The Clock Cleaning Solution - Solution..
steve newton
I got tired of paying $40.00 per gal for the ammonia based cleaner. It
works great but its so expensive. My father who has been in the business
since 1945 handed me a list of ingredients that turned out to be the same
as the ingredients on the side of the container of the $40 stuff. After a
day on the phone I finally located the KEY ingredient: OLEIC ACID.
Everything else can be purchased at your local grocery store. The oleci
acid must be purchased in large quantities. So now I have enough Oleic
acid to make 300 gallons of cleaning solution! That is unless some of you
guys want to buy some oleci acid? You get an 8 oz bottle and a list of
the other ingredients (in case you don't have it, just look on the side
of the container you got from LaRose or Merritt's). For $10.00 That
includes shipping.
8 OZ BOTTLE OLEIC ACID (YOU ONLY NEED 1/4 OUNCE PER GAL)
LIST OF OTHER INGREDIENTS AND HOW I MIX THEM.
$10.00 TO:
Steve Newton
2908 Memorial Ave.
Lynchburg VA. 24501 804-847-5335 fax orders 804-847-5350
Master Card - Visa - American Express - or personal Check.
Mike Murray
steve newton <wa...@inmind.com> wrote:
>I got tired of paying $40.00 per gal for the ammonia based cleaner. It
OR make your own:
Last updated April 19, 1996. Copyright 1995-1996 Michael P. Murray
The following file is a rudimentary procedure and you assume
all responsibility for its use or any consequences that may be
derived.
The following is my home made clock cleaning solution formula.
******** CAUTION ******** CAUTION ********
This is a fresh air and rubber gloves formula!!!
4 oz. Acetone (Commercial)
4 oz. Oleic Acid
4 oz. Any liquid detergent (clothes or dish soap)
8 oz. Ammonia (27% Commercial)
First start with a 1/2 gal. of water (the "purer" the better).
Add acetone and oleic acid until completely blended.
Then add the detergent mixing well.
Slowly add ammonia while again mixing well.
Store in plastic container with tight fitting lid.
When ready to use, mix 1:1 ratio with water.
The oleic acid is a strong grease and oil solvent (it will remove
oils from the skin too). The ammonia is a good metal cleaner. The
acetone serves as an emulsifier so that the oleic acid, ammonia, and
water will mix. The detergent acts to remove the common dirt and
"holds" the rest of the contaminants.
You can purchase everything above with the exception of the
oleic acid and the industrial or printers ammonia at your local
hardware
store. You can purchase the ammonia at a printers supply or a
chemical
supply house. The oleic acid can be found at the chemical supply
house.
Just ask you local high school or college chemistry department where
they get their supplies from.
I get all of my chemicals from the following and they ship
U.P.S.:
Chem-Lab Supplies
13814 Inglewood Avenue
Hawthorne, CA 90250
310-973-2391
or
1060 Ortega Way, Unit C
Placentia, CA 92670
714-630-7902
The acetone (commercial) comes in pints, gallons, or 5 gallons
containers.
The oleic acid comes in either pints or gallons containers.
The ammonium hydroxide (27% commercial) comes in pints, gallons,
or 5 gallons containers.
The isopropyl alcohol (99%) comes in pints, gallons, or 5 gallons
containers.
After you prepare the above the only question the remains is how
to use it to clean a clock or watch movement.
First you will need a final rinse solution. I use commercial
grade
isopropyl alcohol. This is rubbing alcohol but at a 99% purity. Do
NOT
use the stuff at the drug store or pharmacy because its only 70% and
you
might have rust problems. You should be able to get this from the
same
source as the oleic acid.
There are simply too many variables to put into a "quick" file.
My advise is to purchase a good clock repair book from one of the book
suppliers in my file publica.mcc
Bearing that in mind and with the movement disassembled, first
remove all strike and chime hammers. These tend to deteriorate and
should
not be cleaned. Then you place the movement`s parts inside some
strainers
that will fit into your solution container. Turn on the ultrasonic or
swish the
strainer (its usually good to do both at a time) around for a minute
or so.
Any longer then the lacquer will start to peel. If that happens then
you MUST
remove all of the lacquer. If the movement is very old and/or does
not have
lacquer, then I like to clean it for at least ten minutes.
After the cleaner bath you must go directly into a warm (hot)
water
container and then directly into another bath of warm (hot) water
(that make
three baths so far). After the second water bath, dry it somewhat
with a
hand dryer or a commercial box dryer. You don't have to dry it
completely
because the final rinse of 99% isopropyl alcohol will remove all
remaining
water. The alcohol rinse should be for about 30 seconds. After that
dry
completely and use a 1,500 watt hair dryer.
I will stop here because my intent is to inform and not to
educate.
I do not see the Internet as a school or a substitute for professional
service.
For more information please see my file yourself.mcc
A service from, E-mail address: z4mu...@webcom.com
Mike Murray Listowner for Clockers
A specialist in Atmos and 400-day clock repair.
