cleaning smiths chronometric trip wheels

[coater87]

 Guys,

 I removed the bezel and innards from my chronometric for a cleaning. Good thing because A spider lived a long time inside there using the empty bulb hole as a door.

 Anyway, its going well. My face plate and needle look good.

 The numbers on my trip wheels are very yellowish dirty looking. Now I am not going to wipe these down with solvent or anything, but I am wondering if anyone has found a secret to really cleaning these or is soapy water and Q-Tips really the best method?

 Thank you,
Lee

[Rex]

Any tips on cleaning the workings? I have four that have stopped working (hopefully!) because the grease has hardened, so any pointers to which bits need a gentle clean would be great.
On a Guzzi speedo I have I cleaned the face and numerals with a cotton bud and warm soapy water and it came up better than expected.

[Bsareg]

Any thorough cleannping will involve removing the needle and dial. I made a small puller for the needle that doesn't involve touching the dial. Remove the mech from the baseplate and paper gasket, then swill the mech in gunwash or lighter fuel. When dry , very lightly oil the mech with clock oil (not 3 in 1 or wd40) not forgetting the drive clutch. I'm not brave enough to try the ultra sonic cleaner but its a possibility.

[Greybeard]

I soaked mine in petrol and re-lubed it with clock oil. The petrol did fade the face a bit, and presumably the mileometer drums, so not a great idea! I managed to improve the dial contrast by applying WD40.

On the antique restoration programmes they use spit to clean paintings; might be worth trying.

[RoyC]

On the antique restoration programmes they use spit to clean paintings; might be worth trying.

The greener the better. 

[UncleD]

I recently discovered a Smiths Chronometric Facebook page...now there's a wormhole you could lose some months in!

Recommend using pure alcohol as a soak for the mechanism and clock oil (applied with a needle) to joints.

They would have a conniption at the mention of WD40, petrol, kerosene etc.

Definitely nothing on faces and dials but damp cotton bud.

[Peter in Aus]

"Conniption" a fit of rage or hysterics.

[Worty]

Tried doing some work myself and buggered the whole thing up.  Spent £75 having overhaul at the chap in Northampton's workshop - lovely bloke but can't remember his name offhand.  Speedo came back lovely - job done and back on the road.

[Sav]

Never tried it on a speedo but I clean carbs etc with an ultrasonic bath, unbelievable the mushroom cloud that comes out of sockets. also used it on old clock mechs so sounds like that might work on a speedo.

[duTch]

 

Never tried it on a speedo but I clean carbs etc with an ultrasonic bath.......

 Fairly sure the guy who overhauled mine said he uses an Ultra-sonic, but didn't say what media he uses (I've no experience of them)- and they're a professional outfit