Home Built Parts Washer

[engnerdan]

I have wanted a parts washer for a while but could not justify the dedicated space they take up or the price to invest in one. My dad gave me one of the Northern Tools bench top specials but the pump died while cleaning it up. After many months of pondering parts washers I stumbled upon an air powered unit at Tractor Supply which I liked because it would have the power to push solvent through a spin on filter so that I would have nothing but clean (particle free) solvent. Then I found a wheeled unit with drying rack that would roll right under my work bench. I took these two ideas and put them together with some stuff I had on hand and a cheapo HF utility cart and this is what I came up with.

The tank is a disposable helium tank (balloon time) which will hold about 4.5-5 gallons of solvent, the filter is currently a 10 micron spin on from Northern Tool but I am hoping to find something around a 3 micron that will use the same filter head.

I have been surprised at how useful this is to have, I have used it almost daily since I completed it, and the filtered solvent is great for cleaning bearings. I can't wait to use it when I rebuild my transmission.


In the end this project did cost me about $100 which is more then I had planned on spending, but I know I could not have spent $100 else where and got a parts washer that filters the solvent like mine does. Most of the cost was the fittings that I bought too many of or the wrong ones of.

Major Parts
-Balloon Time Helium tank - Free
-Northern Tools Parts washer -Free
-Harbor Freight Utility Cart - $25
-Northern Tools 10 Micron Filter ~$20
-3 different air blow guns (finally found one that does not leak) - $20
-Lots of pipe fittings $$$$$$

-Dan

 

[JohnK007]

Pretty damn ingenious if you ask me! A neat and good looking job.

 

[engnerdan]

Pretty damn ingenious if you ask me! A neat and good looking job.

Thanks.

A co-worker came over and thought it was a purchased partswasher, becasue it just looks like it all goes together, at first. The only thing I am not happy with is the filter mount I plan on revising that some day.

-Dan

 

[Danglerb]

For a filter I was thinking of using a remote filter mounting base so I could use a standard oil filter for a car.

 

[Abodyracer]

How do you get the solvent to drain back into the tank? It looks like you need to close a valve on the drain line and open it up once you remove air pressure to let it drain back into the tank. Also what did you use from the outlet side of the filter to the spray nozzle?

 

[bmwpower]

Nice!

I am wanting to build my own stationary unit, but after seeing this I wonder if I should make it mobile.

The only thing I would change would be to have a blow off valve on the tank in case that regulator go malfunctions. High pressure solvent being sprayed around the shop would ruin my weekend.

 

[rsanter]

I had a similar idea I wanted to do with the pressurized tank but I wanted it to be in an enclosure like a blast cabinat so I could turn up the pressure without getting the splash on me.
I did not think about the filter...good idea

bob

 

[Hoot]

That is NICE!

Can you post a breakdown of how it works and some of the parts that you used? Like the lines you used and types of fittings? And how the tank part of the setup works. I can see how most of it goes together, but I still can't figure out how the solvent gets back into the tank.

 

[dxdexter]

How do you get the solvent to drain back into the tank? It looks like you need to close a valve on the drain line and open it up once you remove air pressure to let it drain back into the tank. Also what did you use from the outlet side of the filter to the spray nozzle?

Very professional looking job.

I too would like to know how you recover the used cleaner. Do you store it in the sink base and then gravity feed it back to the pressure vessel?

Edit:
I think you must discharge the air pressure and then open the ball valve near the base and it drains back into the tank, but can only be as full as the height of the sink bottom.

 

[engnerdan]

How it works...

It is stored with the drain valve (the red handled ball valve) open so any thing in the basin can run back into the tank. When I want to use it to hose parts off I close the drain valve and connect the compressed air. If I want to soak parts I leave the drain valve open and connect the air, this fills the basin with unfiltered solvent but that is generally fine for anything I am soaking.

To drain the basin I disconnect the compressed air and let the pressure bleed off through the regulator. I am hoping to add a 2 way valve eventually so this part goes quicker. I then open the drain valve and the solvent runs back into the tank.

I figure storing the solvent in the tank helps keep it from evaporating off and reduces the chance of it stinking up the garage (if the solvent had a smell). Only downside to this is crud can accumulate in the bottom of the tank, but I am not too worried and can always open the large port I have at the top and flush out the tank. I can store at least 4 gallons in the tank, I may even be able to get 5 gallons in it. I am currently using a high flash naphtha I believe it is called BAC 40 (it was free).

