Craigslist Purchase - Parts Washer
- Thread starter Chaznsc
- Start date
GarageWarrior
Well-known member
I run Kerosene in mine - it's cheap and works well. Would not recommend water based
Vegaman_Dan
Well-known member
I am running a degreaser cleaner I bought at the dollar store for a half gallon. Filled it with about 8 of those and topped with water to make a strong solution. It is highly effective, no fumes, and isn't damaging to the pump, tank, or the parts to be washed.
Pat Brady
Banned
Stoddard solvent. 
Steevo
Well-known member
Stoddard solvent.
^^ This is what I use also. I get it from the local oil distributor.
Oh, and you ****!
I paid ten times what you paid for a new version of what you got for $40.
Jagmandave
Well-known member
I buy my solvent from Safety Kleen, yes it's a bit spendy and kerosene would probably work as well, but it lasts a long time and really cleans, and they'll exchange it for a new one when you're ready (for the appropriate fee, of course)
Jagmandave
Well-known member
Not if you close the lid and keep it down......
I used odorless pain thinner. No smell. Works amazingly well. I wouldn't expose to a open flame however. I think the flash point for paint thinner is fairly high. Do a bit of research. If you used the cheaper stuff, your wife will kill you. It stinks!
Falcon67
Well-known member
I like PSC1000 from Tractor Supply.
laser3kw
Well-known member
I was a Safety Kleen rep back in the late 80's. The Safety Kleen green solvent was a 105º flash mineral sprit. The clear was 130º flash mineral sprit. Stoddert solvent is basically the same (petro family). Keep the lid down will keep the evaporation down.
My concern with OPT is that there is something added to it to make it odorless. I had let a bottle of the stuff sit idle in my shop and when I went to use it, it had separated, sort of looked like melted ice cream once it separates. There was a clear part and a white, milky thick substance. Now, I am no chemist, but the experience left me leery of the stuff.
jcinga
Active member
Yep, mineral spirits here also. It's getting pretty expensive at about $14.00+ per gallon. Like you said, Safety Kleen's green solvent is mostly mineral spirits. Look at the MSDS sheet for info on solvents.
porschedude996TT
Well-known member
I have one of those, only it has a plastic 5 gal portable container that was to be exchanged with SK. It never did kick off like the company had hoped. I suspect that there were two reasons. One was the Local distributor was a real A$$ and didn't want anything to do with servicing private persons and they never setup an exchange location. I called him once about a mating rubber gasket that had swollen badly and was made out of an incompatable rubber. He couldn't be bothered...
The second reason is the flooding of cheap larger units like Harbor Freight that were larger and cheaper in the long run.
The second reason is the flooding of cheap larger units like Harbor Freight that were larger and cheaper in the long run.
9GUY9
Well-known member
A water based degreaser will cause the unit to rust. I have been happy with the tractor supply solvent for several years.
Steevo
Well-known member
Thanks Steevo.....how's retirement?
laser3kw
Well-known member
One thing caught my eye. Safety Kleen mineral spirts were always in a red drum. The "gray barrel" with the nasty sticker (black and withe diamond) was Safety Kleens carb cleaner. Originally it was methylene chloride (CAS #75-09-2) and used water to cap the liquid to keep it from eveaportating (water floats on top of methylene chloride) . The water would take on a white / yellow / tan appearance as it absorbed grime.
Safety Kleen was experimenting with new compound right as I left.
If you drip aluminum in it and it desolves after a while, it may be carb cleaner.
Monkey Milk
Well-known member
Are you missing the metal pipe that holds up the lid? Good score!
ptschram
Well-known member
Nice score.
First things first, grind off where it says "property of Safety-Kleen" stamped in the back surface where the pipe that holds the lid open is attached
In order to ensure longest life, fill the tank to where the pump is covered with plenty of solvent to ensure it won't run dry and that there is plenty of solvent to cool the pump.
The pumps should pretty much run forever, I've had mine for more than 30 years and the original pump is still running strong.
The Safety-Kleen guy who called on my mother's truck shop in the 70s showed up one day saying that he had gotten a great deal on refurbished Safety-Kleen machines that were being sold outright and did her shop want one. We bought several of them and one of them made it to my home shop. As a 17 year-old hot rodder, this was heaven.
Of course a month later another guy from Safety-Kleen showed up, told us the last guy had disappeared and that he was the new rep...
I still have that parts washer!
First things first, grind off where it says "property of Safety-Kleen" stamped in the back surface where the pipe that holds the lid open is attached
In order to ensure longest life, fill the tank to where the pump is covered with plenty of solvent to ensure it won't run dry and that there is plenty of solvent to cool the pump.
The pumps should pretty much run forever, I've had mine for more than 30 years and the original pump is still running strong.
The Safety-Kleen guy who called on my mother's truck shop in the 70s showed up one day saying that he had gotten a great deal on refurbished Safety-Kleen machines that were being sold outright and did her shop want one. We bought several of them and one of them made it to my home shop. As a 17 year-old hot rodder, this was heaven.
Of course a month later another guy from Safety-Kleen showed up, told us the last guy had disappeared and that he was the new rep...
I still have that parts washer!
laser3kw
Well-known member
I can neither confirm nor deny such things ever happened.
I know / heard stories for reps running across units that were sold / left behind / bought at auction etc., Most would sign it up as a customer owned and get the commission for the placement. Then who cares if the customer dumps the service later on. Hopefully when the next rep takes over......
ratdoggy
Well-known member
I bought 5 gallon pails of stuff at Fastenal. Don't remember the name of it
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
+1 on this. The chemical makeup is about the same as safety clean and you don't have to be home for the safety clean guy to service it.
Chris
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miketyler
Well-known member
I too have a Safety Kleen parts washer I bought off of CL. I think I picked up for $50 with the barrel? Its a green one and has served me well with flexible spout, power brush and fluorescent light built into the lid. You will be well served to keep the lid closed. As was mentioned this will keep the odor down but more important will preserve your solvent levels. Will see if I can snap a pic of it this weekend