Time for a solvent tank--cheapest way??

[1982fxr]

I need a tank I can put old geasy vise parts and other really dirty stuff in. Is circulating pump really that much better---I mean, what if i just add a little elbow grease and wire brushing for a minut here and there?

Thinking just some old metal tank, or maybe a broken hf unit or similar for real cheap. Just so it has a lid, cause we have intense sun in phoenix and I don't want everything to evaporate.

And lastly, cheapest solvent that won't evaporate too bad? Probly looking at 20-30 gallon tank...

thank you

 

[930dreamer]

I have the HF tank with the pump filled with Safety-Kleen. The solvent has been in the cleaner for about four years, still works well. You can get the brush with the rubber hose to connect to the metal fluid line.

 

[dirtydogintex]

No, you do not have to have a circulation pump.
Sometimes it makes things easier/quicker, sometimes not.... depends on the pieces/what's on'em.


Something I've always wanted to try but never have for whatever reason
is an old SS double bowl kitchen sink as the center of a parts cleaning area.

 

[tenlug]

Got rid of my 20 gallon and got got a 5 gallon tank. It's a lot cheaper this way. The draw back is large stuff hangs out one side, but it's not to bad to work with. One more thing, I bought a second 5 gallon tank, use one for dirty stuff and keep the other one with clean solvent for engine assembly.

 

[1982fxr]

What do you guys like for solvent,, something cheap?

 

[jaker10]

Think twice before you buy one from harbor freight. I bought one 12/2, and put it together the same day. Filled with diesel fuel yesterday and the pump worked for about 2 minutes and stopped. If I rap it with a rubber hammer It sometimes will start.

 

[Catalyze]

Harbor Freight tank.....switch worked once and died, I replaced it with a wall switch (I know not splash proof) and it is still working great 16 years later.....same pump. I added a spin on filter to it and just replace the filter and a gallon of solvent every couple of months....it stays clean. YMMV
Craig

The clear hose has been replaced with transmission hose....much better idea.
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[evintho]

Depends what you consider cheap?

Here's a SafetyKleen unit on your local CL. Also, HF sells their blue & red unit for $80 during Christmas.

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/tls/3488737111.html

Back in the day I used the gas tank outta a '70's Vega I had sitting around. I cut the tank in half with an air chisel, put a drain plug in the bottom, built a stand outta 2x4's and hinged the top half with some old cabinet hinges. Back then I used kerosene as a cleaning solution and for years the thing worked great! Now the bottom half has been relagated to a coolant drain pan. Still works great!

10 years ago I 'stepped up' to the blue & red HF unit like Catalyze has and haven't looked back. Nowadays, I use Purple Power as a cleaning solution. About $20 for 5 gallons at Autozone. I have 10 gallons in mine. Much more environmentally friendly, cuts through the thickest grease and doesn't stink like kerosene!

And no, a circulating pump isn't necessary although it does come in handy when cleaning big items like bellhousings, oil pans and such.

 

[PCO6]

I built 2 types of parts washers both of which use Varsol (mineral spirits). I don't have very much money into either of these and they are easy to use and maintain.

The first is a fairly traditional parts washer with a 5 gallon tank underneath that has a recirculating pump suspended in it. It has about 3 gallons of Varsol and about 1 gallon of water in it. The water is heavier than the Varsol so it sits at the bottom of the tank. The pump is situated in the Varsol. The grit is heavier than both the Varsol and water so it settles out and falls to the bottom. This is a cheap and very effective way of filtering out the grit.

I used 1/8" metal plate for the tank and welded it together with an O/A torch. The tank floor is at the same height as my bench (36"). This is higher than most tanks and makes cleaning a LOT easier on my back.

My second parts washer is more of a "soaker". It's a 5 gallon metal pail with a metal dip basket. I built a simple air pressure system for it. I simply throw in the parts and turn on the air while I do other things. The parts generally need to be brushed down but it does a good job of taking the main dirt off.

 

[sberry]

For a simple parts washer a guy is beating a dead horse to save just a few dollars, they are so competitive and cheap, a guy can buy and use the same day, its about like one of those 50# pressure sand blasters for under 100$, just cant score the parts for that, even for free it takes a fair amount of time to design something.