Currently the air pressure in the tank is below 5 psi and the regulator and gauge I have do not work the best for such a low pressure. I will be buying a low pressure gauge and regulator and blow off valve eventually.

I used polyethylene tubing on everything except the hose from the filter to the blowgun/hand valve which is a braided stainless over Teflon tube I had laying around. I plan to try some fuel line for the hose from the filter as the stainless is not very flexible.

I chose against an automotive filter because they are not very good for fine particles, I believe they are a 15-25 micron filter.

I am thinking of switching the blowgun out for a ball valve so I can leave it run without holding the valve down. I am currently using a brass 1/4 barbed fitting for the tip, its provides a good stream and was laying around.

I will try getting some more detailed pictures of the whole works soon. If anyone wants higher res pics, PM me your email address.

-Dan

 

[Danglerb]

Any concern about compressed air and solvent exploding in the event of a spark etc.?

 

[Bob Paulin]

1 30-gallon barrel - Free
1 Stamped steel - not cast-iron - kitchen sink w/faucets - Free
1 old-style Saginaw power steering pump - Free
1 1/3 h.p. washing machine motor - Free
1 Ford big-block bolt-on oil filter adapter - Free
Misc. hose and fittings layinga round the shop - Free
Misc. electrical pieces (Switch, plug, wire, wire nuts, etc.) $8.00
1 Ford oil filter $3.00

Total cost $11.00 (Sorry. No digital camera available to show pic., but I have had this setup for more than 25 years.)

Cut small hole in top of barrel for sink drain to fit in.
Set sink on top of barrel.
Seal metal cap and vent on P.S. pump closed by brazing. (Maybe JB Weld would work?)
Mount pump and motor on flat plate of steel (Free from scrap pile)
Arrange belt drive (Belt free from collection on wall)
Bolt motor/pump plate to wall.
Run pressure hose from pump through filter housing to sink faucet.
Braze bung near - not AT - the bottom of the 30 gallon barrel and run hose to intake side of P.S. pump. Keeping bung off bottom allows sludge to settle on bottom and not be sucked up.

10 gallons of Stoddard Solvent in it seems to work just fine.

 

[TejasBimmer]

Very nice!

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Very cool. i want to build one of my own now.

 

[Nightshift]

Dan, this is an awesome cleaner. I have both a small bench-top model (like yours) and a 20 gallon floor model. I use the bench-top one for cleaning my spray guns only, but I'd like to modify both of them to add a filter system like you designed here.

What do you think of using old BBQ tank for a reservoir? After they are 10 years old they won't refill them, but I'm thinking they might work fine for this (low pressure) use.

 

[engnerdan]

Aside from the danger of welding on the propane tank it would work. It i sabout the saem size as the tank I used.

-Dan

 

[Nightshift]

I would obviously remove the shutoff tap on the top to open it up and rinse it out good with water. The nice thing about propane tanks is they would be heavy enough for this low-pressure use, and are available in 20 lb or 30 lb sizes that would hold probably 5 and 8 gallons of solvent.

Dan if I understand your plumbing system correctly, I doubt if much sediment would collect in the bottom of your pressure tank as every time you use it, the air pressure is forcing the fluid out the bottom and thru the filter correct? So the tank should stay relatively clean and eventually the filter will become plugged and need changing. Is this correct?

My only other observation is the orientation of the filter. I think when I built mine using your design, I'll mount the filter so it hangs vertical. I would think this would avoid any crud dripping down on your nice paint job from the filter because it's horizontal. Is this what you were referring to in your comment?

 

[Nightshift]

In doing a little searching to explore Dan's creation further before I build, I found an example of a portable pressure tank version. These pics might give some other new ideas ...

Here's my 20 gal floor model I want to convert first ...

Here's their 13 gal portable pressure tank version, but I don't see a filter on this, which I definately want to add. I would think one could use an old 30 lb propane tank for this and add the filter.

Or if you just want to make your 20 gal unit portable, you could use Dan's idea of inserting the wash sink in a cart like this. The top shelf under the sink is a drying shelf with a plastic drip pan under it.

 

[jvo]

For those that use a barrel under the sink type of parts washer, try a used semi tractor air filter in the barrel. I used one for years that way. Make sure to use one that has one end closed off, the garbage and sludge will drain directly to the inside of the old air filter, and when the air filter fills up with sludge, you can simply discard it and get another one. I rinsed my old filter out with water before using it the first time, and after 10 years, there was only about 3 inches of sludge in the bottom of it.

