parts washer

[chavist93]

Well I finally snapped some pics of my Christmas present. A nice new parts wahser and 30 gallons of mineral spirits. I dont know how I lived without it. Today I put a light up over it. The washer has a switch box mounted on the side with the off/on switch on the front and two outlets on the back that the pump and light are pluged into. When you turn the pump on the light comes on.

 

[eschoendorff]

Oooooohhhh... shiney!

 

[Danglerb]

Its one of those things I want, but know I am not getting.

 

[Franz©]

That's right pretty. Did you put all 30 gallons of mineral spirits in or did you put a few inches of water in the bottom and raise the pump intake?

 

[ImportTuner]

Its one of those things I want, but know I am not getting.

Same here ... and also, no room in the garage ...

 

[bmwpower]

Oh, man. I gotta get one of those. Where'd you/she get it? How much?

Does the solution flow through the brush? Model number??

...and it's blue.

 

[chavist93]

That's right pretty. Did you put all 30 gallons of mineral spirits in or did you put a few inches of water in the bottom and raise the pump intake?

I put all mineral spirits in it. I didnt want to wait and order the plastic liner for it and I figure water on the bare steel was not a good idea. It will take me a LONG time to dirty up 30 gallons.

 

[Franz©]

Heavy large garbage bags work well. Cost about a buck or two and compensate for leaks in the barrel.

 

[chavist93]

Oh, man. I gotta get one of those. Where'd you/she get it? How much?

Does the solution flow through the brush? Model number??

...and it's blue.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_9030_9030

Northern Tool. At the time it was actually on sale for 279.99 and you got a free $15 gift card with a $200 purchase. They actually had two in stock in the back, but they dont show them out in the store. Yes, the fluid flows through the brush and its made here in the USA.

 

[Lyaec350]

Aren't mineral spirits pretty volatile? Do you worry about the shop filling up with fumes and a spark setting it off? Excuse my ignorance--dunno what is normally used in these things.

 

[bmwpower]

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_9030_9030

Northern Tool. At the time it was actually on sale for 279.99 and you got a free $15 gift card with a $200 purchase. They actually had two in stock in the back, but they dont show them out in the store. Yes, the fluid flows through the brush and its made here in the USA.

Cool! That's a great price for something like that.

Was the brush an option or was it standard? I don't see a brush with the one link you posted.

Shipping is probably gonna kill it for me.

<edit>
Shipping is only $50 for me... I'm set.

 

[bmwpower]

Aren't mineral spirits pretty volatile? Do you worry about the shop filling up with fumes and a spark setting it off? Excuse my ignorance--dunno what is normally used in these things.

Mineral spirits are actually pretty low on the volatility scale. It's stuff like acteone, toluene, ethanol that you want to avoid.

"For use with petroleum solvents with a flash point over 100˚F "

Mineral spirits flash point = 105*F

 

[chavist93]

Yeah, mineral spirits are pretty common to use in parts washers. Flash point is pretty high and I would never leave the lid open unless I'm actually using it. The paperwork actually says its for use with mineral spirits based solvents. I couldnt believe the markup on mineral spirits. Normal price at sherwin williams is around $11/gallon. My mother-in-law knows a painter that does a lot of business with them and we got it for $5/gallon.

bmw, the bush comes standard. You wont regret geting it at all.

 

[Sack]

Hook up a heater to that bad boy then you'll really be good to go

 

[chavist93]

Hook up a heater to that bad boy then you'll really be good to go

I may be wrong, but I think heaters are only for water based washer solvents. I dont think you would heat a flamable liquid.

 

[bmwpower]

Yeah, mineral spirits are pretty common to use in parts washers. Flash point is pretty high and I would never leave the lid open unless I'm actually using it. The paperwork actually says its for use with mineral spirits based solvents. I couldnt believe the markup on mineral spirits. Normal price at sherwin williams is around $11/gallon. My mother-in-law knows a painter that does a lot of business with them and we got it for $5/gallon.

bmw, the bush comes standard. You wont regret geting it at all.

Uh. I just realized you have to fill it with solvent. At $5/gallon, that's $150 in solvent. Do you have to fill it all the way up?

$5 still seems expense to me, but what do I know... I've never really bought mineral spirits before.

 

[chavist93]

It says it will work on 15 gallons, but the pump is very close to the bottom so it may actually work on less than 15.

 

[goodfellow]

That's right pretty. Did you put all 30 gallons of mineral spirits in or did you put a few inches of water in the bottom and raise the pump intake?

Why the water? -- sorry if it sounds like a dumb question.

At my old shop, the parts washer was serviced monthly by a local company. I think they used a varsol based product in the unit.

 

[Lyaec350]

If you're using a non-polar solvent (mineral spirits) and then fill the washer up with a "dead space" of water, the water will just sit on the bottom since it is more dense and very polar, while the spirits will sit on the top. It's like a step stool for your solvent

 

[russlaferrera]

I have a simular unit.. I put a 7gal plastic bucket, filled with 5 gal of solvent in the barrel. I added a pvc tube from a sink drain going from the drain at the bottom of the sink to the bucket.

This allows me to use 5 gal of solvent, makes it easy to clean the drum, easy to change the solvent.

This would work with a 5 gal bucket filled with 4 gal of solvent. You need room for the dirt and grime.

 

[Sack]

So just circling back that mineral spirits are ok to use in a parts washer that's in an attached garage? No big bang to worry about even if welding?

 

[bmwpower]

So just circling back that mineral spirits are ok to use in a parts washer that's in an attached garage? No big bang to worry about even if welding?

Just don't weld in the basin...

 

[TENMMIKE]

Here is mine , im a big believer in multiple filters,and good quality solvent.the 2 combined make a world of difference.and save in the long run.

 

[Mr.N]

Uh. I just realized you have to fill it with solvent. At $5/gallon, that's $150 in solvent.

I ran into the same thing.

Called my local Refinery, $100 for a 55 gallon drum about two years ago.

I sure like that idea about water on the bottom, let the junk drop out of the solvent and into the water.

 

[TENMMIKE]

you should have jumped all over that bud ...good solvent is 10-15 bucks a gallon

I ran into the same thing.

Called my local Refinery, $100 for a 55 gallon drum about two years ago.

I sure like that idea about water on the bottom, let the junk drop out of the solvent and into the water.

 

[bmwpower]

Dang it!

Your parts washer doesn't seem to be available from Northern anymore...

 

[bchee]

the original picts are down or removed

 

[bmwpower]

the original picts are down or removed

Yea, but try this link and you will see the unit, small, but it's there:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_9030_9030

 

[bchee]

ok thanks. I also just realized this was an older thread. No wonder they are gone.