Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts??
#1218338
04/18/12 06:30 PM
04/18/12 06:30 PM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,957
West Coast, CA
Troy
OP
master
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OP
master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,957
West Coast, CA
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I have some parts that I needed cleaned and a old solvent tank with no solvent. Here in California you can no longer buy good solvent. What should I use that wont kill me and still works??
....there is nothing like driving my 1968 Hemi Dart around town and having people looking at you like you're nuts!!
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Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts??
[Re: Troy]
#1218340
04/18/12 07:06 PM
04/18/12 07:06 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,937
Holly/MI
Dean_Kuzluzski
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,937
Holly/MI
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Mineral spirits work too.
R.I.P.- Gary "Coop" Davis 02/09/68-05/13/04
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Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts??
[Re: bboogieart]
#1218344
04/18/12 08:00 PM
04/18/12 08:00 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
70Cuda383
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
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How big are the parts? how many? while it's probably not the most environmentally sound idea, I use gasoline  but only for small parts, and NOT in a parts washer! paint thinner, mineral spirits, etc. are all like $10-15 a gallon. Gas is "cheap" at $3.xx a gallon around here....this week. for small parts, I pour some out into an oil catch pan, and use a paint brush. while I'm sitting outside in the gravel driveway. away from anything electrical. then I let the parts sit and dry outside. if it's something that needs painted, follow up the gas bath with a shot of brake cleaner and you're good to go. I've not had any problems with it The little bit that I let evaporate up into the air or pour onto the driveway where it quickly evaporates each year, is nothing compared to the amount of gas that gets spilled at the gas station from people topping off their tanks or overfilling jerry cans on the ground, so I don't feel THAT bad for "wasting" the gas that way
**Photobucket sucks**
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Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts??
[Re: 70Cuda383]
#1218346
04/18/12 08:48 PM
04/18/12 08:48 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
Challenger 1
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Quote:
How big are the parts? how many? while it's probably not the most environmentally sound idea, I use gasoline
but only for small parts, and NOT in a parts washer!
paint thinner, mineral spirits, etc. are all like $10-15 a gallon. Gas is "cheap" at $3.xx a gallon around here....this week.
for small parts, I pour some out into an oil catch pan, and use a paint brush. while I'm sitting outside in the gravel driveway. away from anything electrical.
then I let the parts sit and dry outside.
if it's something that needs painted, follow up the gas bath with a shot of brake cleaner and you're good to go. I've not had any problems with it
The little bit that I let evaporate up into the air or pour onto the driveway where it quickly evaporates each year, is nothing compared to the amount of gas that gets spilled at the gas station from people topping off their tanks or overfilling jerry cans on the ground, so I don't feel THAT bad for "wasting" the gas that way
OMG!!! your uphill from me!! Gas in your driveway??? 
Yup gas is a cheap solvent and I have used it in a presurrized sprayer, works really good for heavy grime and grease.
I have done it on a concrete driveway many times and it evaporates before it get's to the grass.
For inside solvent, paint thinner, mineral spirits, stodard solvent...it's all the same and the BEST to use.
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Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts??
[Re: Challenger 1]
#1218347
04/18/12 11:02 PM
04/18/12 11:02 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 299
East Brunswick, NJ
finadk
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 299
East Brunswick, NJ
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Gas in a pressurized sprayer sounds like a recipe for disaster, won't take much for atomized fuel to go BOOM.
I used to clean with gas and other solvants all the time but heard one too
many of someone hurting themselves real bad. Once my kids started helping me in the garage I started using Water based cleaners, Purple Power, Simple Green, and even Dawn dish detergent are my favorites. Get a good assortment of brushes And you will find they work as well or better with alot less cost, zero chance of explosion and environmentally friendly.
I do keep a can of lacquer thinner handy to wipe Down parts before painting.
I got rid of my parts washer and just use
a cement mixing bucket from Home Depot to soak them in.
I don't mean to preach but the thought of my son getting hurt made me re think what I do and some of the dangerous things that I did not even realize I was doing.
Give it a try you may agree.
Scott
1956 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer (408 Stroker, 4 Wheel Disc Brakes, Rack & Pinion, 6 speed)
2002 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab
1976 Corvette
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Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts??
[Re: finadk]
#1218349
04/19/12 07:58 AM
04/19/12 07:58 AM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
Challenger 1
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Quote:
Gas in a pressurized sprayer sounds like a recipe for disaster, won't take much for atomized fuel to go BOOM.
Pretty cool huh...? Could be a blow torch and use it to remove paint?
Seriousily, I and many others have used gas at the races to clean parts for many years. Is it the safest, NO does it work? YES, works really good.
You use common sense, We would go through 10-15 gallons on a weekend cleaning oil pans and stuff like that.
The tank.
Parts cleaner on the left sitting on the drum, we would almost fill that drum by the end of the weekend with old motor oil and gasoline from cleaning oil pans and more.
Mineral spirits is the best and SAFEST solvent to use to clean parts.
Parts cleaner on the right.
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Re: Solvents??? What do you use to clean parts??
[Re: Challenger 1]
#1218350
04/19/12 08:42 AM
04/19/12 08:42 AM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
70Cuda383
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
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Quote:
OMG!!! your uphill from me!! Gas in your driveway???
Yup gas is a cheap solvent and I have used it in a presurrized sprayer, works really good for heavy grime and grease.
I have done it on a concrete driveway many times and it evaporates before it get's to the grass.
For inside solvent, paint thinner, mineral spirits, stodard solvent...it's all the same and the BEST to use.
yea, but that's ok, I'm "on the other side" of the hill, my water drains north. 
**Photobucket sucks**
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....That is what I was just looking at.
