Doing the Dishes

[cwbullet]

Ok, not simple green. What do you all use to scrub?

[Aksrockets]

Actually AP has a more sour taste not unlike the sour material on warheads candy.

Sorry, how do you know that exactly?

I'm surprised no one has suggested this cleaning method: just don't clean them.

Maybe I just won't clean them

Alex

[cavecentral]

Actually AP has a more sour taste not unlike the sour material on warheads candy.

I'm surprised no one has suggested this cleaning method: just don't clean them.

I did jestingly suggest not cleaning them. I haven't tried licking them clean though. Sour huh? I wonder if the liners will become 'activated charcoal' to absorb any of the poisons?

[RadManCF]

Ok, not simple green. What do you all use to scrub?

I've typically used WD 40, I've recently begun using a product called Kroil, available here: http://www.kanolabs.com. I've only used the standard formulation for case cleaning, but have used the siliconed version for turbine work.

[Sully]

Cleaning aluminium in a dishwasher can help speed up a chemical reaction between some soaps and aluminum, ATOMIC hydrogen formation. The HOT water and soap in the dishwasher can greatly accelerate this formation. Atomic hydrogen has a crazy ability to go right through aluminum as if it weren't even there. The hydrogen going from atomic form to the molecular form causes the metal to actually flake (sometimes even crack).

I don't know what this means, but it sounds BAD. My wife would kill me if I do cold fusion in the dishwasher again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0osXJtr03xA&t=1m13s

[BEAR]

Someone has mentioned Hoppes Elite. I want to say that it works great, and I also use Hoppes No.9. You can buy both of these in the sporting goods at Wal-Mart and other places. Hoppes, to me is the greatest for cleaning cases. It does a number for me when I put it in a jar to soak the nozzle retainer rings and the time delay and ejection charge pockets in the Aerotech cases.It only takes about as long to soak as it takes me to clean the tube. CTI cases are even easier. I carry a toothbrush, pipe cleaners, Q-Tips, and paper towels to work on the stuff and my cases come out spotless. I do wear nitrile gloves though, so that I do not have to wash my hands afterwards. Of course, my gun cleaning kit has the same things in it along with the cleaning rods. I also take wood dowels, close to the ID of my motor cases and cut a slot in the end so that I can put a cloth or paper towel in the slot, get it wet with Hoppes and clean it just like it is a large bore firearm, and those are my cleaning rods. (They also work for pushing a motor case out of a motor tube if need be, and to get a stuck motor liner out of the motor tube.) I stay away from brass on my anodized finishes though. If I need an abrasive to get it clean, I use a scotch-brite pad to do my hard work.

[dixontj93060]

Ok, not simple green. What do you all use to scrub?

I use Break-free CLP. It is all you need to clean (and preserve) motors. You can find it a Walmart, Dicks, Cabelas, etc. in the gun dept.

[butalane]

I did jestingly suggest not cleaning them. I haven't tried licking them clean though. Sour huh? I wonder if the liners will become 'activated charcoal' to absorb any of the poisons?

I wasnt jestingly suggesting it, I am serious.

I do not suggest licking any of your rocket parts...

[Jiffycoil]

I bow to your expertise. I'm only an amateur and I should have said " From what I have gathered and believe."

http://www.sandia.gov/matlsTechRef/c...reAluminum.pdf

[troj]

Ok, not simple green. What do you all use to scrub?

Dish liquid in hot water, and a scrub brush. Haven't yet had anything I couldn't get out that way.

When I first got in the hobby, I took the suggestion to use Hoppes. The thing is, I don't care for the smell, nor do I like how slimy it leaves the cases afterwards, not to mention the need to be careful where you get it.

Dish soap -- safe, easy, doesn't smell bad, rinses right down the drain, won't damage hardware even after a 20 year soak, and inexpensive.

-Kevin

[cavecentral]

I wasnt jestingly suggesting it, I am serious.

I do not suggest licking any of your rocket parts...

I think some of mine got pretty nasty / hard to clean by goin a month without cleaning. So the corrosion is unlikely to ever get bad enough to damage the case (just make it ugly)?

[Rocketbuilder]

I've only had a chance to fly my RMS case once so far, and I just cleaned it with a wet paper towel and a little brush*.
After I popped out the paper liner tube, there was almost no residue in the case, except some at the ends. The paper wet paper towels had no problem getting the residue off of the inside of the case. Of course, I cleaned the case as soon as I got home from the field, and the RMS motor was my last flight of the day.

*The brush was one of those little brushes they give you at the dentist to clean braces with; it looks exactly like a tiny little bottle brush, and is perfect for getting the crud out of the threads. Next time you're at the dentist, ask if they'll give you one if you have a 24/40 case. I'm not sure if it's the right size for the threads on the other cases, but hey, try it.

[Jiffycoil]

Sully,
The video is very funny. Thanks for posting it.

[Sully]

Sully,
The video is very funny. Thanks for posting it.

glad you liked it. I didn't mean it to be mocking (well, maybe a little...) but that line always pops into my mind when I hear something described as ATOMIC. It's from an old movie with sets (and maybe story) by Dr. Seuss. Kind of a fun kids movie, but looks dated today.

