Odd question about a radio controlled car from Ebay stinks!

[AndyjcClod]

Hi Guys and Girls

I bought a partial build uncompleted radio controlled Tamiya from ebay and its great as its one of the Tamiya models I have been after for years but...

But I have a situation I have never come across before.. whoever I bought it off must smoke like a chimney as the car all its parts and the box absolutely reek of cigarette smoke.

Its that bad that when I moved the body my hands smelt of fag ash afterwards and when I received the item and put in under my desk at work people were coming in the office saying it smells of cigarettes in here!

Has anyone come across this before and does anyone have any tips to get rid of the smell?

[alfagta]

febreze that bad boy, as a smoker myself i can appreciate how the smell can get into everything , even in my well vented workshop/shed where i keep all the boxes for my cars they still stink, the kit will just need a good wash , the box though will be an issue , several very light sprays (so you dont damage the box) with febreze will go a long way to killing the stench

now , where did i put my fags??

[lawdog]

It's amazing how strongly cigarette odor will permeate many plastics. I would start by putting it outside/in the sun for a good while and see if this helps. If not, then I would go the tear-down and Febreze/wash route.

[beefmuffin]

the first falcon roller i got, it smelled like the guy greased his gearbox with beef tallow. i swear, it stank like rancid meat. i decided not to use the gearbox parts and just bag them up and never open the bag again. i still have the parts, though, in the bag of course.

[Tamiya1/10]

Is funny,just before reading this post, i pulled my reading glasses from my humidor ( i don't usually put my glasses in there) and it smells like cigar. This might work...get a bag full of charcoal and dump the parts in it, the charcoal should absorb the smell. But first just simply air it out in the open for a day or two before trying any else..

[Percymon]

Leave in open air for a week, preferably a well ventilated area. Then wash all the parts in hand hot soapy water with some scented disinfectant added. That should get rid of most of the smell and what's left will be disguised for a short period by the disinfectant. As that wears off so will any lingering ciggy smell. It can take a while though, I had the same problem with a part built kit and I left that for months in open air with minimal impact in the smell, and the box never got any better

[wolfdogstinkus]

as Tamiya 1/10 said carbon is a good smell remover, you need a carbon filter and extraction fan in your hobby room, can also be used for extracting paint fumes should you wish to build a paint studio.

[bromvw]

OR just start smoking . . Maybe tamiya packaging should also carry a warning - RC IS BAD FOR YOUR WEALTH.

[waterbok]

you could try putting the parts in sodium bicarbonate thats what grandma used in the fridge to get rid of smells.

and washing it first with citrus fairy.

[Grastens]

Had a problem like this with my Striker. I just washed up the parts and used Febreze for the non-plastic/non-metal pieces since it was the only thing I had on hand. Proper ventilation always helps, too, whether just airing it out or airing it out after treating it with said spray!

[markbt73]

The cars themselves will usually air out, but boxes and instruction manuals are another matter. My Optima Mid reeked of cigarette smoke when I got it. The car is fine now, having been completely stripped down, washed, and rebuilt, but the box still stinks when I take the lid off, and that's after sitting open for two weeks in my old workshop. And I still get a whiff from the instruction book when I open it.

[OldSchoolRunner]

I have encountered this once or twice. Just give everything a good bath and rebuild. I aways rebuild everything always before I run it.

OSR

[stevepi]

I used to work in a local TV repair shop and we used to get ex rental tv's back after years in smokers houses. We used a foaming cleaner from an aerosol you spray it on, it foams up then turns to liquid taking any crud with it and any smells. It was made by servisol here in the UK, can be bought from electronics suppliers Maplin, RS etc. it's also anti static. :-)

[djmcnz]

...get a bag full of charcoal and dump the parts in it...

as Tamiya 1/10 said carbon is a good smell remover...

No. You need activated charcoal (or carbon), if you buy a bunch of the regular stuff you'll be disappointed with the results.

You can often find 'kitty litter' with good amounts of activated carbon and it's good because it's moisture absorbent (kitty litter that is) so it's safe for boxes. Half cup for a week will doderise any RC box I would think.

[AndyjcClod]

Thanks for all the tips peeps, I have put the box in the shed but the car is almost back to smelling normal now (Still more work to do on it as the wires smell of smoke still) but its a lot less noticeable now. So far I have..... Stripped and washed the car, used a air duster spray on the motor and electronics, and left the car pieces outside for a whole day yesterday.

[Percymon]

You could soak all plastic parts in a bucket of water/disinfectant overnight - easy if its all in pieces awaiting reassembly. If nothing else the smell of pine is preferable to smoke !

[SteveU30]

Maybe try WD40 also, smells much nicer and has the benefit of protecting the plastics too!

[Psylence]

Oh god, the NIB top force I bought a few years ago had the same problem. It was horrid. Especially the manual.

My procrastination paid off in that regard... the smell dissipated over the past couple years of sitting in my basement and I have just completed it.

[bromvw]

You could soak all plastic parts in a bucket of water/disinfectant overnight - easy if its all in pieces awaiting reassembly. If nothing else the smell of pine is preferable to smoke !

Oi Less of the Smoke Police - I'am a smoker and well feed up of being made to feel like a social outcast . As if the price was'nt enough being made to stand outside freezing your nuts off just adds insult to injury . My man shed is my refuse and if anyone dont like the smell they can do one .