Author Topic: Parts Washer solvent / solution... (Read 14183 times)

sbparks · « **on:** November 21, 2009, 06:24:04 AM »

Hello,

I have a new parts washer bin. Not sure what to fill it with. I need 10 to 12 gallons to fill it.

Tractor supply company has 5 gallons of 'solvent' for $39.99. Sounds great, but why not use Kerosene or other cheaper solvent?

I would appreciate some opinions.

Thanks, Scott

tbpmusic · « **Reply #1 on:** November 21, 2009, 07:29:09 AM »

Quote from: sbparks on November 21, 2009, 06:24:04 AM

Tractor supply company has 5 gallons of 'solvent' for $39.99. Sounds great, but why not use Kerosene ......

It would evaporate too quickly, and is highly flammable......

sbparks · « **Reply #2 on:** November 22, 2009, 02:12:33 PM »

I ended up purchasing the washer solvent from Tractor supply. Working very well so far.

ekpent · « **Reply #3 on:** November 22, 2009, 03:25:55 PM »

8 bucks a gallon-I know its hard to take but you have to use what it takes. Sometime tools are cheap its the stuff you need afterwards.If your solvent is the same stuff Gunk uses for their carb cleaner I would keep a gallon of the fresh stuff out just for them and dedicate it for carbs,that would be a good price

Nikkisixx · « **Reply #4 on:** November 23, 2009, 08:55:58 AM »

I know you already sprang for a product, but my 2 cents is that I use simple green in the recirculating sink type washer. It is fairly cheap (if you buy it in bulk at a home improvement store), is not flamable, not hard on your hands, can be cut with water, won't harm rubber or plastic, cuts carb varnish and dirt/grease pretty darn well when fresh, and does not (as my wife says about other solvents) "smell like the devil farted in the garage".

I have a 5 gal bucket of the shtuf that is more aggressive that I soak really nasty parts in.

bucky katt · « **Reply #5 on:** November 23, 2009, 05:08:17 PM »

i use the parts washer concentrate from northern tool. something like a 70/30 water to concentrate mixture

dave500 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 14, 2009, 11:33:35 PM »

i use kerosine,i dont smoke and dont do any welding at home im still carefull with the fire aspect though!!,my wife hates the smell and i have to decontaminate afterwards or she sneezes badly from it!whats an australian equivelant to simple green?i dont think we get that here ive read its used to clean all sorts of things ,i was going to get proper cleaning solvent ,but ill bet the smell will still upset my wife,kerosine here is $45 for a 20 litre drum,solvent is $80!!im about to start a couple of days of parts cleaning and dont want to get into trouble from the war office!

KeithB · « **Reply #7 on:** December 15, 2009, 04:24:45 AM »

Is this...http://industrial.simplegreen.com/ind_products_extreme.php...what you refer to as Simple Green?

Hinz · « **Reply #8 on:** December 15, 2009, 05:56:48 AM »

Same here for the Simple Green. I have the small HF parts washer and 1 gallon of concentrated Simple Green (available at Home Depot) is plenty to get it running. Get a good set of different material brushes (steel, nylon, brass, etc...available at the dollar store) and a cupcake tin (to put small hardware in) and you should be good to go. For the really gunked up parts, I dip them in Carb. dip first, then send them through the parts washer.

Nikkisixx · « **Reply #9 on:** December 15, 2009, 06:22:54 AM »

Quote from: dave500 on December 14, 2009, 11:33:35 PM

whats an australian equivelant to simple green?

Vegemite?

According to Simple Green web site your contact in Australia is:

CIPL Pty Ltd
P.O. Box 1253
Golden Grove Village LPO
GOLDEN GROVE, SA, 5125

Phone: +61407 747 522
Fax: +61 2 9894 0233
Cell: +64 21 950 283
Contact: Michelle Rademacher

Web site:
http://www.simplegreen.com/msds_au_nz/

Nikkisixx · « **Reply #10 on:** December 15, 2009, 06:31:29 AM »

Quote from: KeithB on December 15, 2009, 04:24:45 AM

Is this...http://industrial.simplegreen.com/ind_products_extreme.php...what you refer to as Simple Green?

You can use this as well:

http://www.simplegreen.com/products_extreme_motor.php

von_Wanderlust · « **Reply #11 on:** December 15, 2009, 04:06:52 PM »

I grabbed some the other day from Blackwoods. Here you go: http://www2.blackwoods.com.au/LocationsList.aspx?state=QLD

Btw, they say Bunnings is supposed to stock it, but I never have any luck finding any - they only have household stuff like floor cleaners etc.

ANVkevin · « **Reply #12 on:** December 15, 2009, 04:41:57 PM »

Quote from: tbpmusic on November 21, 2009, 07:29:09 AM

It would evaporate too quickly, and is highly flammable......

I use kerosene, hasn't evaporated in over a year now. Not great on the hands, smells bad, and for sure flammable. Works great though. Maybe next time around I will try the legit solvent.

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #13 on:** December 15, 2009, 05:40:31 PM »

I've used Kero (Kerosine) Kerosine/diesel fuel (50/50 mix) and even straight diesel fuel (which I'm using at the moment) and they've worked well (diesel is better than Kero in my opinion as it doesn't harm most rubbers, whereas Kero fcuks them) but I'm keen to try "Simple green" so it looks like the contents of my parts washer is gonna get up-ended onto my weed covered pavers around my garage to make for for the 'green.