[BEAR]

Some of the posts in this thread reminded me of something that was work related from about 12-15 years ago. When I was at a machine shop that did work for Boeing, and while I was in QC, I was researching all of the specifications that we were required to follow in the contracts that dealt with aluminum and with titanium. As I recall, there were four different documents, (two for aluminum, and two for the titanium) that specifically stated that pencils were to never be used to mark the materials and cleaning solutions, such as Simple Green were to never be used on the metals. It would cause, as I recall hydrogen embrittlement, and the material could fail, without warning. (For the pencils, it was the carbon in them that was the danger to aluminum and titanium. It was at this point, at the shop that we changed red grading pencils for marking on some metals, because they did not have carbon in them.) I am going to try to find these documents, but, again, it was a long time ago. If the surface is anodized, it may offer a little protection, but I do not know. Of course, I have never read of motor case failure, it has always been CATOs that cause destruction of motor cases, but still, a heads up. And, I still like my Hoppes.

[DRAGON64]

I have taken up shooting in the last few years, and have some Hoppes on hand. I will have to try it out.

[cwbullet]

Hoppes comes in a gallon drum. Can you reuse it? Maybe soak it in the drum?

[cavecentral]

Hoppes comes in a gallon drum. Can you reuse it? Maybe soak it in the drum?

I never found it by the gallon in stores (or by following a red neck as some suggested in another thread). Is this online only? I'm used to it being in glass jars which I wouldn't want to order online for fear of breakage.

If you have a link to buy a can/drum online, please share.

Thanks.

[BEAR]

Wal-Mart or sporting goods that have gun cleaning supplies. Just takes a little. I only soak smaller pieces, say threaded rings up to 38mm. I save the little deli-dishes that salads come in and put as large as 54mm rings in the deli-dish and put some Hoppes in there. I then can use a Q-tip and a paper towel or tooth brush to clean the parts. It does a really does a great job and does not take much. Otherwise, guys would be trying to soak their 1911's or their ARs in it like you use to do with Bendix Carburetor Cleaner in 5 gallon pails. (Now that was nasty stuff)

[qquake2k]

I've always used baby wipes. There's something magical in them that cleans motor cases. But the key is you have to clean the cases while they're still warm after the flights. Don't wait until you get home, that's just asking for trouble!

[o1d_dude]

Baby wipes and paper towels while on the field. Hot water and Dawn at home. The really nasty stuff that sometimes remains gets soaked in Breakfree CLP for a day or three. Eventually it all comes out.

I'm a bit compulsive about getting the hardware clean like new.

[qquake2k]

Baby wipes and paper towels while on the field. Hot water and Dawn at home. The really nasty stuff that sometimes remains gets soaked in Breakfree CLP for a day or three. Eventually it all comes out.

I'm a bit compulsive about getting the hardware clean like new.

How did that soaking pipe you made work out? Did you ever try it?

[cwbullet]

Hopes #9 in a 1 gallon drum - metal. http://www.nightvisionplanet.com/hop...r-solvent.html

[cavecentral]

Hopes #9 in a 1 gallon drum - metal. http://www.nightvisionplanet.com/hop...r-solvent.html

Thanks!

[Rocketbuilder]

I was looking through a Harbor Freight ad just the other day, and I saw that they had little quart-sized ultrasonic cleaners for things like jewelry. They're around $30, but I bet they'd be great for cleaning smaller cases...

[ClayD]

i have one, i clean pennys in it...


Dont ask...

[cavecentral]

I was looking through a Harbor Freight ad just the other day, and I saw that they had little quart-sized ultrasonic cleaners for things like jewelry. They're around $30, but I bet they'd be great for cleaning smaller cases...

Sounds cool. Most of My AT cases are good. The 38/720 that I lost at LDRS was the only one that had trouble with. My EX cases are all longer and more problematic. The easy to clean require no cleaning. The tough ones have the nasty stuff right in the middle.

[rbeckey]

I made a container to soak motor cases out of schedule 40 PVC pipe with a flat bottom end cap and a cleanout. I have soaked them for short periods in diluted vinegar, soapy water and/or gun cleaner. I love the smell of Hoppes, brings back great memories just like the smell of burning Estes motors. If the slick feel it leaves bothers you wipe it down with alcohol or spray with brake cleaner. Either of those will leave it dry. Hand wipes work great at the field.

[kenstarr]

I put the aluminum/zinc ice cream scoop in the dishwasher once. It got all etched up and felt weird to tough. I never put pots/pans in the dishwasher or any knife other than a butter knife. Just sayin', I would never put nice motor casings in the dishwasher. Other than the afore mentioned objects, I'll try to put about anything else in there. (Hats, baby bibs, plastic stuff...)

[luke strawwalker]

I've typically used WD 40, I've recently begun using a product called Kroil, available here: http://www.kanolabs.com. I've only used the standard formulation for case cleaning, but have used the siliconed version for turbine work.

LOVE Kroil!!! If you can't get a bolt loose with Kroil, it's not coming loose except with the blue wrench (blowtorch). We use the stuff on everything out here on the farm... pick up the cans at the local tractor dealer... GREAT stuff!

Later! OL JR