Anyone had success with Bullfrog Snot? I have a couple of steam engines in dire need of traction tires, and this product looked like the answer to my problems. I spent a frustrating afternoon trying to get this stuff to work, to no avail. The product set up so quickly that by the time I moved my hand with the toothpick from the jar to the wheel, the drop had developed a skin that kept it attached to the toothpick. It would not transfer to the wheel rim, period. Although it is blisteringly hot here today, I was working inside, in an a/c'd room. I lowered the temp to 75 for the purposes of working, but no joy. Any suggestions or tips for working with this stuff? Thanks!
Perseverence. Persistence. Practice. I found the same as you, and I did have to scrape clean at least three of the six wheels I did the first time I used it. I also had to shave or pare a couple more to get little clumplettes off the tire surface. Once I was reasonably happy, though, I became an enthusiastic convert to the stuff. I used round toothpicks with just the tip wet with the stuff and had to make several arcs at a time as the drivers rotated below me. I inverted the engine and powered it and it seemed to work that way.
With the AC going full-bore it may be drying out before it gets to the wheel. The creator of this stuff checks in here now and then. I am trying to remember his TB ID. There was a thread during the winter that he checked into often so if you run a search you might find him there. Good luck.
It worked fine for me. For DC: I took a small paint brush, turned the locomotive upside down, attached leads to the frame using alligator clips got the wheels to turning, painted on the BSS and I have three locomotives back up and running. DCC I would think you could attach alligator clips to the leads of the decoder or frame and set it to running at a moderate speed. I would agree with Steam Donkey, that you may have to shut down the AC as it will take the humidity out of the air rather effectively.
Well, I'll wait and give it a try on a humid day, then. Or maybe in the bathroom, just after taking a shower :shade:
If it is blowing a draught across your workspace - warm or cool - that will certainly be the case. Make sure you have still air to reduce the rate of drying.
Thanks, Mark. That's it! RDGNUT has been very helpful as his own tech support here at TrainBoard anyway. He might have some good ideas. He lives in the Mojave Desert if I recall correctly so he has dealt with hot temperatures, too.
BULLFROG SNOT Hmmmm ....... BULLFROG SNOT was created in SoCal, same weather conditions as yours. I've heard of it 'clumping' and seen that happen on a brand new B-Mann 2-8-0 with the blackened wheels. After scuffing the black stuff off, the SNOT worked just fine. Try setting the inverted jar on it's lid overnight, and then apply. Mysterious stuff, this snot. How are the life reports? I've been running the snot out of mine for over six months and it's still pulling. What has been your experience? Regards, Bill
Well, I did the bathroom shower bit. Tried one after a shower (which greatly increased the humidity). It still clumped some, but nothing like before. I did two wheels, one I had to scrape off, the other worked fine. The next day, I did another after my shower, and that went better... two wheels with no problems (first was Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0, second was a Kato Mikado). Yesterday I did a third, a Model Power Pacific. Bullfrog Snot seems to be quite forgiving... mistakes can be easily removed, just let it dry thoroughly, and then pick it off with forceps. It does make a very 'tacky' traction tire, and the engines do seem to pull better than before. Time will tell if they are durable.
This weekend I SNOT'd a brass TM for a test, and the SNOT worked perfectly - ambient house air, no shower. Did have to work a bit to get it opened - don't get BULLFROG SNOT on the threads of the jar or lid!! Bill
