Hello! I know there exists alot of etched brass kits where they are easily assembled using a Cyanoacrylate glue. My question has to do with the brass that requires soldering. Before the soldered brass is painted, it needs to be cleaned thoroughly to remove any rosin flux residue or other contaminates so as to allow a nice clean surface for the paint to stick to. What is the best way of cleaning the brass? Any special cleansers or is dish soap and hot water a best bet? Any help or comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! Hobo Tim
If I'm trying to get a nice lapseam on sheet stock I'll use a wire brush in a dremel on medium speed. Wear eye protection. It will take it up to a high shine and leave a nice finish, no toxic byproducts. For wire, rod, and tubing I use 600-grit sandpaper. I'll use that anyplace that the surface finish isn't critical, on almost any stock. EDIT, D'oh! I thought you meant to clean it FOR soldering... you mean after soldering and before paint. Where I've had visibly excess rosin I've used TV tuner cleaner (the spray stuff) and a tissue wad held in tweezers. Anything with water will introduce more corrosion. But I'll be curious to see what others are doing here.
The best thing I have found so far is Simple Green and a toothbrush. Simple Green as a very mild acid in it that removes any tarnish and the flux. It also slightly etches the surface which should make the paint adhere better. After washing with Simple Green, I rinse with water and towel dry. I haven't seen any corrosion issues as of yet. I have used that method on a few loco's that I have built. I also shoot primer before painting for a little extra insurance and to keep the metalic sheen of the brass from showing through the paint.
I was told to use white vinegar to clean and etch brass so the paint will stick better. It worked great, except the model (a two track bridge) would not fit completely under vinegar. The first side in the vinegar shined up great! When I turned it over to do the other side, in a half hour the now exposed side turned bright green! mg: Next time, I'd get enough vinegar to do the whole thing. Even with the tarnish though, the silver paint stuck just fine. Of course, bridges don't get touched as much as locos. Ahh fooey, I'll try the simple green! :teeth:
Simple Green is an awesome product. Non toxic and bio degradable too. Safe around kids and pets. I've even used to kill aphids on my roses. I've heard it can also be used as a paint stripper (similar to pine sol) but I have never tried that.
