Part Wash Fluid - Latest Greatest

[Clik]

My wife got tired of me washing parts in the kitchen sink. She bought me a Black Bull 20 Gallon Parts Washer.

It reads to not use flammable, combustible, volatile, diesel fuel, toluene or gasoline.

It reads to USE ONLY NON CORROSIVE WATER BASED SOLVENTS.

So, WTF do I use when it's below zero in the garage like it was much of last winter here on the mountain top?

Is this warning only due to fire or would Varsol ruin the pump?
l

 

[gte718p]

Simple green and water

 

[Clik]

Will it freeze? Isn't it a corrosive?

 

[stonesfan68]

Simple Green is not corrosive. When you mix Simple Green and water the freezing point will be lowered.

 

[xxaler]

I had straight simple green and it froze during the winter, granted it was -38 a few times this winter. Still worked decent after everything thawed out, but I flushed it out for Varsol.

It's a steel housing with a plastic pump, no different than any other parts washer I've seen. Slap some varsol in and you're good to go. Anything that can eat plastic is a no-go, but varsol is a relatively safe cleaner by modern standards. Xyelene on the other hand..

 

[MixManSC]

I have a cheapo Northern Tool one that says the same thing and I'm running varsol in it with no issues at all. Its has the varsol it it for close to a year now....

 

[CoopVA]

I've been running mineral spirits in mine for years and have no problems...

 

[gearhead1]

I've been running mineral spirits in mine for years and have no problems...

That's what I use because is so easy to get.

 

[bobcatdan]

Simple Green is not corrosive. When you mix Simple Green and water the freezing point will be lowered.

I had simple green in a HF style parts washer and it eat threw it in two years. By the time I noticed it, the damage was pretty bad so I just let it go until it went threw. Also it froze. When I bought my new parts washer, I went straight kerosene, works great. At work we have the heated water based ones, absolutely junk.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I use awesome from the dollar store, buy it in the half gallon size and mix 50/50 with water...

 

[ZRX61]

Simple Green is not corrosive. When you mix Simple Green and water the freezing point will be lowered.

It's extremely corrosive, that's why it's banned around aircraft.

 

[Clik]

I'm glad there are people on here to straighten out all those who post misinformation.


Thanks

 

[Clik]

I just found this MSDS that reads White Spirits aka Varsol aka Mineral Spirits eats plastic.

http://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/1736.pdf

 

[Fretters]

Any solvent will affect certain plastics. Depends what plastic is used in/for the pump as to whether it's a problem or not, and judging from those who say they use it in theirs, I'd guess it's not.

 

[Murphy4570]

Get the nastiest, most cancer-causing **** you can find. That is the best for cleaning/degreasing parts. No ********. Toluene/Xylene/Benzene type ****. Hard to find anymore, though it was common at the consumer level decades ago. It is carcinogenic, and benzene is known to aggressively attack bone marrow in any concentration. Wear proper PPE and respirator mask. 3M and North both make suitable full-face masks. Wear full green chemical suit to prevent exposure to the skin, as well as black chemical gloves. Read all applicable EPA MSDS/SDS documents on the petrochemicals involved.

Alternatively, Simple green seems to work OK. I've had OK luck with both Purple Power and Super Clean as well. All are available from local consumer stores.

 

[dschwarz]

I just bought some simple green pro HD for mine. It's supposed to be non-corrosive and safe for aluminum. Haven't tried it yet but I'm hoping it does the trick. Available at Home Depot.

 

[Bagherra]

It's extremely corrosive, that's why it's banned around aircraft.

This!

 

[Mridolfo]

A few years ago when I got a brand new parts washer I put about 10 gallons of MEk in it. A few days later the plastic pump turned in to a blob of goo.

 

[Bull]

Super Agitene?

 

[Jagmandave]

I've run Safety Kleen solvent (I think it's Stoddard solvent) in mine for over 20 years now, still works fine.....

 

[Shadowdog500]

I have that same parts washer and use PSC2000 from tractor supply in in. The stuff works great, and will not eat the paint off the tank, or rust out the tank like water based cleaners.

http://t.tractorsupply.com/en/store/crownreg;-psc-1000-parts-cleaner-5-gal


Btw, a 20 gallon parts washer only needs about 10 gallons of fluid in it to wash parts. 20 gallons Is what it holds if you fill it to the brim.

Chris

 

[Clik]

Shadowdog, that's what I just did.

I read a Material Safety Data Sheet that PSC 2000 is basically Naptha. It came in a round metal 5 gallon can with a pull out plastic spout and plastic cap, so it was packaged and shipped with plastic as the weak link.

It sounds like it's a little safer than Varsol but still a solvent and not just frikin water with some detergent in it that will freeze. Very little odor probably because it doesn't evaporate fast.

I tried one of those environmentally friendly ideas for cutting fluid on my Jet Bandsaw and corroded the guide bearings. I started using straight transmission fluid with good results.

Here's a tip I learned from that: Jet wanted big bucks for replacement guide bearings. I found I could order them on the 'net for pennies but didn't want to wait. As it turns out Hobo Fright's $9.95 angle grinder uses the same bearings. I smashed a brand new one on the floor (I was in a hurry) and robbed the bearings from it. I was back up and running in minutes for a bunch less than if I'd gone through Jet, and I didn't have to wait.

 

[TauntDevil]

Just curious, on the opposite side of the coin, what about fluid for a cleaner that is in the heat. My Parts cleaner use to have diesel in it but didn't work too good. Drained it and put it in my backyard until I found something else. Normally it is on the side of my house. I live in AZ where often it is 90-110 +/-. What fluid would be safe to put into the parts cleaner where it wont be flammable or "dangerous" as far as ruining the house.

 

[stonesfan68]

It's extremely corrosive, that's why it's banned around aircraft.

I stand corrected.

 

[gte718p]

I stand corrected.

It is corrosive AL. I've never had a problem with steel though. Interesting. We use it by the drum full on steel parts.

 

[arsco]

simple green extreme. aircraft cleaner

http://industrial.simplegreen.com/ind_products_extreme.php

 

[Greatbear]

Another vote fpr Super Agitene. I have three remaining containers that are unopened, plus a mostly full one. I need to clean out my parts washer and replace the old solvent, I was unable to use the parts washer for the last few years due to nasty injuries. Work is more doable these days, and Ihave a pileup of projects.

 

[Clik]

Just curious, on the opposite side of the coin, what about fluid for a cleaner that is in the heat. My Parts cleaner use to have diesel in it but didn't work too good. Drained it and put it in my backyard until I found something else. Normally it is on the side of my house. I live in AZ where often it is 90-110 +/-. What fluid would be safe to put into the parts cleaner where it wont be flammable or "dangerous" as far as ruining the house.

If I didn't have to worry about freezing and had the free heat, I think I might paint the vat black, for more heat, and just use Dawn dish detergent. It was working half decent with hot water in the wife's kitchen sink.

 

[thymer]

Haven't seen it here yet but as a kid I always remember the big wash tanks having diesel in them.

 

[Farmall450]

I've been running mineral spirits in mine for years and have no problems...

Same here, easy to come by.

 

[CoopVA]

Same here, easy to come by.

I do remember now that I did end up having to replace a plastic elbow on the flexible spout that comes out of the pump with a brass one. The mineral spirits ate that up in a couple days. Once I did that, I've had no problems with it at all. It's been at least 13 years...