 

[dirtydogintex]

My second parts washer is more of a "soaker". It's a 5 gallon metal pail with a metal dip basket. I built a simple air pressure system for it. I simply throw in the parts and turn on the air while I do other things. The parts generally need to be brushed down but it does a good job of taking the main dirt off.

Do you run your 'soaker' only out-of-doors, vent it to a flare system or....?

Every time I've shot air into cleaning solvent - varsol/kerosene/diesel fuel I've instinctively moved (or at least turned) towards the closest exit just in case the area decided to play combustion chamber!! *L*

 

[PCO6]

dirtydogintex - I run it indoors (20'x20'x10' garage) with no problems. The tank is usually about 1/2 full (enough to cover the dip basket) and with the air on at about 75 psi it "swirls" up to about the 3/4 mark in the tank ... and it swirls pretty fast!

The top has a few vent holes that are about 3/8" dia. which seems to be OK for venting ... without leaking.

 

[Mr.N]

The top has a few vent holes that are about 3/8" dia. which seems to be OK for venting ... without leaking.

Where did you find that top?

 

[PCO6]

Mr.N - It's from an old grease hand pump that I wasn't using. I scrapped the pump part and salvaged the rest. The parts I added are basically plumbing and air line fittings.

 

[Mr.N]

Mr.N - It's from an old grease hand pump that I wasn't using. I scrapped the pump part and salvaged the rest. The parts I added are basically plumbing and air line fittings.

Thanks,

I like this idea, and much easier to store. I do not have the floor space for a 20 gallon parts washer.

 

[Outlawmws]

Man somewhat of a rough crowd...

Back to the OP's question:

I made my recirculating tank and used a 20 gallon barrel a galvanized oil drain pan (remember those?) and an external pump I picked up at a flea market. it fits tight after I trimmed the lip off the barrel. if you need/want a bigger basin get a cast off SS kitchen sink. You can even use a kit faucet on it to manage the solvent stream

It works good for cleaning parts, I've added a TP oil filter (with the orifices drilled out) and a sink faucet diffuser, as otherwise it splashes a mess all over... (That cleaning brush hose end in an earlier post looks interesting however)

If you want to soak parts, just get a barrel and cut it down and get an aquarium air pump some hose and an air stone that should keep the solvent agitated enough for soaking.

Mostly these days I use Simple Green for greasy parts cleanup. Safer, and not near as hard on my skin.

 

[NUTTSGT]

The clear hose has been replaced with transmission hose....much better idea.
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I like that idea.




If you want to get the reall dirty nasty greasy stuff off, I 'd spray it with some Simple Green or engine degreaser (like Gunk) and take it to the car wash.

 

[Sureshot]

I also built one. It is 2'x4' and a foot deep. I put expanded metal on the bottom sitting atop a couple pieces of 1.5" angle iron lying face down so the parts sit above any crud. I also bent a piece of expanded metal as a shelf above the varsol.

I use an air siphon to spray the parts. The longer brushes in the photo are "dope brushes" for applying coppercoat to pipe threads on rigs. I also have steel wool, o ring picks, paint brush, sharpened broken screwdriver, and regualr wire brush that stay in there. It is a little low right now but good for the work I do now.

For safety sake I made a lid that is held open by mono fish line so in the event it would ignite the lid would soon slam shut.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/56347875/Varsol Tank.jpg

 

[theoldwizard1]

I think you can still get ChemDip in a 5 gallon bucket with a basket.

 

[cherokee]

Like this idea as well.....btw I have had the HF setup for quite a while now with zero problems.....I do like the extra filter, going to have to do something along those lines.

.
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[Den69rs96]

What are you guys using for solvent in the HF parts washers?. I have one and bought 5 gallon concentrate of WaterWorks by Keteca water based stuff but I haven't used it yet. I got the water based solution because the manual said not use solvent.

 

[skulldrinker]

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I read about filtering this way in a Hot Rod magazine article back in the early 80's. I had cut the article out and saved it for years planning on using the idea but I never got a parts washer.

 

[bullnerd]

HF and OMS here too. 18yrs ,still on original switch.