An Email from Andrew Ballard:Another way to keep things looking clean is a can of dry lube. Especially if you start when your parts are new. The idea is similar to using Pam cooking spray on pots and pans.
I use this industrial type on a 1010 rail launcher. It goes on dry to the touch, non greasy. Makes it very slippery, withstands high temperatures, and black soot wipes right off.
Remaining Teflon will wash off easily, then re-spray again the next time out.
This one is a little expensive, around $9.00. However Home Depot has an off brand around $4.00 I was going to give a try.
Of course if you were using a Blast! Deflector with a "Raise" Spring these may reduce the degree of post launch maintenance. Maybe we'll see them in action sometime in a school yard launch entry.
Andy
Thanks Andy!
I still use my original Odd'l Rockets Blast! Deflector, Raise Spring and Adeptor at every schoolyard launch. The Blast! ceramic deflector directs most of the flame and residue away from the flat metal disk below it.
As soon as I get home from a launch, I put my rail, rod, and blast deflectors in the bathtub and spray them with vinegar in a spray bottle. It dissolves exhaust residue almost instantly, and costs about $2 a gallon. A gallon will last me a very long time. Then I rinse them with a hand-held sprayer that I connected to the shower head. My wife asked me to install the sprayer for her, but it's worth it just for rinsing my launch equipment. BTW, vinegar also dissolves soap scum, so it makes the shower stall easier to clean, too!
ReplyDeleteHi Papa Bear,
ReplyDeleteI've never used vinegar to clean up my rod and blast deflectors. I'd always thought of that as a MPR and HPR thing. Makes sense tho!
Thanks - I'll have to give it a try.