Parts washer build Harbor freight 20gal.

[DAVE94LIGHTNING]

Thought you guys would like this. I had watched a bunch of Youtube vids of people who had upgraded their parts washers and this is what I settled on for mine. Happy with how it turned out. I'm setting up a new home shop for machining and metal fabrication and this will be nice addition to it.

 

[vpd66]

i modified mine too but took a different route. I tossed the pump that came with it in the trash after it failed. I purchased a submergible solvent parts washer pump. I then put a sink drain in the middle and made a square tank that holds 7 gallons of fluid. The drain is plumbed to the top of the tank and the pump is in the tank that sits on the shelf below basin. I put 2 gallons of water in it then 5 gallons of kerosene. The pump is mounted so it stays in the solvent not the water. I tried a diesel truck filter on the outlet but it clogged too quickly. Once every 6 months or when the fluid gets too dark I pump the fluid into a bucket and change the water and remove any sludge out of the tank. I filter and return the kerosene back to the tank and replace the water. I've been doing this for 6 years and has cut the cost of parts washer fluid and the problem of having to dispose of the old fluid.

 

[DAVE94LIGHTNING]

i modified mine too but took a different route. I tossed the pump that came with it in the trash after it failed. I purchased a submergible solvent parts washer pump. I then put a sink drain in the middle and made a square tank that holds 7 gallons of fluid. The drain is plumbed to the top of the tank and the pump is in the tank that sits on the shelf below basin. I put 2 gallons of water in it then 5 gallons of kerosene. The pump is mounted so it stays in the solvent not the water. I tried a diesel truck filter on the outlet but it clogged too quickly. Once every 6 months or when the fluid gets too dark I pump the fluid into a bucket and change the water and remove any sludge out of the tank. I filter and return the kerosene back to the tank and replace the water. I've been doing this for 6 years and has cut the cost of parts washer fluid and the problem of having to dispose of the old fluid.

Good info thank you. Im
Wondering how this pump will hold up if I used kerosene or another non water based solvent. Since I’m not doing a ton of old motor rebuilds etc I’m planning on using high strength simple green for now and if that isn’t cutting the grease enough I’ll have to swap to a similar setup to yours.

Thanks.
David

 

[vpd66]

I have never had any luck with water based degreasers in a parts washer. They either don't work or are too strong and evaporate quickly. The original pump in mine didn't last long with kerosene. I found my pump on Amazon and it has been good for 6 years. My goal when I rebuilt my parts washer was to make it work and be affordable. I've had many homemade soak style tanks and have never been happy with them. Some did the job but were messy and the cleaning solution didn't last long.