What's on your bench

[heimannm]

Odorless mineral spirits, does a good job of cleaning and doesn't stink up the shop too badly. I clean it out 3-4 times per year and take the dirty solvent to the local repair shop where they add it to their waste oil tank and burn it in the shop heater all winter. I'm tempted to try a water base cleaner but I like the protection I get from the mineral spirits, leaves a very slight film of oil on the parts so they don't rust.

Mark

 

[flatsfisher]

I have one similar. Mine is a Safety Kleen unit from the 1970 era. Run kerosene in it and only use it for the big stuff like yours. They do a great job. jmho OT

I've been using a parts cleaner solution from tractor supply that works pretty good. wonder if kerosene would work as well or better?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/crown-psc-1000-parts-cleaner-5-gal

 

[heimannm]

How is the odor from that stuff Frank? Significantly less expensive that the odorless mineral spirits I've been using.

Mark

 

[Ed Penney]

Been using the TSC Solvent in mine also. The stuff is pricey at an average of $9 a gallon. I started soaking stuff in 180 +- hot water mixed with Lysol and Dawn pressure rinse it at 120 lbs. through a cheap hvlp paint gun and blow it dry. It keeps the solvent cleaner for awhile and gets stuff really clean fast without a lot of brushing and scrubbing
View attachment 1212127

 

[flatsfisher]

How is the odor from that stuff Frank? Significantly less expensive that the odorless mineral spirits I've been using.

Mark

doesn't seem to have a lot of odor, to me anyway. everyone's different though. cleans better than paint thinner. wear rubber gloves of course.

 

[flatsfisher]

I put 7 gallons in my parts cleaner barrel when I got it. of course, all the grit sinks to the bottom of the barrel. the cleaner gets cloudy pretty fast from cleaning greasy stuff, but I've had it in there for a lot of projects and it's still cleaning well. have thought about mounting a filter to the barrel but haven't gotten around to it.

this parts cleaner came out of an automotive shop. when I got it home, I cleaned it pretty thoroughly. there was about 6 inches of pretty solid sludge in the bottom of the barrel from years of shop use. got it out with a putty knife and some solvent. probably another half inch in there again now from me.

 

[heimannm]

I tried adding filters to both of mine, I could never come up with a filter that was large enough or coarse enough to work; they always plug the filter after a few minutes of operation.



Mark

 

[flatsfisher]

hmm. I saw where someone used a marine fuel filter. they are available from 10 to 30 microns. I've even heard of 100-micron pre-filters. Mark, what was the coarsest you tried?

 

[heimannm]

I don't remember if I was able to find anything coarser than this, but is still plugs up in a short while. If I shut the pump off for a minute is seems enough of the heavy particulates fall off and it will work again for another 5-15 minutes.



Mark

 

[flatsfisher]

wow. 150 is pretty big. maybe some coffee grounds

 

[MacAttack]

Does anyone know if they make a bench top parts washer that is designed to be used with a solvent like Stoddard?

Everything I can find says to only use water based cleaners. But that would freeze out in my shop.

 

[flatsfisher]

I have one of those POC HF bench top washers. used paint thinner in it (not very volatile) and the pump went out. bought a new pump, switched to a water-based degreaser and the new pump went out. removed the pump (again) and now use it as a metal bin to keep oily rags in. they are useless. those types of pumps are pretty junky. the old used commercial one I have now that cost me 200.00 on marketplace has a big, all metal Little Giant pump.