Too long in Elma cleaning solution.

[Neverenoughwatches]

Hello there watch people. I just wanted to tell of caution with some cleaning solutions. I accidentally left a barrel and lid in some Elma Pro waterless ammoniated cleaner for a week while i was away. The result was some brass surfaces that i had polished after peening the arbor holes has been stripped away and left a very rough surface also some of the nickle plating had peeled.

[mikepilk]

12 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Hello there watch people. I just wanted to tell of caution with some cleaning solutions. I accidentally left a barrel and lid in some Elma Pro waterless ammoniated cleaner for a week while i was away. The result was some brass surfaces that i had polished after peening the arbor holes has been stripped away and left a very rough surface also some of the nickle plating had peeled.

Not surprised at all, as they recommend 2-10 mins for cleaning !

Out of interest, how do you peen the arbor holes ?

[Neverenoughwatches]

7 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

Not surprised at all, as they recommend 2-10 mins for cleaning !

Out of interest, how do you peen the arbor holes ?

I know i completely forgot to remove them from the cleaning jar . Closing thd arbor holes, i have a lot of old books on construction and metal working. Like the ball end of a ball pein/peen hammer to shape steel.

[mikepilk]

12 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

I know i completely forgot to remove them from the cleaning jar . Closing thd arbor holes, i have a lot of old books on construction and metal working. Like the ball end of a ball pein/peen hammer to shape steel.

So you tap them with a small hammer to harden to surface? Does that really make a difference as it's the inside of the hole that really needs to harden?  Turning a smoothing broach in the hole probably has some  hardening effect.

I saw a good way of smoothing the barrel holes (from the guy on "Watch Repair Tutorials") - put a toothpick in to a Dremel with a bit of abrasive (eg Dialux white). Only takes seconds to give a nice smooth hole 

[Neverenoughwatches]

45 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

So you tap them with a small hammer to harden to surface? Does that really make a difference as it's the inside of the hole that really needs to harden?  Turning a smoothing broach in the hole probably has some  hardening effect.

I saw a good way of smoothing the barrel holes (from the guy on "Watch Repair Tutorials") - put a toothpick in to a Dremel with a bit of abrasive (eg Dialux white). Only takes seconds to give a nice smooth hole 

I was using the term peen to suggest the shaping/closing of the hole ( with a stake, some old watchmakers did call it a peening tool )  . I use a hammer for doing lots of things, i dont think i would get away with inside a barrel although i could try. Thats exactly how i polished the hole but with autosol, it will take a lot more than that now

[mikepilk]

That makes more sense. I couldn't understand how you could "peen" a small hole in brass. I'm used to peening as the hardening of a metal surface by hitting it with something to create surface stresses - e.g.  a ball pein hammer. In the aircraft industry parts will be shot-peened to harden the surface and prevent cracks forming.