Parts Washer
 

Just wondering what guys are using in their parts washer?
At my old shop we always used varsol with good results.
I was always concerned about the flammable nature of it but at the time it was the thing to use.
Has anyone had success or can recommend safer alternatives that work well?
Not really wanting to rinse parts with water only to have to put rust preventative back on after the process.

Sodium hydroxide works well. Non flammable. Heat it to boil and it works even better. After boiling for 1 hour.

I am still a big believer in regular solvent. DND has gone to various water based combination soap/heated type cleaners. My experience with them is they take hours to do what should take minutes, and leave shadows of grease where the soap doesn't spray.



I did end up with a large quantity of naptha here, so I was mixing it 50/50 with the solvent. Worked great until a wayward spark flew over to the open bath one day. Not sure what to do with the remaining 30 gallons of naptha..having been in the military for 25 years camping is not my idea of recreation.

Kerosene....... the low smell kind.....
 

I use a parts washer from PA........ and at first bought the washing solvents but prices went up......so I watch the sales for kerosene for heaters, solvents when on sale and even low sulfur diesel (Contaminated).

Is very cold on your hands at -20C but you can moderate the feelings by using a magnetic block heater from PA...... takes about 3 hours to make a difference.

On parts to be painted I usually rinse in old gasoline and blow dry with the the compressed air gun...... but always outside in fair weather........

If you are stingy save your old solvent steel containers...... after 3 or 4 months drain and replace the liquid into empty solvent cans and let it sit for 3 or 4 months...... using a syphon hose (cough cough) you can recover at least 75% of the old stuff the rest goes into "Lucifer" digestive system for Winter heat...... Lucifer loves paint gun wash, gear lub, automatic fluid, left over gasoline, old motor oil.....slowly dripped into a cast iron pan sitting on a bed of red hot coals......... and creates NO smoke as long as the wood fire has reached real hot..................

Stay warm and keep those parts clean.....

I found the highest concentration of sodium hydroxide in a certain drain cleaner at the local hardware store. I pour 1 gallon in a 55 gallon drum of water. I can clean and strip the paint from whatever will fit in the barrel. I use an immersion burner to boil it. I can do an entire small vehicle for about $30 of drain cleaner.

Drain cleaner has about 5 times the concentration of sodium hydroxide as Zep Purple, and costs a lot less.

Caustic Soda
 

I agree with Jesse, although I call it caustic soda and don't bother heating the drum. I have a 44 gall drum of water, at room temp (no lower than 50F in winter), with about a 2 lb container of caustic soda dissolved in it. I leave the parts hanging from a support into the solution for about 4 to 5 days, then wash off in clean water rubbing with a scouring pad. When the paint removal gets sluggish time-wise, I add more caustic. The drum is clearly labelled 'DANGER CAUSTIC SODA', has a lid, and I use chemical handling gloves and eye protection when moving parts in or out of the drum. Most hardware stores stock caustic soda. I do not immerse parts that have internal spaces without access, like the side handles on a jeep: the caustic gets inside and is REALLY difficult to neutralise. When the handle heats up, the stuff bubbles out of the joints/pressed together ends: not good!

For parts caked in grease, I manually remove the excess with a scraper, then wash off in a tub with a small amount of thinners and a scrubbing brush - less volatile than petrol, but works almost as well. The used thinners goes into a plastic bottle. After a few days, all the crud has fallen to the bottom and you can de-cant the thinners from the top into another bottle to use again for cleaning. (I use a very small amount of petrol for any really difficult removal, and it gets discarded when finished.)

Then into the caustic bath to remove any paint.

Then, when dry, sand blast or wire brush ready for primer paint.

Mike

Paint thinner
 

I switched to paint thinner a few years ago and now use it all the time.

camping naphtha
 

...” having been in the military for 25 years camping is not my idea of recreation.”


Happy New Year to all. Thanks for the subtle humour that never fails to bring a smile, Mr. Love.

Immersion burner ?
 

Is it this device https://www.hnw.com.au/product-range...-tank-heating/

If you have a large item to clean in your caustic solution , or some other chemical , Citric acid or whatever. I recently discovered the larger dairy farmers use 1000 liter tubs, the tubs contain cleaning agents for the farm. I got one for $40 . Not sure if these are available world wide but these things are usually a standard item https://www.ebay.com.au/i/2032213923...CABEgKRkfD_BwE