Cheap redneck parts washer

[kf4zht]

Discovered this over the weekend. It works better than some parts washers I have used. I copied this from my blog.

Ingredients:

* 5 Gallon Bucket
* 2+ Gallons Purple Power (or white lighting, simple green, etc)
* 2 Gallons Water
* Drill (Cordless is easiest and safest)
* Plastic, Squirrel cage style paint mixer ( http://www.discountpaint.net/store/product.php?productid=7035 ) Available at home depot

Mix the Purple Power and water in the 5 gallon bucket. I would put about 4 gallons in the bucket. More cleaner = more power, but 2/2 is about right. Put the parts in the bucket. I found about 2 piston/rods and 1 main cap in at a time. Let it soak for about 20 minutes and then using the drill on torque setting and use the paint mixer to agitate the solution for about 1-2 minutes. Remove parts, rinse and dry with an air gun. Cleans parts well and quicker than a parts washer.

Note: this will clean oil/grease. To clean carbon build up soak time must be longer. In that case one could use a drill press to keep the fluid moving longer, not real efficient though.

 

[fourfeathers]

I wonder how it would work to agitate it with air from a ziptied open blowgun on a low pressure. Seems like it would help too, and you could walk away from it.

 

[srmofo]

I wonder how it would work to agitate it with air from a ziptied open blowgun on a low pressure. Seems like it would help too, and you could walk away from it.

we use to mix our 250gals of coolant at work that way....then the cheap bastards finally started buying stuff that was mixed already.

works well, but keep the pressure low and keep a lid on it, vented of course

 

[Spareparts]

When I was in the Army and over in Germany we took a 55 gal drum and put a bulkhead fitting thru the side up high and run a copper down to the bottom and made a coil with about 2 dozen small holes in it, then filled about 2/3 with studdard solvent. suspended a basket with parts in it put a lid on it and with about 30 to 40 psi of air, let it aggitiate while we did something else, sometimes for a couple of hours, and they would come out looking new. Often wondered how the purple cleaner or some of the water soluble cleaners would work today.

 

[popper]

Very similar idea. We took a piece of brake line and coiled it up, drilled small holes in it and attached a small globe valve to it with a male quick coupler to hook to a air hose. Then put this in the bottom of a 5 gal bucket with a lid that you can put over the top to keep the mist down. Use mineral spirits or solvent. Works awesome.

Popper

 

[hoopty388]

these ideas are great. No tank ideas to add other than I have an old dishwasher casing on its way to try.


my input is: I have been buying old deep fryer baskets at yardsales in hope of getting my washer.

 

[srmofo]

my input is: I have been buying old deep fryer baskets at yardsales in hope of getting my washer.

depending on the size of the tank and the solvent being used, you can also use milk crates or the crates that 20ozs come in. Just put a brick or 2 in the bottom to suspend it off the bottom

 

[hoopty388]

got some of them thanks great tip