GMoore Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 I have a Harbor Freight parts washer. It works fine, for what it is intended, but I am wondering about the cleaning fluid. I used 10 gal. of HET, 1501 (it really needs 15 gal. to reach the pump (but, not necessary). Here's the trouble. The fluid evaporates RAPIDLY. The fluid costs about $50 per 5 gal can. What would you propose - kero? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvilstrkr Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 Mineral spirits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 What are you trying to clean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMoore Posted October 2, 2019 Author Share Posted October 2, 2019 I live in Oregon, on the western slope of the Cascades. Everything rusts. I want to clean everything I can fit in the parts cleaner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 When I worked in an automotive machine shop in Florida, we used diesel fuel. This is what HF recommends "For use with non-corrosive water based solvents". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 I have a similar but smaller HF parts washer. I bit the bullet and emptied my wallet for 5 gallons of Ozzy Juice fluid. I really like the fact that it's non-flammable and not nasty to work with. Hate the cost. My washer rarely gets used, maybe once every couple of months-- that stuff has sat in there almost 5 years now and hardly any has evaporated with the lid down. It has loosened some of the crappy HF paint and I just chalked that up to it being HF paint. The pump was already killed by the previous fluid or just being a HF product (can't even remember what that first fluid was--likely a petroleum-based degreaser) so I can't say whether the Ozzy Juice was pump-compatible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMoore Posted November 9, 2019 Author Share Posted November 9, 2019 Well, if I want to use the recirculating pump, I would have to put about 15 gals. in the parts washer. But, then again, I really don't need the recirculation feature, not, do I need the $150 price tag the fluids would cost. I priced kerosene, but the $45/gal. price scared me off. Still looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 Try "Stoddard solvent". I did a quick search and most hits offer prices by the 100ton lots so I skipped them. Alibaba seems to offer by the drum but they'll quote you prices via. email so I skimmed on. I haven't looked in a parts, paint or industrial hardware but 5 gl. buckets used to be common. Do a search and see if it'll do what you need. It's what we used in parts washers as far back as I remember and it worked a treat. It doesn't evaporate quickly and isn't particularly flammable, IIRC less than kerosene. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, GMoore said: I priced kerosene, but the $45/gal. price scared me off. Still looking. Is this a typo? Diesel fuel at the local gas station is under$4.00 a gal. Do you mean $45 to fill up the parts washer? Pnut Edited November 9, 2019 by pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 10, 2019 Share Posted November 10, 2019 Nope, kerosene is crazy expensive anymore. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 10, 2019 Share Posted November 10, 2019 I use paint thinner. (Mineral spirits) my parts washer is 40 gallons and it has worked out to be the cheapest way of doing it. Sadly the best way to go is the oil eaters. Then there is no harmful waste products.. Well that is at least the hype. it also has some anti rusting agents in it. The mineral spirits when new was really nice because I could wash a part that needed to be welded, wash it, dry it and within an hour of so it would be ready to weld with no contaminants. Now I have some brake cleaner that snuck into the parts cleaner so it's a big no, no. Now I have to degrease/clean. Then air dry, then blow dry, then simple green. then air dry and then with a heat gun give it a preheat to get rid of the water. Then weld. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 TSC has kerosene listed for US$40 for 5 gallons so $8 a gallon. I'll have to stop by the local gas station that has it at a pump to check their prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMoore Posted November 11, 2019 Author Share Posted November 11, 2019 Not a misquote. Tractor Supply, Kerosene, $45/gal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Funny when I search for kerosene at tractor supply I find a 5 gallon can of fuel grade for US$39.99 and they mention free standard delivery for things over $29. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 A lot really depends on what you are washing, and what you are washing off of it. Oil and grease can be done with Simple Green, Dawn, or other soaps. Heavy crud like tar will need a solvent of some sort-diesel,mineral spirits, 1,1,1 Trichlor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanglediver Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 I just got done replacing the rusted out, steel reservoir in our System One industrial washer, it took me all day Friday. (I wonder if I have a picture.) (It's gets no respect, I tell ya.) Today I finished reinstalling all the plumbing and putting the solvent back in. We pay something like $50.oo a gallon for that solvent and it gets regular service from our vendor. So when it started leaking out all over the floor, we had the business owner start calling around. He found a replacement tank made from $tainless steel. Real nicely tig welded tank, the old tank was mild steel, and condensation slowly ate through it everywhere, leaving rusty pinholes. Those rusty colored spots on the left of the motor are all pinholes. I have no idea what formula of solvent they use though. It functions well for cleaning parts, and dries by the end of the day if left alone. Brake parts cleaner is way different! Fast drying, harsh, no lubricity. I would try mineral spirits, which can no longer be bought in this messed up state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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