In continuous service since 04/01/1982.
Mike's Clock Clinic Memberships: AWI # 17851; NAWCC # 074021
1326 Stanford Street
Santa Monica, California USA 90404-2502
Fax: 310-828-7381
My Web site is located at http://www.webcom.com/z4murray/
Main FTP site is located at ftp.netcom.com/pub/mi/mikem
Clockers sign-up/off is now as automated as its going to
be at http://www.webcom.com/z4murray/mailing.html
Copyright 1995-1996 Michael P. Murray
steve newton
Tired of paying $40.00 per gal for the expensive ammonia based cleaner?
You can buy everything you need to make this your self from your local
grocery store, except Oleic Acid. It has to be purchased in large
quanities. After spending a day on the phone I bought enough to make over
300 gal. of cleaner. I'll send you 8 oz. Oleic Acid and a list of the
other ingredients and how I mix them for $ 10.00.
8 oz Oleic Acid (makes over 20 gal.)
List of ingredients and instructions
$10.00 to:
Steve Newton
2908 Memorial Avenue
Lynchburg, Va. 24501
804-847-5335 Fax 804-847-5350
Visa American express mastercard.
Stan Naylor
Here is a clock cleaning solution I found for free.
Copyright 1995 Michael P. Murra
The following file is a rudimentary procedure and you assume
all responsibility for its use or any consequences that may be
derived.
The following is my home made clock cleaning solution formula.
******** CAUTION ******** CAUTION ********
This is a fresh air and rubber gloves formula!!!
4 oz. Acetone
4 oz. Oleic Acid (aka red oil)
4 oz. Any liquid detergent (clothes or dish soap)
8 oz. Ammonia (25% industrial)
Mix acetone and oleic acid until completely blended.
Then add the detergent.
Slowly add ammonia while mixing well.
Then add a 1/2 gal. of water, again mixing well.
Store in plastic container with tight fitting lid.
When ready to use, mix 1:1 ratio with water.
The oleic acid is a strong grease and oil solvent (it will remove
oils from the skin too). The ammonia is a good metal cleaner. The
acetone serves as an emulsifier so that the oleic acid and water will
mix. The detergent acts to remove the common dirt and "holds" the
rest of the contaminants.
You can purchase everything above with the exception of the
oleic acid and the industrial or printers ammonia at your local
hardware
store. You can purchase the ammonia at a printers supply or a
chemical
supply house. The oleic acid can be found at the chemical supply
house.
Just ask you local high school or college chemistry department where
they get their supplies from.
I get all of my chemicals from the following and they ship U.P.S.:
Chem-Lab Supplies
13814 Inglewood Avenue
Hawthorne, CA 90250
310-973-2391
-------OR-------
1060 Ortega Way, Unit C
Placentia, CA 92670
714-630-7902
After you prepare the above the only question the remains is how
to use it to clean a clock or watch movement.
First you will need a final rinse solution. I use commercial grade
isopropyl alcohol. This is rubbing alcohol but at a 99% purity. Do
NOT
use the stuff at the drug store or pharmacy because its only 70% and
you
will have rust problems. You should be able to get this from the same
source as the oleic acid.
There are simply too many variables to put into a "quick" file.
My advise is to purchase a good clock repair book from one of the book
suppliers in my file publica.mcc
Bearing that in mind and with the movement disassembled, first
remove all strike and chime hammers. These tend to deteriorate and
should
not be cleaned. Then you place the movement`s parts inside some
strainers
that will fit into your solution container. Turn on the ultrasonic or
swish the
strainer (its usually good to do one at a time) around for a minute or
so.
The time is the same for the ultrasonic machine. Any longer then the
lacquer will start to peel. If that happens then you MUST remove all
of the
lacquer. If the movement is very old and/or does not have lacquer
then I like
to clean it for at least ten minutes.
After that bath go directly into a warm water container and then
directly into another bath of warm water (that make three baths so
far).
After the second water bath, dry it with a hand dryer or a commercial
box
dryer. You don't have to dry it completely because the final rinse of
99%
isopropyl alcohol will remove all remaining water. The alcohol rinse
should be for about 30 seconds. After that dry completely.
I will stop here because my intent is to inform and not to educate.
I do not see the Internet as a school or a substitute for professional
service.
For more information please see my file yourself.mcc
A service from, E-mail address mi...@netcom.com
Mike Murray or z4mu...@webcom.com
A specialist in Atmos and 400-day clock repair.
In continuous service since 04/01/1982.
Mike's Clock Clinic Memberships: AWI # 17851; NAWCC # 074021
1326 Stanford Street
Santa Monica, California USA 90404-2502
Fax: 310-828-7381
My Web site is located at http://www.webcom.com/~z4murray/
Main FTP site is located at ftp.netcom.com/pub/mi/mikem
Copyrig
