[hongda]

audio redneck, check into SpeedCreme, it's a light oil for skateboard bearings. maybe it'll work for the trains

 

[jude]

Quote:

Originally posted by hongda audio redneck, check into SpeedCreme, it's a light oil for skateboard bearings. maybe it'll work for the trains

First of all, I know absolutely nothing about these trains. But don't they get electricity from the tracks?

 

[hongda]

I think so, but I thought the WD-40 was for lubing the moving parts...

 

[Tim D]

Progold isn't hard to get...and its not that expensive. I got a nice spray bottle from a Proaudio store. It isn't the high concentrate stuff...but IMO you don't need the 100% stuff unless you really got some wicked oxidation problems. Otherwise just use the nice sizable easy to use sprays.

Heck I've been quite wasteful with it...I sprayed tons of it on an old crappy hissing integrated amp...and its sitting in the closet lol. Kinda realized that the aged hissy integrated amp only got more revealing of its own problems with the spray...and I used a lot since there were plenty of jacks and pots all over it. But I still got plenty left...and it isn't expensive, or at least shouldn't be.

You don't need to spend audiophile tweak prices for something that really is a commonly used product.

 

[Audio Redneck]

I don't use WD-40 to lubricate unless it is temporary lubrication (lubing a thread). WD-40 evaporates clean in about two weeks. I use Tri-flo or something like it for mecanical lube (the metal shaft of injet printers, bearings, moving parts on firearms.)

The reason I was interested in the Progold was that it would protect the tracks and wheels from tarnish and still provide a good electrical contact. Tarnishing (oxidation) of the track is the biggest problem with these trains - as the track tarnishes, you loose electrical contact (speed is controled by vairing the voltage from about 3 to 18 volts). Up until a few years ago, most track was brass and had to be polished almost weekly to prevent problems. Lately, they are making track out of nickle-silver that doesn't tarnish nearly as much, but still does enouth to cause problems from time to time.

 

[chych]

I dunno, WD-40 lasts pretty long...

I lubricated a lot of the doors in our house that were squeaking... five years ago... they still aren't squeaking...

 

[Audio Redneck]

All I can tell you is that around here it lasts about 2 weeks (just ask any poor soul that used it to clean his gun and then didn't coat it with something esle: rust in two weeks - or less). The climate may have something to do with it, as I understand CT is pretty mild except for Jan-Feb (and the occational coastal hurricane). AR is Hot 'n Humid in the summer and Cold 'n Humid in the winter.

Currenty its the beginning of our 3-week fall break. mid 80's and nice out. It'll be jacket weather by early October.

 

[jude]

Quote:

Originally posted by Audio Redneck All I can tell you is that around here it lasts about 2 weeks (just ask any poor soul that used it to clean his gun and then didn't coat it with something esle: rust in two weeks - or less).

I've never used WD-40 on my guns. I use Hoppe's No. 9 and Break-Free mostly on my guns. My use of both (probably the last cleaning step using Break-Free) has kept rust at bay. I highly recommend those products.

 

[DarkAngel]

Here is the contact cleaner/enhancer of the audio Gods:

Even better than Caig Pro Gold, this is indispensible tweak, available at Audio Advisor and other places, read about it:

http://www.soundorg.com/kontak.htm

BTW I would not apply any type of oil lubricant to electrical contact surface, this will only hamper signal transmission by leaving residue on contact surface.

 

[Audio Redneck]

Quote:

Originally posted by jude I've never used WD-40 on my guns. I use Hoppe's No. 9 and Break-Free mostly on my guns. My use of both (probably the last cleaning step using Break-Free) has kept rust at bay. I highly recommend those products.

I use Hoppe's for cleaning and Tri-Flo for the lube and wipe-down.

Getting back to the ProGold, does it dry(evaporate) or stay a liquid?

 

[chych]

Well, after applying progold on my contacts, the contacts feel slippery, so I suppose it remains a liquid... to answer your question...

 

[Audio Redneck]

even after, say, several days?

 

[timoteus]

According to the directions when using 100% liquid concentrate:

"Apply to metal surface with a lint-free applicator. Use clean applicator to wipe off dissolved oxidation and contamination. Repeat until no discoloration appears on the applicator. If contamination is excessive, first apply DeoxIT to dissolve the contamination. As a final step, apply small amount of ProGold to the surface, then remember to wipe off excess with a clean lint-free applicator. For optimum results, only a small amount should be left on the surface."

There seems to be slightly different but similar instructions for using the spray version, 5% liquid solution, wipes, or pen.

 

[dngl]

As you all know, I got a Melos SHA-1 from 1994. It hadn't been cleaned ever. I gave it a once over with a nylon brush and 99% rubbing alcohol. That got some dirt off and stuff, but there was still some serious "gunk" on a bunch of places.

I busted out some deoxit 100% and put a light coating on, let it soak for 30 secs, wiped it off and there was a gleam and shine on the RCA jacks, the headphone outputs, the pot, the switches, the soldering joints, everything. The lint free rags I used were covered in removed oxidation.