You never have to worry about a plugged up filter with this system, either. I had the filter raised up off the bottom of the old grease barrel enough to place a little giant submersible pump under it. Never had a minute's trouble with it. The only reason I got rid of it is that it never had a lid, and I was worried about the fire issue. Wish I still had it, and had built a lid for it instead.

 

[e-tek]

Ingenious bastards!

 

[ntsqd]

EFI fuel filters filter to 10 microns. Some of the spendy aftermarket filters have stainless cleanable elements.

 

[engnerdan]

The bottom 2 are what I based my design on.

Nightshift - I still intend on getting you those pictures, I got distracted this weekend with my new welder.

The filter is in the horizontal position intentionally, I did not want to keep solvent in the filter (for fear of drying out the gasket) so I mounted it so after I let the pressure out of the tank I hold down the sprayer valve and let the solvent in the lines and filter flow back into the tank (which mean more crud gets into the tank but so what. I have also put a hard drive magnet on the bottom of the filter now to catch ferrous metal bits.

-Dan

In doing a little searching to explore Dan's creation further before I build, I found an example of a portable pressure tank version. These pics might give some other new ideas ...

Here's my 20 gal floor model I want to convert first ...

Here's their 13 gal portable pressure tank version, but I don't see a filter on this, which I definately want to add. I would think one could use an old 30 lb propane tank for this and add the filter.

Or if you just want to make your 20 gal unit portable, you could use Dan's idea of inserting the wash sink in a cart like this. The top shelf under the sink is a drying shelf with a plastic drip pan under it.

 

[Nightshift]

Dan, no rush on the pictures bro ... I'm in the middle of another project at the moment welding up a cart for my welders and oxy-act torches. Won't get to the washer mod for another week or so. BTW, what welder did you get?

Bill

 

[engnerdan]

Lincoln Idealarc Tig 250/250, 250 amp (if you could not guess from the model #) tig and stick machine. It came with everything but the argon. I only got the thing home last friday and have only had time to use it 3 times but I have already bought a new torch for it (water cooled) and I am working on building a water cooler for it.

Pics here

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17942

-Dan

 

[Nightshift]

Nice snag Dan! You'll have fun with that.

 

[e-tek]

Dan, no rush on the pictures bro ... I'm in the middle of another project at the moment welding up a cart for my welders and oxy-act torches. Won't get to the washer mod for another week or so. BTW, what welder did you get?

Bill

Bill - I want to see this when you' re done! I am thinking of the same use-cart (Oxy, Act tanks and mig). I have my O-A set up on a hand truck/dolly and thought if I leaned it back and extended legs out with casters it might work.

 

[Nightshift]

Bill - I want to see this when you' re done! I am thinking of the same use-cart (Oxy, Act tanks and mig). I have my O-A set up on a hand truck/dolly and thought if I leaned it back and extended legs out with casters it might work.

Will do Ed. I'm about 90% done the fab'ing/welding now. Just have to add some hangers for cords and hoses, then paint. Should have it done this weekend and I'll take some pics then. I'm building mine low enough so the whole shebang slides under my welding bench which has a 39" clearance. Bill

Ed, here's the thread to my welder cart so we don't hijack this one of Dan's anymore than we did already ...
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=223360#post223360

 

[Nightshift]

The bottom 2 are what I based my design on.

Nightshift - I still intend on getting you those pictures, I got distracted this weekend with my new welder. Dan

Ok Dan, I've just finished my new welder cart and ready to get started on my version of your parts washer. I have a 20 gal parts washer and this week picked up a discarded 30# propane tank I plan to use as the fluid reservoir. Bill

 

[sickboi55]

when you have the valve open does it try to go up through the drain?

 

[Nightshift]

when you have the valve open does it try to go up through the drain?

Well it would if you applied air pressure to it. You leave the drain valve open to let the solvent gravity feed back into the tank below (with the air pressure off of course). When you want to wash something, you close the drain valve so the air pressure will push the solvent up thru the filter and then thru the hose to the cleaning nozzle/brush. Like Dan said, if you simply want to fill up the tank for soaking parts, leave the drain valve open, apply air pressure and it will push un-filtered solvent from the tank up thru the drain. With his design, you can't overflow the wash sink as the tank holds less than the sink's capacity (5 gal I think). In my case, I'm using my 20 gal floor model sink with an 8 gal tank.

 

[lynx5]

whatttttt a parts washer for $100 I'd be doing jumping jacks.

 

[lynx5]

oh Im looking at them now, didnt relize they go for that cheap! nice.