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Author Topic: Copper Corrosion  (Read 6702 times)

Colin Bishop

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Copper Corrosion
« on: May 18, 2006, 11:13:16 pm »

Does anyone know how to get corrosion off copper strip? (verdigris). This isn't strictly a modelling question. The interior lights in my new (old - 1983) yacht have lots of copper strip on them which rely on make or break contact to turn on and off. Unfortunately the strip has a coating of verdigris which means that they don't work properly. Since the strip is small and fiddly I really need a magic potion to restore them to their original condition. Any ideas?
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RickF

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2006, 12:47:23 am »

Are they removable? I believe standing them overnight in Coca-Cola might do the trick!

Rick
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rats

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2006, 01:50:31 am »

   HP brown sauce is good too - try it on an old 2p piece !  - makes you wonder what it does to your insides !
                 rats
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White Ensign

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2006, 07:38:52 am »

Colin, I have had a similar problem with the frame of an old clockwork and used a spray, which is usually meant for cleaning in the household, but will do a proper job. In Germany it`s callec "Ciillit Bang"....
Also something that we have used with a good result was a bit of soap-water where usual Chalk was resolved in. Rubb the chalk over a grinding paper and make a paste with a bit soap-water. Works wonderfull, also if you want to polish brass etc.

J?rg
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2006, 04:19:21 pm »

Thanks for the suggestions guys. If I've got this right then what I have to do is to spray it with Cillit Bang, put a dollop of HP sauce on it and leave it to soak overnight in Coke - and they worry about pyrotechnics!

I've been doing a bit of digging around separately and one of the key ingredients for cleaning copper seems to be citric acid so maybe the answer's a lemon...

Got some things to try anyway.
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White Ensign

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2006, 10:05:43 pm »

... the lemon might be o.K. ....- if it is guided by a gin. ;D

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Colin Bishop

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #6 on: May 19, 2006, 10:09:33 pm »

Whisky and ginger - every time!
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flag-d

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #7 on: May 19, 2006, 11:21:00 pm »

Salt and vinegar:  make a paste, wipe on, leave 10 secs, wipe off: all clean and sparkly.  Do NOT use to flavour crisps afterwards!

Mike
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dougal99

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2006, 10:51:21 am »

Whisky and ginger - every time!


Not a malt I hope  :o :o
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Made it to 80 (25p Richer now)

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2006, 12:08:30 pm »

Hi All
 Looking at this thread it seems that most model boaters are alcaholics surely this can't be true  ??? ???
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Shipmate60

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #10 on: May 20, 2006, 12:31:32 pm »

I certainly hope so with my hangover this morning!!

Bob
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2006, 05:25:00 pm »

Quote
Not a malt I hope   

Famous Grouse with the ginger, Bowmore on its own... Don't try painting waterlines.
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White Ensign

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #12 on: May 20, 2006, 08:13:45 pm »

Bob, from a certain age you`ll get more for your money- `cause the hangover lasts longer.....  ::)

J?rg
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John W E

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #13 on: May 20, 2006, 09:44:47 pm »

Aye Aye all,

Whisky your the divil, story time............  ;D ....... the story goes one night not so long ago one had a FEW drams of what I now call the 'truth whisky' BUNNAHABHAIN is its name -  12 year old single malt whisky - very nice...... Truth whisky because I was sitting glass in one hand, and a photograph of a certain Fairmile B which had been captured by the Gerries during the raid of St Nazaire and me thinks - by these Germans were awfully tall gents during the 2nd world war - about 7 foot tall.....judging by two of them standing by the funnel - because they were the same height as the funnel.  Ah, says me, its the whisky and the angle the photograph has been taken  :D.   So, gets the magnifying glass out and goes over the photograph compairing various heights of the crew against various objects on the boat.  Ah, they are the right height for the guns, they look about average height round about 5'6".  So, I get a 1/24 figure from another model, measured it 2 3/4" - about 5'6" stands it by the funnel on a certain Fairmile....blinking heck the funnel is about an inch bigger.....a few words that are not allowed  ;D ;D (put that in for Martin) out with all the drawings, realised I had built the funnel from the wrong scale drawing.  Another drink of whisky, maybe it will look right....nothing for it 1.30 in the morning...out with the deadly craft knife, screwdriver, well I had to prise the funnel off, thought I would have to make a new superstructure (as luck had it - the funnel came off).   Out with the junior hacksaw - drew a line, dont know what state it was in and attacked it with the junior hacksaw - at that time I came to me senses - got wrong for making noise...left until the morning.   

Morning...big hangover, lasted a long time...not as long as it took to rectify my mistakes with the hacksaw blade.

Moral of the story is....if you are going to have a drink of whisky look at somebugger elses model  ;D ;D
Time for a wee dram before the forum police arrive.  :o :o ;D

Aye
John E
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White Ensign

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #14 on: May 28, 2006, 10:06:57 am »

John, welcome to the club.....  ::), in my case I have had a figure, with which I tried to scale out some items on a boat. I made them until I found out that the figure, called scale 1:32 was either a giant or the creator of this figure had no ideas of the antopometry of human beings. After the hangover I proved myself wrong and flattended everything with a hammer.

O.K.- now back to the copper-question....- any success?

J?rg
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #15 on: May 28, 2006, 12:58:13 pm »

With the weather we've had this last week I haven't been down to the boat. Hopefully next week.... (if it's still afloat)
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dennisw100

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #16 on: May 28, 2006, 09:06:29 pm »

anything slightly acidic will take it off. Vinegar, lemon juice, cillit bang.....

..make sure you rinse it off with clean water or WD40 afterwards though, else the acid will attack it.

When it's all dry slap some silicone grease on it.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #17 on: May 30, 2006, 08:57:07 pm »

Well, I had a go today. Tried Mike's paste of salt & vinegar but found that just vinegar seemed to work OK. I wouldn't describe the resulting finish as sparkling but the lights do come on now so have doused them in WD40 and will try again next week. Also noticed just what a good cleaning agent straight vinegar is. I believe the Napoleonic Royal Navy used to use it to disinfect their wooden walls. Thanks everyone for your suggestions - much appreciated.  - Colin
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RC John

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Re: Copper Corrosion AND DEVIATIONS
« Reply #18 on: June 07, 2006, 09:56:03 pm »

Let's deviate a little......

BLACK WIRE ROT......

Remind me of the cause of this problem with the negative wire on batteries and the ways to prevent this problem in future.
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ukengineman

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Re: Copper Corrosion
« Reply #19 on: June 08, 2006, 12:29:47 am »

Black wire corrosion - with my model aircraft hat on I've seen a few crashes result from this over the years. It most often occurs when the battery is a NiCad. It starts at the battery end and works its way along the negative wire eventually reaching the circuit board. It happens much more rapidly if the equipment is kept in a cold damp place. Leaving the battery discharged for long periods seems to make it worse. So to minimise the risk of it happening keep your gear in a warm dry place and don't leave the battery flat for extended periods. With my boats I dry out any water after a session with tissue and leave the boat with hatches removed for a day or so.
Alan
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