SMOKE UNIT WICKING

This is a subject I follow closely. If you do a search on the forum I don't think you will be able to find a material that hasn't been tried at one time or another!

I know it's been tried, but I can't recall the results off hand. Experimentation!! 

laidoffsick produced a video detailing his experimentation with this matter including how many drops of fluid it takes to saturate dry wicking.

See:

A while back, one of the concerns voiced with the pink stuff is that when it does char, it becomes fused to the resistor and is difficult to remove all traces of it.

I played around with the pink insulation for a while but really didn't see any big improvement over the standard wick material.

I used fiberglass insulation on my postwar (smoke bulb) turbine. I know that it will char, but that bulb may produce more heat than the average smoke unit too. I have since switched to Tiki torch wicking, and that seems to work a bit better yet.

J White

graz posted:

A while back, one of the concerns voiced with the pink stuff is that when it does char, it becomes fused to the resistor and is difficult to remove all traces of it.

I believe that was my concern. I would avoid pink insulation at all costs on any modern smoke unit. It burns instantly and onto the resistor,after a very brief amount of operation.

The fibers of pink insulation are too fine.

Lionels pre-cut wicking is the most resistant to charring because of its bigger fibers. However some feel output with this wicking is not as good as it could be,but in my experience it lasts longer.

I'm content with this smoke output from the precut stuff.

Either way I would continue to use material that is intended to be used for wicking. Going into your attic and grabbing a handful of insulation is a bad idea. Penny wise dollar foolish imo.

I find the Lionel or MTH wick works very well, but I've used various other types as well.  For the puffers with the small chamber, I use the 1/2" fiberglass pipe insulation cut to size.  The Lionel or MTH wick doesn't really sit very well in the bowel, and the pads that used to be used don't seem to be available anymore.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

 The Lionel or MTH wick doesn't really sit very well in the bowel

John

The real question is which one is tastier?  

Bob

Oops!

Stay clear of the pink stuff.   It will burn and char very quickly and melt into your resistor.  Please pay attention or you will wish you did.  For Lionel, use the 8 inch wicking for best results.

Do the job one time and do it right.   Both Lionel and MTH wicking is very cheap.  

Marty, what do you use in the mechanical smoke units?  They just don't seem to be work well with the Lionel or MTH wick, it just doesn't fit well.  The pre-cut round wick doesn't seem to be available anymore that used to come in them.

John that wicking is currently available.  We order that 8 inch round wicking often. I see anywhere from 10-25 smoke unit repairs from Charlie Ro each month.  All the engines with that fiberglass pad go back with the much superior 8 inch shredded (Reaganized) wicking.  John, in the puiffers I found something cool that seems to work good.   I take the new braided MTH wicking and cut a section that will fit from side to side in the bowl.  I position it to fit right under the resistor.  The braided wicking holds more fluid.  It smokes great and you do not need to add smoke fluid as often.

In doing this fix, you can keep some liquid inside the bowl as long as it does not come near the air hole.

I'll have to try the MTH wick in those.  I don't see that many, so I haven't worked out a scheme to get them working as well.  For the fan driven ones, I use the MTH wick and I just got a bunch of the Lionel wick again to try.

Marty Fitzhenry posted:

John that wicking is currently available.  We order that 8 inch round wicking often. I see anywhere from 10-25 smoke unit repairs from Charlie Ro each month.  All the engines with that fiberglass pad go back with the much superior 8 inch shredded (Reaganized) wicking.  John, in the puiffers I found something cool that seems to work good.   I take the new braided MTH wicking and cut a section that will fit from side to side in the bowl.  I position it to fit right under the resistor.  The braided wicking holds more fluid.  It smokes great and you do not need to add smoke fluid as often.

 

In doing this fix, you can keep some liquid inside the bowl as long as it does not come near the air hole.

Would/could you show some pictures of the wicking material, please?

I do not know what braided wicking or reaganized wicking looks like.

And gentlemen, can you provide the part numbers for the MTH and Lionel replacement wicking; would be much appreciated.

Lionel :

Every smoke unit that I have ever opened up gets the Lionel batting shown above. Everyone of those smoke units has shown dramatic  increase in smoke output no matter what brand of fluid you use. Don't let it burn, make sure it has enough fluid in it to prevent drying out and getting burned, and they will smoke you out of the train room for years to come.

MTH Braided Smoke Wick: AA-0000001

John,

When you get old, you will find a lot of things do not sit right in the bowel.  LOL

I wanted to try the Lionel smoke wik but the shipping is expensive from them.  I will eventually get some.  I have  used the Tiki Torch wick and it works good.  A bit of a pain to get to the inner material.

Tiki wick works pretty well, but the little strands go EVERYWHERE when you try to stuff them into the smoke unit.  I have largely given up using that material.

Thanks for the pictures and the part numbers gentlemen.

Thanks John.  That is my photo and I was looking for it on the computer.    I just cut the center of the braid out to fit into the puffer.  Works great.  

Marty, I just searched on Google, and that one came up.   I take no original credit.

It has been on Google for a few years.    I put that in every MTH locomotive I own.  I own many and do those in the summer.

THANKS EVERYONE, CONSENSUS HERE IS STAY AWAY FROM THE PINK AND MTH OR LIONEL WICKING WORKS JUST FINE.

MARTY AND JOHN

AS USUAL YOUR KEEN INSIGHT IS APPRECIATED

STEVE

I have only used MTH wicking, it's all I have on hand as most of my engines are MTH. I need (and want) to order some Lionel wicking and try it out as well.

Just ordered some Lionel Lionel 691-SMKP-008 from their website.

Takes a bit to get to it on their website.