Cleaning parts

[MALAK]

For the home shop I highly recommend:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Zep-5-gallon-Degreaser/3621248

Scrape off the heavy stuff, soak the parts in this stuff full strength, use a plastic or wire brush to scrub the parts as you take them out, rinse parts with water, and dry.

A couple of years back I restored a Sheldon lathe, attached are pics of the headstock casting before, and after soaking overnight.

The pics of the backing plates I did just a couple of weeks ago using partially exhausted cleaner. The rust is just light surface rust and is easily removed with a wire brush.

Use chemical gloves and face shield/safety glasses. Do not use on aluminum. Dispose of properly when exhausted.

 

[JKY]

I use diesel in a sealable tub and my wife's toothbrush while she's out shopping. I have to rinse it out really well before I put it back.

 

[malgernon]

Thanks everyone for some really great suggestions. You can count on my trying some of them.

Mike

 

[Firedome]

I have had great luck on smaller parts using undiluted Simple Green in a 5 gallon bucket. Let the parts sit a couple of days and gunk will just be falling off with a light scrub and water rinse..

 

[Ak Sourdough]

Being a country boy, I have a big wood stove in my metal fab shop. I soak parts in diesel to dilute/remove the petroleum based adhesive that is bonding the dirt to the parts. A small amount of scraping and scrubbing and the metal is bare. Hadn't thought about using the wife's toothbrush... an idea that would be quite tempting at times.



The dirty diesel is then mixed with sawdust from my wood shop (another waste product that needs to be dealt with around here) and burned in my wood stove. A quart or so of dirty diesel saturated sawdust really gets the fire started in the morning.

 

[MickyD]

I use vinegar for most all cleaning and a stiff bristled brush. It doesn't smell bad and it can be used over and over.