Looking for anyone who has experience in what the best techniques, tools, etc are for removing soot from various materials (including the metal of a tailpipe, fibreglass, etc). Any idea whether e.g. carb-cleaner or brake-cleaner sprays are effective, or lacquer thinners, isopropyl alky, etc.... or just do it dry with a soft wire brush etc ?

Thanks in advance for any mistakes you can help me avoid,

Gordon

Gordon -

I use (believe it or not) Easy-Off oven cleaner to remove the soot and carbon buildup from the stainless steel and mild steel exhaust systems on my (Concours-winning) Cobra and full-scale aircraft... works great. Not sure about Inconel surfaces, but worth trying. I spray it into a container and use a throwaway brush to apply it.

A couple of qualifiers, however:

1. Don't get it on paint unless you try it on a scrap/test sample first...some paint types can be etched or stained.

2. Don't use it on polished metal surfaces (unless you are willing to re-polish with Simichrome or similiar polishing agents).

3. If you use it on aluminum, don't allow it to sit for more than a few minutes or it WILL stain/etch the surface.

4. Wash it off well, I use soap and water or just a water soaked rag.

Barry