9 replies to this topic

[MOPARDEVIL]

Righto so I built a brass chassis about 2 months ago for my Dodge Coronet, Which I Posted months back. Anyway the axles were all lubed up & ready to go, just had to sort the guide out. I got side tracked & put it in my display cabinet 2 months ago. I got it out last night to finish it off & both front & rear axles have siezed up & severly corroded in. I spent about an hour last night trying to unsieze it which I finally did. Ive never seen anything like it, it was as if I had soldered both axles in. The axles I used were just piano wire both front & rear. I have a nice new slotit axle to go in the rear, just didnt have one at the time I built it.

Anyway why did it do this? I have used Piano wire as axles in loads of Plastic chassis cars, mainly in the front & never have they done that.

The same thing happened to me with an inter 32 brass chassis I built for a C9 Sauber & it had a slotit axle. Same thing, it siezed & corroded up. I got fed up with it & put the plastic chassis back under

What is going on, any ideas would be great as I dont want this happeneing again! I must be missing something

[lenny broke]

G'Day Mope
What solder flux are you using? Some fluxes are acid based and that could be causing the corrosion, one that springs to mind is the CIG or is it BOC therse days/ metal mate.
when I used to build brass chassis' I used to thoroughly clean the finished chassis down in soapy water or even boil it up on the stove with a small peice of soap carved of a bar. after 15 min or so out would come this nice clean chassis.
Cheers Alan

[munter]

I would suspect the flux residue and the piano wire had a love affair.

If the axles were lubed or if as LB says you cleaned the chassis down afterwards this might not happen.

I also think the piano wire is more likely to seize in a bearing than a harder polished steel axle.

Glad you unseized things ......or sorted the whole affair out.

regards

[rick1776]

Bakers solder flux by any chance??? Use phosphoric acid (the stuff they put in Coke, the registered trade name stuff not the other stuff). You can buy it from some auto outlets, panel rust remover. Way better than all thos other solder fluxes.

[slots]

Doesn't matter what brand or type, it ran into the bush and corroded the wire. Oil the inside of the bush before soldering next time.

[MOPARDEVIL]

Thanks for the replies guys. The flux I used has a Hornsby Sotcar sticker on it so brand is known. I just soldered it all together added all the running gear & lubed it up. The mesh was super smooth when & put it in the cabinet. I didnt wash it or anything prior to display. Now its all apart again Im going to wash it throughly prior to reinstall.

This was my first proper brass chassis build so I guess it all comes down to experiance. It was amasing, I really didnt think I was going to unseize it

Thanks for the help everyone. Im sure ill have more problems like this as I go along.

[rick1776]

Phosphoric acid will not corrode the metal parts. In fact it does the opposite. Been using it for years. Works a treat.

[haystack]

I have been Multicore Arax resin soldering paste for yonks, and as long as you clean off the excess as stated, no problems.

[Dale]

as rick said H3PO4 is great, H3PO3 even better if you can get it......... (and so on)

a more commonly available material that works brilliantly though is citric acid, the wife most likely has some some in the pantry
all of these compounds are acid by nature and will absorb oxygen from a there solute or enviroment.

[BEEJAY7]

Piano wire is not suitable for axles. It will rust very easily. Always use Drill blanks. It pays in the end.

Regards

Alan