What are you guys using for cleaning solvent??

I picked up a nice bench top solvent tank/pump setup made by Safety Klean. Just wondering whats a good quality solvent to use in it. I can get mineral spirits through work. I know there are alot of biodegradable solvents on the market know. What are you using?
Thanks, Todd

 

This topic pops up pretty often, a search might be helpful.

Lots of varied opinions.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=442397
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=205515
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6274

 

Gas.

 

Because of the low quality solvents (EPA involved) I rarely use the parts cleaner in the shop.
Most of the time now I will soak in gas - scrub - and use super clean then pressure wash.

5gl bucket w gas - brush
5gl bucket w super clean - brush

Come to think of it …….. Super Clean or Zep purple in the parts washer would work good.

 

Mineral spirits.

Don

 

I managed to buy a parts washer that heats the solvent to 110 degrees from the Albuquerque Fire Dept salvage - needed a pump - I put "Floor Cleaner & Degreaser" from Sam's Club in it mixed with water and it seems to work pretty well.

 

Mineral Spirits with 20% Naptha mixed in.

It is rough on your skin. WEAR RUBBER GLOVES

 

varsol, works very well but a bit tough on the hands till it gets some oil mixed in and then it's fine

 

an old timer i used to work with would pour half a quart of atf in the parts washer everytime the solvent was new,,, he said it was to make it easier on the skin

 

paint thinner its cheap and works great

 

Where's that old-timer now?

Neither the solvent, any solvent, nor the ATF is compatible with contact with human skin.

That is the fast-track to Leukemia or another form of cancer. They are both known carcinogens.

My grandfather was a life-long mechanic, did little else. He did not know any better, now he's dead. We know better now. Just don't do this.

Wear gloves. NEVER touch that stuff, ever.

 

Kerosene.

 

$35.00 a gallon here...I dont call that cheap.

 

Oil eater from Costco would probably Work good. I have'nt used in a parts cleaner but I've used it on parts on the floor and it worked good. Biodegradable and easy on the hands.

Later jim

 

I buy it in 5 Gal. bucket for usually under $30.00. So I'll call it fairly cheap here.

 

Simple Green works pretty well, better than the citrus based cleaners that they tried to foist on us a few years back, to replace the harsh solvents...man I used to LOVE M-50 (Tri-chloro-ethylene?) Boy did that clean up oil and grease, and leave no film behind!

 

Another vote for kerosene (paraffin over here). I use it in a bucket and add a little dish soap. Works great.

 

Yeah and: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichloroethylene

 

Yea TriChlor was great. It also will kill you.... and contaminate the local aquifers and .... It is why every closed Air Force base is now a toxic waste hazard. We used to use it in telephone central offices. Sprayed it on rotary switches from a spray can that we put compressed air into. The stuff gets in your liver and is not nice. We also used to cut pieces of compressed asbestos with a sabre saw.... Nobody said this stuff was bad.

 

Diesel works good too.
TP

 

I've used mineral spirits for yrs...but it's got expensive. I'm told deisel fuel is the same...and 1/3 the cost

 

Been using mineral spirits in my parts washer for a long time, but last I bought was about $400.00 for 55 gallon drum. Thinking of trying the new ultra low sulfur diesel fuel when that barrel is gone.
The diesel fuel isn't much oilier than the mineral spirits and a good bit less expensive. Maybe 60% less.

 

Yeah, it's pretty amazing all the dangerous chemicals, practices, and things we were exposed to before we knew better. Remember blowing off brake shoes, washing your hands in gasoline, or thinner. My old boss used to paint cars with no mask on, now is pretty bad with Alzheimers.

 

I worked in a machine shop where everything had to be squeaky clean. So they had this M50 tank with a cover on it, it was normal for guys to dip their whole hands in it to rinse parts even though a dip basket was right there. I never liked using it and eventually we got a vapor degreaser.

But all those old guys swished around in it who now should be 80-90 years old are dead, to a man.

The EPA would come around now and then to check the water on the grounds and came up with a plume of TCE traced back to a sink in the shop, what was supposed to be parts per billion was in the millions. That's what got us the vapor degreaser.

Now I use mineral spirits when I have to clean something greasy and use it outside wearing gloves. Inside, I'm using Simple Green or Oil Eater.

Bob

 

i dont care much for flamable cleaner. doing alot of welding and grinding in the shop scares me with that stuff.. i just use simple green and deal with it. or the zep industrial cleaner at home depot. i think a 5 gallon bucket is about $35. pretty potent stuff. alot stronger than the purple power stuff you get at the parts store.

 

I use ZEP formula 50. You can only get it by a Zep salesman. Its roughly $13.00 and gallon and is cut with water. I think 1 gallon makes 6. I use it on tires, engines gutters, it will even get an exploded pen out of white dress shirts

 

i use Stoddard solvent in my parts washer with heavy duty rubber gloves. for those of you that said they use gas - PLEASE don`t, one spark and . . .

 

Muratic acid cleaned up my master cylinder once i had it all broken down. I sprayed it off with water and dried it right away. I do not recommend putting your fingers in it unless you are planning to rob a bank though.

 

Ya got that right ! I worked in a screw-machine shop, and we used it to clean parts. Got it in 55gal. drums, and some made it home . I don't think it's made any more.