Originally Posted by
ClemY
... I have a Maxicar drum tandem wheel and an Aria drum, neither of which is strong enough to use as a main brake...
What did you use to clean the friction surfaces? It seems that most people use denatured alcohol which is okay but doesn't clean as well as acetone. I've known some people who've misguidedly used stuff like laquer thinner or turpentine which is a huge mistake. Thinner and turps actually contaminate brakes so badly it's as if they were wiped down with oil.