Tamiya 53486 Commutator Cleaning Brush?
 

I just found out this product exists. Does anyone know how it works? Is it a normal copper brush that contains a fine-grit polishing abrasive, or does it work some other way? (or does it not work at all?) Is it for oxidation/residue removal only, or can it actually correct minor flaws in the comm surface?

Re: Tamiya 53486 Commutator Cleaning Brush?
 

Ever heard of snake oil? The theory behind these was to clean motors that could not be taken apart for a comm cut, but had replaceable brushes....they work like crap...even the tamiya guys would not use them...

Buy a comm lathe....if you want to make a comm stick, they are just a piece of cratex....cut to fit the hood, use a dremel to make a curve in the face...

Later EddieO

Re: Tamiya 53486 Commutator Cleaning Brush?
 

I have a Hudy ball-bearing comm lathe. I was just curious whether these brushes worked at all, and if so, how they worked. Sounds like I'm not missing anything.

I never even heard of a comm stick before. I thought people just used pencil erasers to remove residue between comm cuts.

Re: Tamiya 53486 Commutator Cleaning Brush?
 

Very few RC guys used erasers....the Ruby Red is the best to use.

Comm sticks were the norm. Probably can still find them some where, but all they are is different grits of cratex. You can buy cratex and cut to work. Works much better than an eraser to be frank...

Later EddieO

Re: Tamiya 53486 Commutator Cleaning Brush?
 

Interesting. I had to look up what Cratex is; I'd never heard of it before, at least not by its brand-name. Seems like it would still leave debris on the comm though; that's where erasers would have an advantage, since the rubber bits are easy to blow off. I wonder if anyone ever tried those abrasive erasers used for erasing ballpoint-pen ink?

Either way it doesn't matter to me, except maybe for cleaning disposable motors, but I'm a curious person.

Re: Tamiya 53486 Commutator Cleaning Brush?
 

All forms of erasers have been tried.....there is very little you will find that has not been tried. Slot cars guys have literally tried everything just about with brushed motors when it comes to stuff like that....

Cratex is pretty common, most dremel kits come with cratex based bits.....

Cratex works better than any eraser I have tried. Ruby Red erasers work the best....the ink ones work ok, but I never found them to work better than a Ruby Red....or any type of cratex. Cratex doesn't really leave anything on the comm different than an eraser would.....comm sticks were sold for decades made out of it....if an eraser worked better, people would of had one made and sold that.

Later EddieO

Re: Tamiya 53486 Commutator Cleaning Brush?
 

Hm. Okay. I guess I figured something as heavily-loaded with grit as Cratex is would leave grit behind in the spaces between the comm pads, which could then get stuck in the brush faces and etch the comm. But if that doesn't actually happen, then nevermind.