Cleaning solvent for parts washer?

[69hugger]

Thanks for the recommendations.
I never knew it, but read on the web that mineral spirits & Stoddard solvent are one & the same.
I am leaning towards that, but the smell has me thinking water based if it works AS WELL.
I wonder if Simple Green will work as well at room temp?
Any others using water based stuff?

[Sieg]

Here's some good surfing: http://www.safety-kleen.com/products...nt-chemistries

The one concern I have with Simple Green (and I use it a lot) is it caustic so it will discolor bare, anodized, and clear coated aluminum if the concentrate is to too strong or contact time too long.

They have evolved into a relatively large chemical company and have an industrial line: http://industrial.simplegreen.com/

[Beebe]

Pure Simple Green has stripped / removed the factory paint inside my ToolShop brand parts cleaner.

Everywhere that the parts washer was submerged in Simple Green has shed its paint in about a 3 month time of soaking in simple green. FYI

Never seen a parts washer with a "mineral spirit" or "solvent" that was stripped of all it paint inside from the solvent itself... hmmm

Maybe the paintjob in my ToolShop parts washer is elcheapo ... LOL

my .02

[Vince@Meanstreets]

this is great to use in a heated parts wash tank.... http://www.chemfree.com/products.html

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by 69hugger

Thanks for the recommendations.
I never knew it, but read on the web that mineral spirits & Stoddard solvent are one & the same.
I am leaning towards that, but the smell has me thinking water based if it works AS WELL.
I wonder if Simple Green will work as well at room temp?
Any others using water based stuff?

I have a 30 gallon Snap-On parts washer -- running Mineral Spirits. I don't think it's bad smelling at all and it works real well. The Simple Green dries my hands out every bit as much as the Mineral Spirits. I have a wash sink right next to the parts washer and get the stuff off me as quick as I can...

[69hugger]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

I have a 30 gallon Snap-On parts washer -- running Mineral Spirits. I don't think it's bad smelling at all and it works real well. The Simple Green dries my hands out every bit as much as the Mineral Spirits. I have a wash sink right next to the parts washer and get the stuff off me as quick as I can...

Greg,
Do you actually run that much solvent in it? Last I looked, mineral spirits runs $8 or $9 per gallon. I suppose a bit less in 5's. Still, a pretty spendy fill....

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by 69hugger

Greg,
Do you actually run that much solvent in it? Last I looked, mineral spirits runs $8 or $9 per gallon. I suppose a bit less in 5's. Still, a pretty spendy fill....

Yes I do. Didn't realize the cost was that much per gallon.... My 30 gal parts washer is also one that runs a large (huge) cartridge filter in the tank - so with "home use" I've never had to add Mineral Spirits or replace the filter so far.

[Sieg]

Volume, filtering, and cleaning performance over the long term definitely factor into the expense/value analysis.

[silvermonte]

I buy the 5 gallon bucket of parts cleaner from menards and my washer takes 10 gallons. No idea what it is but its pretty harsh and cleans grease and oil of parts pretty fast. I use gloves to rubber gloves to keep my hands from drying out.

The only time you can smell the cleaner is if I have the top up on mine and have spent alot of time cleaning something. I've seen people who keep the solution in the bucket and run a filter and a pump to it so that there is no fluid sitting in the bottom of the parts washer to stink up the place.

[69hugger]

Decisions, decisions...

Thanks for all the input.