Dave’s wheel cleaning demo

Check out the talented Dave’s wheel cleaning demo.

No wonder his track runs so well!

More neat tips like this here.

Latest ‘ebay cheat sheet’ here

36 Responses to Dave’s wheel cleaning demo

  1. John Harding says:

    Wonderful, but at what outlets?

  2. Ron says:

    That was a great piece to see. Where does one get that cleaner?

  3. Martin says:

    What about the loco’s with traction tyres? it may damage the rubber. And some loco’s have pick-ups that are on trailing wheels or bogies. I can see this only cleaning the motorised ones.

  4. david says:

    I bought this one from my local model railway shop, but I know Gaugemasters are selling it, think most of the big suppliers will have this in stock now

  5. david says:

    glad you pointed that out Marin, as you say no good for traction tyre wheels , but as the majority are not it is a good usefull tool to have, and I am well delighted with it

  6. Alan Shelton says:

    I just purchased this wheel cleaner. It REALLY works great. It was $38 in the USA but worth every penny of it!

  7. mike says:

    how much is 25 pounds ???i use the american dollar

  8. Barry Palmer says:

    Dave, I think that’s quite ingenious, I wish I had thought of it. Congratulations well done.
    Barry Palmer

  9. Pops says:

    Cool item – never saw that before.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Is it available in the States?

  10. Dirk says:

    For those of us who are poor, I am in the USA, we use Rail Zip on toilet paper which laid on the rail. The loco is positioned over and on the TP and while the wheels turn………wa lah!
    Just wipe the tracks after words. The wheels are clean and the slight sliperyness will wear off after 5 feet.

  11. Kim says:

    wow great tool.Ya some loco’s have rubber tracton tires.Great for cleaning the old wore out stuck on ones.Thanks for the info on the new toy.

  12. John says:

    Hi

    I made a cleaner for my trains which cost about $8 which utilitses 2000 grit and a couple of rerailers. The good part is that the 2,000 grit is easily replaceable. The problem with the wire idea is that it will get dirty. I know that because I have used the wire bruch on a dremel to do it similarly and in time it puts on as much as it removes and has to be replaced or degreased…

    Cheers

    John

  13. Can you get one for ogauge

  14. david says:

    Thank you all for your comments, as Allen said bought it in the States for $38 and well worth it, as for collecting dirt on the wire brushes over time, well I guess that it can be cleaned with some type of spirit, but I found saves a lot of time and does a good job

  15. Andrew says:

    Will it work on a digital layout? Just thinking about how many hands I might need to hold the loco, hold the cleaning unit and programme that particular loco to run all at the same time? Or can I do the programming bit witjhout the loco on the track? I’m a bit new to digital so still find ing my way.
    Cheers

    Andrew

  16. david says:

    Hi Andrew, Mine is dccc , so just turn up the controller for that Loco , the cleaner then carries the signal from the track to your Loco, your hands are then free to hold the Loco.
    Dave

  17. Andy H says:

    What a fab way to go, a bit pricey though

    Andy

  18. dave jarman says:

    why not fasten it down at the end of a sideing? saves holding it while the wheels turn

  19. olsen says:

    It is not a new toy.
    I have had one since 1976. OK, at that time it was green, however with the same brass brushes and function.
    You can clean it with white spirit.

  20. michael says:

    you can get this on ebay about £20 in uk

  21. Bob says:

    Hi Dave,
    Great item. Where can I purchase one in the USA?
    Regards.
    Bob Fink

  22. Methuselah says:

    Most of my questions seem to have been answered by you guys. Except, is a cleaner like this avaiable in N scale? I noticed someone else wanted to know if it were available in O scale also.

  23. Bill P says:

    I bought one just now on Ebay. Thanks

  24. Dave Biddles says:

    Hi – Ye-awl

    For our colonial cousin[s] a £=$ conversion-rates [ an e-bay ‘requirement’ ]
    Though the rate changes a little minute-by-minute, a good rule of thumb for “how much is that in our money is “3/5ths” { 5/3rds }.

    Conversion – $5 = £3 & vice-versa.
    so, $10 = £6 and £10 = 10 ./. 3 = 3.33 X 5 = $16:65.

    so £1 = $1:65
    $1 = :60p ( Todays actual rate . . . . . 60.391p ) zzzzzzzzz z z z

    O course, you have got to take into account that the cost of living in the UK is higher (for almost everything) than in the USA which puts something of a premium on the £ to $ while passing-on a slight advantage $ to £.

    But who wants to pay ‘Consignia’ postal-charges for ‘around the corner’, let alone to the US – it’s almost as economical to book ‘coach’ over the pond and shop personally – plus have one VERY good time.

    Keep up the good work – I’m not a chuffer but, Love the scenery-tips for the wargames table

  25. Dave Biddles says:

    My option for Horse-droppings { read small lumps of coal ? which I see asked about often } Split a ‘water-filter’ ( over a bowl, not the carpet, if you want to live ) and receive enough 15mm [ 1/120 ] ‘N’ish lumps, or HO/OO small-coal to fully fill a truck or enough horse-droppings to cover a battlefield ( after their passing ) and all Clean activated charcoal.

  26. Ken Hecker says:

    As I found out the other day when I tried their Top Coat Road system Concrete, and I see it here in this video, Woodland Scenics seems to think that concrete is cream colored. Our sidewalks are a very light grey, and concrete seems to be getting lighter all the time. But I’ve never seen concrete that was cream colored.

  27. Theunis says:

    Hi dave i coudnt see that demo wheel and track cleaner as u put a pdf file on rhe forum will u mind to sendf me one photo please kindly theunis

  28. ian nargar says:

    where can i buy a wheel cleaner in australia

  29. Peter stanton says:

    Very good, we have one at the club. I have a wheeze to clean the non-motorised wheels on such as the Hornby tender drive loco wheels. Get a rubber tap washer and mount it in your minidrill mandrel as you would a cutting disc. Put the loco upside down in a cradle and the get the drill running with the tap washer against a tread. This will rotate the wheels and you can clean them as they turn with a cotton bud in maths or a fibreglass brush!

    Less compacted than it sounds!

  30. Peter stanton says:

    Oops, meant complicated. Cursed spellchecker!

  31. I have one of these specially adapted for Z scale (so no tyre problems as Märklin Z doesn’t have them). They are very effective but don’t overdo it. Don’t press down, mostly the loco’s weight is enough, and don’t leave the wheels running for more than a few seconds, just enough to get the grime off the wheels. That way you won’t gradually erode any plating on the wheels or score them. CM.

  32. Harrison Brownell says:

    I am a beginner at this stuff and thanks for the info. will try to find this for n guage
    and ho. thanks again

  33. Dave P says:

    I never use an abrasive. That leaves tiny scratches which will build up with dirt.

    Use a solvent and a rag to clean both rails and wheels.

    I use Goo Gone. I’m sure there are other choices.

  34. Ken says:

    Is there one for N scale I bought a woodlands one but it only good for Ho

  35. Bernie says:

    Another option similar to this and suitable for all scales is the Peco PL-42 Wheel Cleaning Brush or Peco PL-71 Servicing Kit that contains the brush and other items for loco servicing. This is a small wire brush that connects to the track with a wire but is only large enough to clean only 1 wheel at a time, so works well for locos with rubber traction tyres. You can use two at once one for each side with the loco upturned in a foam cradle that is also available. For cost individuals should search for these items on the web to see if available in their particular country.

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