Fluid to use in parts washer?

Rob,

I've got a 30 gallon parts washer, as well...and have been using this stuff for about 10 years now. It works great and has no issues with tough grease. I find that 15 gallons will last me about 3-4 years, before fluid gets too nasty. I purchased some two years ago and it was $115 for 15 gallons.

http://www.castlepackspower.com/Catalog/ClnrsDegreasers/quicksolve.html

Finger Lakes Chemicals is based in Rochester, NY, but they have reps throught the US.

Regards,
David

 

I have an aqueous parts washer (Kleen-Tec KT 4000). I have had great success with Simple Green Industrial. I buy it in 5 gallon carboys and dilute about 2:1. This unit heats the solution to 110 degrees F (wonderful on a cold Winter day), and works better than solvent.

No fire hazard and no hazardous vapors.

 

Kerosene works too

 

We have two different parts washers at work. (Both handled by Safety clean so as to avoid DER, DEA, EPA and the FBI and CIA complications.)

One uses a heated water based formula, I think it is mostly simple green, based on the smell, and the other uses mineral spirits. Very little VOCs evaporate off, and a very high flash point makes for a nice safe solvent with mineral spirits.

DM

 

Just plain old mineral spirits in mine.

 

NAPA sells Parts Washer fluid in 5 gal cans. Mineral spirits is probably the least expensive and works.

 

Geez, Paul. Have you ever had a fire in yours?

I have... Not fun, especially when the "link" that is supposed to melt and slam the backsplash down to cover it and extinguish it didn't work. And this was a commercial service that supplied it...

Twice in twenty-five years in the shop.

Simple Green for me.

 

I use Super Agitene from Production Tool Supply. It's easier on your hands when your handling small parts and can't wear gloves. To save "wear" on the fluid, I pre-clean the really nasty parts with a parts brush and gas. It works the best and is really not that easy to explode. Obviously you don't do it in an enclosed space and I have a box fan blowing to disipate the fumes and keep the mixture too lean to explode. It's just my method, use it or not. I don't want to start a big controversy about the dangers of gasolene and endless "war stories".

 

I use Super Agitene also. I buy it at Graingers. It's great stuff, cleans well and leaves no residue on the parts.

As for pre-cleaning with gasoline, not a good idea. (I won't lecture, you know the fire/explosion/health risks). But pre-cleaning with mineral spirits is not a bad idea. I've done that with some really heavily soiled parts to save the Agitene. Mineral spirits is cheap, not as volitile as gas, safer, all that good stuff. Just a suggestion as an alternative.

 

Oops, my apologies, Paul. I thought mineral spirits were more flammable than they are, evidently.

It wasn't mineral spirits that "lit off." It was all of the BrakeClean that I diluted the parts wash with.

I'm going to look into this Super Agitene stuff. Sounds good for a home shop.

 

I would investigate some of the newer safer products now on the market. I discovered some of the newer "non toxic" cleaning products for firearms about 10 years ago, and they work as good, if not better than the traditional ones. Best part is less noxious fumes, non flammable, etc. Most are water based.

 

I dont know if there is anything else thats legal to use, but we sprayed aircraft engines down with plain solvent (mineral spirits) before we worked on them. AFAIK, its the only FAA approved stuff to clean aircraft with. Simple green does have a new FAA approved formula, but I know nothing about it. Regular simple green is corrosive and shouldnt be used.

When my Dad was in the service he seen a guy cleaning a machine gun in a bucket of gasoline catch on fire and burn to death. Growing up he taught me right off not to use it for anything other than fuel for an engine, its belongs inside a gas tank, not a parts washer. So dont use it. Even if it dont ever hurt you, some idiot kid will see you doing it and think its a good idea.

 

Hah! True, gasoline is a bad idea for parts washing. I never had a problem with it, but when I was in college building my first engine (VW Type II with reduction gears...) in my dorm room, the RA said "take it outside." So I went to the roof of the dorm and cleaned parts there in a pan. What was I using? Gasoline. Smelled good to me and it worked...

I do like, although it's expensive, the Wurth and Winzer brake clean solvent.

 

I did a little research on this regarding potential harmful effects on some materials (particularly aluminum alloys). I've never experienced any apparent detrimental effects and it looks like most of the concern is theoretical based on long exposure times. My solution is that I don't soak parts for long periods and alloy parts (especially castings) get rinsed with water.

You might get good degreasing at the dilutions you mentioned (depending on the "grease"). Temperature makes a huge difference, heating the solution to 105-110F is what makes aqueous cleaning really work.
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Any one had a problem with the paint being soften and coming off the tank with simple green? I used another product years ago which was a parts degreaser even diluted it ate into the paint and soften the plastic hose.

 

Stoddard solvent here, been using it for over 40 years

 

I use it as well not only for parts cleaning but, as a paint brush cleaner. The nasties precipitate out and I use the MS over and over for several years. Works great on road tar too.

 

My tank is plastic, no problems.

 

Did you buy a washer that is compatible with aqueous solutions? Besides a heater, the construction is different for aqueous washers.