Parts Washer Solution/Detergent?

[RRoller123]

I am looking at buying a Parts Washer for the shop. Nothing fancy, HF has an inexpensive one with a sprayer, pump, etc for small bucks. So my question is: What do you guys use in them for a cleaning solution? A "Simple Green" and water solution? I have zero interest in something flammable. Thanks.

Pete

[81SPIDERMATT]

thinking the harbor freight model you are looking at (if it is like mine) will not like something flammable anyway..so that is good news... gonna want a water based solvent ... 50/50 simple green and water works well.... super clean...purple power ...will be some names thrown around.... mineral spirits are good but it is flammable ... has a high flash point so it is better than say kerosene ... but your harbor freight unit will no last long running it ( or so they say) .... I just bought whatever it is they sell at harbor freight ..one stop shopping... it seems fine for what I use it for.... I would upgrade the brush that comes with the unit .... flammable stuff works best (varsol).. but ... its flammable and the worry for me is not worth time saved.... none of it is magic .... takes time and brushing and sometimes elbow grease to get the tuff stuff .... but I think the washer is great tool to have ... and at a 100 bucks ......

what ever you decide just make sure to get the solvent off of the pieces when you are done cleaning them.... some metals don't want to be covered in solvent even after drying

I also have mine at a little bit of a tilt as to keep the heavier solids away from the pump

[RRoller123]

Thanks for the info! I like Simple Green, I use their car wash and it is excellent. Do you have to charge the system with a lot of gallons to get it to run? It says it is 20 gallon unit, but I would expect that is just the overall tub volume. (?) With the Simple Green and water do you get a problem with foaming suds? I have an image of a Three Stooges skit, and if anyone could copy one, it would be me.

Anyway, the washer is only 86 bucks online right now, so it is kind of a no brainer.

Pete

[81SPIDERMATT]

I use about 8 to 10 gallons of product .... add dish soap for the stooge maneuver

[4uall]

This stuff really surprised me

http://forum.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtop ... tal+rescue

https://www.youtube.com/user/hayabusa4uall/videos

[RRoller123]

Thanks, guys.

[81SPIDERMATT]

This stuff really surprised me

http://forum.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtop ... tal+rescue

https://www.youtube.com/user/hayabusa4uall/videos

used that stuff before .... it's awesome ... but more for rust is what I used it for ..and the parts needed to be coated or painted afterwards .... parts washer is more grease removal and cleaning grungy stuff .... in the process now of rebuilding engine for my other car and all the nuts and bolts... lots of them... go in the washer... I love it if not just for that purpose... come out all nice and clean... spray with brake clean ... dry ... then they go in the vibrator/tumbler (also harbor freight.. 50 bucks I think) .... so nice when your putting things back together to have clean nuts and bolts ...and the thought of sitting over a bucket with a tooth brush and doing all that crap by hand hurts me

[RRoller123]

A tumbler for the nuts and washers and bolts, hhhmmmmmm......... But I assume some of these items are Cadmium (or other) plated and it would be lost? I made that mistake with my Beemer many years ago, and had a pile of rusty hardware on the bike in a few days.