My workshop is full of cutting and welding gear so the fact that SG is non-flammable is a good enough reason to change, as long as it works. Cheers, Terry.

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #14 on:** December 15, 2009, 05:49:25 PM »

Diesel is what i have used for years, works for me....

Mick

cafenut · « **Reply #15 on:** December 15, 2009, 06:00:39 PM »

been kerosene for as long as Ive been working on anything or the occasional diesel. Ive had the same kerosene in my parts washer for 3 years and the only prob is its gettin dirtier. i smoke, cut. grind, weld, and never had a prob in closed spaces even. Ive tried to set k1 on fire by anything simulating an accident. all Ive found is that without a wick it dint burst or light, if theres an alarm i sh old be aware of please let me know, other than its not for #$%* for the skin.

Ricky_Racer · « **Reply #16 on:** December 15, 2009, 06:04:53 PM »

Guys, just in case any of you missed the (much) earlier threads... Do NOT use the normal (green) Simple Green on aluminum! Simple Green now make HP Pro and an Automotive cleaner that are okay'd for airplanes and can be used on aluminum. RR

GavinJuice · « **Reply #17 on:** December 15, 2009, 08:16:42 PM »

These two came up on another forum as alternatives, both water soluble...

http://www.ct1w.mirachem.com/topics/products/industrial/3300/3300-100.htm

http://www.hurrisafe.com/automotivedegreasers/7110carburetorcleaner.html

Nikkisixx · « **Reply #18 on:** December 15, 2009, 09:35:46 PM »

Ricky Racer has a good point, and it looks like this topic has been well covered on this site already.

As with most things in life, moderation is key when cleaning aluminum with SG. The aircraft grade has a corosion inhibitor that allows you to soak parts for longer periods. If you just want to toss an aluminum part in the washer, scrub it off, rinse and dry, you'd be fine with the standard stuff. If you soak aluminum for days it will turn dark/black at the least (trust me on this). By the way, I do not own stock or work for these guys. Here is some info from their website:

"Aluminum - Is it safe to use Simple Green® on aluminum?
When used with caution and according to the instructions, Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner has been safely and successfully used to clean aluminum. Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner, Crystal Simple Green® Cleaner/Degreaser, Simple Green Pressure Washer Concentrates, and Pro Series™ Simple Green® Automotive Cleaner have been used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green® product residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation.
Simple Green has also developed break-through water based cleaners that are safe for use on metals, plastics, rubber and high tech alloys. Extreme Simple Green® Aircraft & Precision Cleaner and Simple Green® Pro HD are available on both the industrial and retail markets, respectively. These products were initially developed for the aircraft industry and extensive testing shows that they are safe and effective on a variety of metals and other sensitive surfaces even in the most extreme circumstances. "

Simple Green® Stainless Steel One Step Cleaner & Polish is another option for cleaning polished aluminum. This product is designed for light duty metal cleaning and polishing.

dave500 · « **Reply #19 on:** December 15, 2009, 09:47:09 PM »

hey great feed back and good links,thanks all!!when i was an apprentice in the early 70s with the melbourne and metropolitan board of works(mmbw)kero was the norm,depending on your skin it dries it out,i find diesel worse on my hands,it also leaves things oily which is ok for storage,kero seems to dry clean and hoses off somewhat easier.

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #20 on:** December 15, 2009, 10:09:01 PM »

Dave, another really good local product is the "Supercheap" solvent degreaser, (not the water based stuff, I don't like it) I've always used their 2 dollar spray cans, but recently I was able to buy a 4 litre drum of it from my local Supercheap store which is great for bigger jobs, and as long as you return the stuff to the can after use, (I strain it thru an old shop rag after each use to remove sludge and the larger particles) evaporation isn't a problem, but of course, not much good in a parts washer. Cheers, Terry.

Don R · « **Reply #21 on:** December 15, 2009, 10:24:07 PM »

The super clean product that was Castrol in the purple container will screw up aluminum also. I thought it was just another household cleaner and sprayed it on the dash of my company truck and it cleaned the chrome right off the plastic dash. My boss was real proud of me.

dave500 · « **Reply #22 on:** December 17, 2009, 01:47:14 AM »

thanks terry,i was going to have a gander in supercheap,4 litres is a good size,my wash tank is a 60 litre drum sliced in two down its length,then the edge is folded over and it locates into a oblong hole i cut into a bench i made in about 30 minutes!!im not keen on the water based stuff for things like gears and other internal parts,what part of melbourne are you in terry?i used to live in glen waverley,belgrave,mooroolbark,clayton

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #23 on:** December 17, 2009, 05:12:32 AM »

G'Day Dave, well there you go mate, I lived in Brisbane for a couple of years, I should have stayed there! I still dream of my weekend rides from my house in Ferny Hills up to Mt Nebo and Mount Glorious on my old Bevel Ducati 900SS, I imagine that heaven will be very similar, except that I'll be riding my Triumph Rocket III, ha ha!

I live in Mill Park now, on the northern side of Melbourne. The Supercheap solvent cleaner is great, but it evaporates in unsealed containers pretty quickly. I don't like the water based degreasers that I've tried here, and most of them are unsuitable for use with aluminium anyway. Cheers, Terry.

steamnjn23 · « **Reply #24 on:** December 17, 2009, 02:32:26 PM »

dave500, how about a write up and some pictures of your setup.

sounds simple enough to build.

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Author Topic: Parts Washer solvent / solution... (Read 14183 times)

GavinJuice