Got a Parts Washer!

[Matt M PA]

An old friend didn't use his GrayMills HandiKleen any more and offered it to me for the garage. (Thanks Charlie)

Anyhow...it had a fair amount of Agitene inside, which we collected, and brought home with the unit.

Since I won;t be using this everyday, I figured I'd let it live in the shed, and use it when needed. I simply do not have floor space for it downstairs. But....I think I could get it upstairs and place it next to the blast cabinet.

I have one BIG question. This unit was a really good one when new, and it has the big lid, shelves, etc....but will I have an odor problem with this being in the building? (I don;t remember it being an issue at Charlie's.)

I'm thinking it will be easier to use inside, especially in the winter...but since I leave two cars in this garage...I'm concerned about odor. I spend alot of time in my garage...so I think it's a genuine concern.

So what do you guys think?

 

[jayoldschool]

I've been thinking of getting one too. I go through a can of brake cleaner every time I work on the car, so it would save me money eventually...

Keep us posted on your experiences.

 

[krooser]

Depends on what solvent you use... the cleaner the solvent the less odor you have.

It's never been a problem in my shop... I use Stoddard solvent and I can't smell it two feet away.

 

[nate379]

I have stoddard in mine as well and I don't smell it. It's also called odorless mineral spirits. Lowe's, Home Deport, etc have it but only in small cans.

I used paint thinner it in once though and that was bad for fumes.

 

[Vinko]

I have stoddard in mine as well and I don't smell it. It's also called odorless mineral spirits. Lowe's, Home Deport, etc have it but only in small cans.

HD has ordered 5 gallon containers of mineral spirits for me but the savings is very little, so I found a industrial distributor and have gotten by acetone down from $59 for 5 gallons to $38 for 5 gallons and solvent down to $26 or for some type (I think I posted the kind previously), I forget what but it works pretty well.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Agitene, has some odor, but not much. My large Graymills parts washer doesn't seem to give off enough odor to notice, even when I've been using it.

Charles

 

[krooser]

HD has ordered 5 gallon containers of mineral spirits for me but the savings is very little, so I found a industrial distributor and have gotten by acetone down from $59 for 5 gallons to $38 for 5 gallons and solvent down to $26 or for some type (I think I posted the kind previously), I forget what but it works pretty well.

I hope you're NOT using acetone in a parts washer... kaboom!

 

[35mastr]

Ours only has the smell if you leave the lid up all the time.
If lid is closed you cant smell a thing.

 

[nissan_crawler]

I put a foam tape gasket around the lid of mine. No evaporating, no smell.

 

[Matt M PA]

Great guys! Thanks for some confidence in putting it inside.

This machine looks like it is built like bricksh...well, you get the idea. I'd hate to see it start to rust, etc since it's in a shed. (It's a nice Amish built shed...but it's unheated)

I'll see if I can get some help in toting it upstairs. It's still empty and I need to set up an intelligent drain system. It currently has a 1.25 inch plug you simply unscrew. Waht a mess.

 

[billymade]

I'm wondering if you contact some of the suppliers out there if they have some of the newer "environmentally friendly" cleaners out there, maybe even biodegradable.... I would assume they would be less smelly and the fumes would have less of a health impact. I know, typically anything like this; seems to not work as well as the old school stuff, then again... you never know (until you give it a try!). I have to assume with states like California with extreme environmental standards, they have been forced to use this type of product; safetykleen and other companies.... must have made something that fits these standards by now! Worth looking into...

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...y+safe+parts+cleaner+solvent+products&spell=1

expensive but I guess "aqueous parts washers" seems to be the new cats meow!
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=aqueous+parts+washers&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

 

[35mastr]

Great guys! Thanks for some confidence in putting it inside.

This machine looks like it is built like bricksh...well, you get the idea. I'd hate to see it start to rust, etc since it's in a shed. (It's a nice Amish built shed...but it's unheated)

I'll see if I can get some help in toting it upstairs. It's still empty and I need to set up an intelligent drain system. It currently has a 1.25 inch plug you simply unscrew. Waht a mess.

Put A Ball valve and a 90 on it. Then run pipe where ever you would like to drain it.

 

[nate379]

If you use that parts washer like I use mine the ball valve will need to be pretty big and several inches off the bottom for it to not clog up. I cleaned mine out after about a year of use and there was probably 2" of sludge in the bottom I had to scrape out.

How I drain mine is let the pump do the work. Stick a long hose on the "spigot" and put it in a pail. Turn the pump on.

 

[Matt M PA]

Good thinking Nate!

I wound up putting a 3/4 valve....and plugged that in case the vavle seeped.

But..it's upstairs.

Now the real problem...it needed a length of hose between the pump and brush metal gooseneck. I put a piece in...and while the motor does run...I see nothing (or very little) coming out. I guess I need to look at this in the AM.

 

[1320stang]

Put a dirt leg in.

 

[nate379]

I'm not sure I understand the challenge of it being upstairs?
I just pump it in 5 gal pails.

Could be a bad pump if it's not pumping. Northern Hydraulics has them for around $75 if I remember right.

Good thinking Nate!

I wound up putting a 3/4 valve....and plugged that in case the vavle seeped.

But..it's upstairs.

Now the real problem...it needed a length of hose between the pump and brush metal gooseneck. I put a piece in...and while the motor does run...I see nothing (or very little) coming out. I guess I need to look at this in the AM.

 

[Matt M PA]

WEll, the pump is fine. The fluid level is "just" below the pick-up. So..I guess I have to head to Grainger on Tuesday and some more Agitene.

Darned holiday weekends! I have stuff to do!

 

[Vinko]

I hope you're NOT using acetone in a parts washer... kaboom!

No -- I use it to clean small parts -- it's in OSHA-approved dispensing bottles