# Alka Seltzer ?



## JONNYSLOTS (Apr 10, 2011)

I was at a jewellery repair friends place and noticed he had tons of alka seltzer sitting around i asked if he had an upset stomach he said no he cleaned jewellery with it. So i went home took out a tablet found a dirty chassis dunked it dropped in the seltzer and to my amaze ment it cleaned it up nice no soap no harsh chemicals.


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## DonSchenck (Nov 14, 2012)

How long did you leave it in the Alka Seltzer?


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## hojoe (Dec 1, 2004)

Great tip. Thanks, I can't wait to try it.
hojoe


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## JONNYSLOTS (Apr 10, 2011)

Hi Don i actually fell asleep so it was in all night, does it need that long not sure i have a bunch of crummy looking t jet axels and brushes im going to try it on.

Ho joe let me know how it goes i am interested in trying some dirty bodies to see what happens as well.


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

Ahhhh...I'm not so sure I'd do this ? Most Jewelry is Gold , Silver or Platinum, which is somewhat immune/unaffected by a Carbonated Alkaline solution....but I'm not so sure about the Brass & Copper electricals you'd be exposing, sure it might clean the Copper/Brass initially, but it might just cause deeper corrosion to occur long term ? And I really wouldn't want to be putting the Steel Axles in this solution - Yikes !


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## JONNYSLOTS (Apr 10, 2011)

Well ill leave this one out for a month and see as for the axels you are correct a little over zealous this morning but just for curiosity I'm going to try one just to see. cant hurt other than possible rusting but ill dry it up fast ,I've tried CLR and other solutions i just like em shinny any suggestions?


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## 60chevyjim (Feb 21, 2008)

JONNYSLOTS said:


> Well ill leave this one out for a month and see as for the axels you are correct a little over zealous this morning but just for curiosity I'm going to try one just to see. cant hurt other than possible rusting but ill dry it up fast ,I've tried CLR and other solutions i just like em shinny any suggestions?


get a bottle of liquid bar keepers friend about $3.00 at lowes 
I use this and a toothbrush gentley.
I squirt it everywhere inside the motor and gears on
all the bottom of the chassis .

remove the chrome rims first if will remove the chrome.

turn the motor back and forth using the rear gear for about a minute 
then rinse under hot to very warm water.

make shure to use a drain screen in case any parts come loose..

keep turning the gear back and forth while rinsing everywhere.
dry and lightly oil . the chassis will spin very freely after cleaning it like this.
I also take the gearplate off and do the brush springs and armature lightly 
rinse everything good.
. I wet a paper towel with lacquer thinner and roll the brushes around pressing them into it to get all the old oil crud off of them .
the towel will get black until the brushes are clean..

I do this to all the old cruddy used tjet chassis that I buy .
it makes a big difference !!


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

*Rusty Axles*



JONNYSLOTS said:


> Well ill leave this one out for a month and see as for the* axels *you are correct a little over zealous this morning but just for curiosity I'm going to try one just to see. cant hurt other than possible rusting but ill dry it up fast ,I've tried CLR and other solutions *i just like em shinny *any suggestions?


Just another FYI, but Not ALL Aurora T-Jet Axles were Shiny steel, as some came from the factory as Blued Steel, which is a chemical process(to protect steel) the same as used on Gun metal barrels and their frames. But Blued Steel will also rust pretty quick, if left exposed to moisture or alkaline solutions.

IMO- if a steel axle is rusting, removing the rust will only reveal the pitting underneath, and in extreme cases, will have even changed the diameter of the axle, so some should just be pitched out if badly rusted.


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## Boosted-Z71 (Nov 26, 2007)

I like white vinegar, it does a great job on the electricals, then just a quick brush with the brasso if needed and they shine up and stay that way. Rinse & dry, re-assemble & oil. 

Like was mentioned, the brasso does a good job lapping the gears. I juts try to keep it off the armature.

