Jump to content




Photo

Tumbling advice for scratchbuilt chassis


  • Please log in to reply
29 replies to this topic

#26 slotcarone

slotcarone

    Posting Leader

  • Full Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,981 posts
  • Joined: 23-January 07
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Dutchess County, NY

Posted 07 December 2021 - 07:34 AM

IMG_20210221_183948646.jpg

Hello - guys I'm new to this scratch building ! What with the tumbling? Is it really nessasary ? And whats the purpose can't you just clean with tooth bush or equivalent and simpel green and soap ? And about the chassis are there any kits for can am racing and which jig do you prefer

Hi Marlon--Welcome to scratchbuilding! Lots of info here. As for making the chassis look good I do not use a tumbler. I use an SOS pad in the sink and then metal polish which ads to the shine and also protects from tarnish and rust. I take each step of the build off the jig and clean/polish it as I go. This also helps prepare the metal for solder. Don't use Brillo. Only SOS and I cut them in half. Another important thing is what you are using for soldering and your skill level.


  • Tim Neja, JerseyJohn and Eddie Fleming like this

Mike Katz

Scratchbuilts forever!!





#27 Bill from NH

Bill from NH

    Age scrubs away speed!

  • Full Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 14,716 posts
  • Joined: 02-August 07
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:New Boston, NH

Posted 07 December 2021 - 08:25 AM

I use scouring powder & a SS braid brush to clean chassis.  It only takes about 10 minutes. They do the same job as Mike's SOS pads. For a metal polish, I use whatever I have at hand, lately it's been Mother's Aluminum & Mag polish. But Brasso & Simichrome  works well too.


Bill Fernald
 
I intend to live forever!  So far, so good.  :laugh2:  :laugh2: 

#28 Mark Onofri

Mark Onofri

    Posting Leader

  • Full Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,435 posts
  • Joined: 18-November 20
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Syracuse, NY

Posted 25 August 2022 - 08:03 PM

Having been a master plumber for most of my life (since I was 24) , I can tell you two things that are important.
1) ph balance, a pool water test kit is close enough.
2) If you have a water softener, it will eat copper and brass eventually. It depends on the aloy. I'll spare you from me explaining the metal ratios.
Ph is especially critical in steam boilers.
I was rebuilding a motor and, the machine shop had a attachment to the hot tank. It was a perforated box with steel star shaped shot(for lack of a better term) in it. I'm pretty sure it was hooked up to a rotisserie from a grill. Worked great. Anyone else seen this or,is it a viable option for us?

#29 Bill from NH

Bill from NH

    Age scrubs away speed!

  • Full Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 14,716 posts
  • Joined: 02-August 07
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:New Boston, NH

Posted 25 August 2022 - 10:30 PM

I've built chassis in three different states, in five different towns. I never had to test the water at any of them. Some were on private wells. others had municipal water.


Bill Fernald
 
I intend to live forever!  So far, so good.  :laugh2:  :laugh2: 

#30 Mark Onofri

Mark Onofri

    Posting Leader

  • Full Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,435 posts
  • Joined: 18-November 20
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Syracuse, NY

Posted 28 August 2022 - 12:53 AM

In a old thread, the person who posted it said:
I have cleaned many chassis. The old Bon Ami & sos pads followed by Brasso is what I used "
This is from her. I've yet to try it. Brasso works but, my god , what a stench. The last time I used it, I thought I'd be smart and do it out the window. Needless to say, you know what happened.
If a tumbler is better, then why does it take so long? Obviously it's not a question of faster but,is it better?
I've recently been given a air eraser. This one is a Harbor freight (POS)model. Paasche also makes one, they claim it can erase lines on paper. I've tried the HF on Cox mag rims and,a brass & wire chassis that had rusted due to lack of humidity control where I stored it. It's like a sand blaster that has been put in a shrink machine. The results were impressive and, FAST!
There's a company called Crucible Steel not far from me. For years I wondered why one side of the building was covered in white stuff. Then I found out about soda blasting. The HF comes with a #220 grit medium. The number may be arbitrary,IDK. It didn't seem to cause any adverse effects. As soon as I get settled in my new cript , ummm, slot car room, I'll post some pictures of the #220 & soda blasting.
As far as my last post, I don't think I would use steel shot but, some form of plastic/polymer. They have some amazing things out there for this.
One last thing, I can't believe that I forgot that the term " mag rim" is because, DUH, there made of MAGNESIUM !!! WTF? According to the internet,so it's got to be true, magnisum is easier to polish than aluminum.





Electric Dreams Online Shop