Brother to bring down the Evil Slot Car Empire. I'm going to buy an island in the South Pacific with the reward money I get.

Is it Steve that owns the track? Whoever it is, might want to contact SBCAPCD and see if they're will to go with janitorial cleaning for the track. Get it in writing. Something to think about: If they don't go for either scenario, Foster's could be on their radar.

Look me up at PCH if you have any questions.

Dan

[Mark Wampler]

You're on to me. I was sent here by Big Brother to bring down the Evil Slot Car Empire. I'm going to buy an island in the South Pacific with the reward money I get.

Is it Steve that owns the track? Whoever it is, might want to contact SBCAPCD and see if they're will to go with janitorial cleaning for the track. Get it in writing. Something to think about: If they don't go for either scenario, Foster's could be on their radar.

Look me up at PCH if you have any questions.

Dan

As Shultz would say " I know nothing!!"

BTW I'll race you in NASCAR and LMP when I'm down next time.(Pacifc Coast Hobbies) If we speak, be sure to leave audio intercept bugs at home.

[Horsepower]

Mark-Why was Simple Green not a viable option for you? It IS great stuff although it does smell a bit. It's safe stuff, cheap, and cuts grease like a new Microtech.