Boosted


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## Illinislotfan (Mar 8, 2009)

Well, lets take a look at the chemistry involved here. Alka Seltzer is aspirin, sodium bicarbonate, and citric acid. In layman terms, sodium bicarbonate is baking soda, and citric acid is lemon juice. Do a google search for homemade copper cleaners. You'll find combinations of baking soda and lemon juice for cleaning copper pots and pans. I'm guessing the Alka Seltzer will be fine for cleaning the copper on Aurora chassis components, but you could also try baking soda and lemon juice. On a cautionary note, blending those two together should cause some fizzing, just like the old plop, plop, fizz, fizz Alka Seltzer commercials. 

For the axle issue, I did find Alka Seltzer being used on a rusty bolt, or for cleaning stainless steel. But, soaking in vinegar, or scrubbing a baking soda and water paste with a toothbrush was more commonly recommended. I see no harm in taking a rusty old axle, and experimenting. If it doesn't work, you're no worse off than when you started, as it wasn't useable anyway.

There are other cleaning methods out there, some of which were mentioned above. I personally use Tarn-X, followed by rubbing with an old ink eraser.


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

*Ooops !*

Oh ! ...My Bad....I didn't know the chemical breakdown of Alka-Selzer, and just assumed it was an alkaline derivative which would be corrosive. So if what you say is true, then totally disregard what I had previously posted.



Illinislotfan said:


> Well, lets take a look at the chemistry involved here. Alka Seltzer is aspirin, sodium bicarbonate, and citric acid. In layman terms, sodium bicarbonate is baking soda, and citric acid is lemon juice. Do a google search for homemade copper cleaners. You'll find combinations of baking soda and lemon juice for cleaning copper pots and pans. I'm guessing the Alka Seltzer will be fine for cleaning the copper on Aurora chassis components, but you could also try baking soda and lemon juice. On a cautionary note, blending those two together should cause some fizzing, just like the old plop, plop, fizz, fizz Alka Seltzer commercials.
> 
> For the axle issue, I did find Alka Seltzer being used on a rusty bolt, or for cleaning stainless steel. But, soaking in vinegar, or scrubbing a baking soda and water paste with a toothbrush was more commonly recommended. I see no harm in taking a rusty old axle, and experimenting. If it doesn't work, you're no worse off than when you started, as it wasn't useable anyway.
> 
> There are other cleaning methods out there, some of which were mentioned above. I personally use Tarn-X, followed by rubbing with an old ink eraser.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*It's the pits*

Ralph is right. If you have corrosion, there's already metal missing underneath. 

It's humidity driven electrolysis, it begins with a nearly microscopic light etch and eventually manifests itself in the form of oozing green verdigris or crusty iron oxides; as metal molecules naturally return to ore/ground.

It's why one should ALWAYS avoid the crusty "Antikethera" looking "good deals" on chassis/cars.

As with all chemical cleaning processes; the part that always gets glossed over is that you must return the workpiece to "neutrality" by rinsing THOROUGHLY to remove all traces of the acid or alkali that you used to clean the metal in the first place. These unrinsed residual particles only compound the problem by giving humidity something fuzzy and warm to cling too .

Put all the ketchup, mustard, and sauer kraut you want on those oozing copper hanger plates and shoes. Might as well toss some chili on too for all the good it will do. The metal began migrating long before you ever noticed, and theres no way to put it back into those pits.

Yer slot cave temperature is critical, it should be warm and dry with constant temperature. Temp fluctuations condense any existing humidity in the air and thats a nono for our little museum pieces. Keep your guide pins on and installed in the run position. It's a two fold preventative. This puts your chassis on jacks and prevents contact between any substrate and the electricals. Metal festering accelerates when it comes into contact with something. Condensed humidity is trapped between the two items. Secondly, jacking allows airflow. Consider that circulation is certain death for condensation that kills metals.

Just because it's happening at the molecular level doesnt mean it's not happening. It just makes it all the more insidious. 

Like Illini, I'm a Tarnex guy. It's fast, goes deep, rinses nicely, and I'm still on the top half of the little jug I bought 8 years ago.

... but it's lousy on hot dogs.


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## Illinislotfan (Mar 8, 2009)

Bill brings up an excellent point on neutralizing. After I use the Tarn-X dip on a chassis, I always thoroughly clean with a toothbrush and soapy water, and dry thoroughly. Should be SOP for everyone, no matter what cleaner is being used.


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