parts washer

[aemsee]

Just bought a 20 gal parts washer for my Dad for Christmas. What are you guys using for solvent in yours?

[DirtyComanche]

I don't have one, buuuuut.... We've got 4 at work. Varsol in three, and the other one uses an organic soap and water mixture.

 

I'd run a soap/water one for most of what I do myself. There's some really effective products out there now. Normally I'm washing stuff that's covered in dirt and oil anyways, not the inside of a transmission. Which is also why they have as many at work as they do, one runs only clean varsol and is only for transmissions and gearboxes, the others run much less clean varsol for general usage.

 

Jet fuel works pretty good in place of varsol. I'm not sure what the price difference is like, jet-A is about $1.50 a liter.

[aemsee]

It is going to be used in a garage that uses a wood stove for heat in the winter, so I would like to stay away from flamable stuff that is very volatile. In the summer it won't matter as much. The commercial stuff is pretty pricey by the gallon.

[whowey]

We have two at work. One filled with Soy Methate for really greasy stuff and one filled with Some really weird smelling thin liquid for cleaning the parts after a run through the Soy liquid. Its supposedly water soluble, but it is some funky stuff.

[garyindiane]

Have one at work. I run a soap based product called Polychem. It works great.

 

-Gary

[aemsee]

anyone ever use a mixture of dishwasher detergent and water? just seems it would do a decent job, cost little and be low foam.

[DJM/78]

I use several ultrasonic cleaners , and to tell you the truth , I use Mr. clean.

Depending on what your cleaning I've found any degreaser with the proper amount of heat will take anything off.

Most of the household cleaning products are eco friendly and fire resistant.

I try to get my solutions almost boiling temp, the mild solutions don't oxidize the metal either.

Its kind of like the old ,hot water , cold water salt dissolve test back in science class.

[DirtyComanche]

It is going to be used in a garage that uses a wood stove for heat in the winter, so I would like to stay away from flamable stuff that is very volatile. In the summer it won't matter as much. The commercial stuff is pretty pricey by the gallon.

 

 

I'd stick with a water/soap solution if there's a wood stove. I'm not exactly Mr Safety, but eventually something like that will catch up to you.

 

I can't comment on how dish soap would work, since I've never tried it. However, I don't think it would be strong enough. :dunno:

[Automan2164]

What about some straight diesel? Makes a decent solvent, and the flashpoint is high enough that the wood stove would be almost a non issue.

 

Rob L.