[Held for Ransom]

Originally Posted by Shiny

Yup, and when I was a kid, I'd just use gasoline. Remember Varsol (naptha)? That was a safer and less volatile go-to that is harder to find now.. maybe Coleman fuel is similar but propane took over that world.

Is the TS PSC 1000 naptha? If not, what is it?

https://www.sfcsds.com/wp-content/up...er-Solvent.pdf

[unruhjonny]

IIRC that purple water based cleaner USED to be marketed as a Castrol product, but some time in the past the Castrol name disappeared from the packaging.

It works great, but I would prefer to use a petroleum based cleaner in a parts washer - even if some complain that it stinks.
It gets a bit frosty in the garage during winter, so it would be nice to have something not susceptible to freezing.

[mrennie]

I use varsol in my parts washer, as mentioned above, as insurance against it freezing. (Years ago I didn't used to keep my garage heated in winter unless I was using it.)

Not sure if the formulation has changed or I am more sensitive, but my skin and nasal passages are not happy around the fumes. I only use the tank wearing elbow length chemical gloves and while wearing a respirator with OV cartridge.

It is a piece of equipment I seldom use but when you need it, it is great to have. I get the cleaning done then throw my clothes in the wash as they reek from the odour.

I have also noticed the smell gets worse after time. A fresh tank of solvent smells OK but after a year or so it is much worse. Maybe something is evaporating or changing the makeup.

[Greg Reid]

Question...what are folks doing with the dirty solvent when you change it out?

[mgarblik]

That old parts washer looks like a Graymills HK 250. (Handy Clean) I bought the smaller model HK 150 in 1978. Still use it daily and have never replaced a single thing on it. They are still in business and make a super high quality product. Much nicer than that HF unit. You won't wear that thing out.

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Question...what are folks doing with the dirty solvent when you change it out?

I mix it in with my used engine oil for recycling.

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

That stuff does work fairly well.
So, in California we have not been able to use solvent based parts washers for years. What they do let us use is the citrus based stuff. And it does work but................... it must be used in heated tanks. Works, but its a extra cost with the heater on all the time. But the non flammable part is very good.
Its the norm here these days.

When our new school building/shop was built in 1998, they wanted the latest, greatest, earth friendly equipment in the "state of the art building". Some vendor convinced them to buy citrus/water based heated parts cleaners. They installed 12 of them. Two years later only 3 still had working heaters. Company that made them was long out of business. All non-standard parts, fittings and fixtures. Threw 9 of them into the land fill. By end of 4th year they were all dead. Replaced with 3 Safety Clean solvent parts washers. Work great but extremely expensive to have cleaned, changed and serviced. They have a service contract that is genuinely frightening. Ohio tax dollars at work!!!

[67drake]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

That old parts washer looks like a Graymills HK 250. (Handy Clean) I bought the smaller model HK 150 in 1978. Still use it daily and have never replaced a single thing on it. They are still in business and make a super high quality product. Much nicer than that HF unit. You won't wear that thing out.

Great to know. The seller was almost apologizing for how dirty it was, and they used it as a workbench too.
I told him “No worries, as long as that pump works I have no problem giving asking price”. He even gave me a couple unopened gallons of mineral spirits to go with the deal. I figure that’s $30 worth of solvent right there, even if I use that for something else.

[mrennie]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

I mix it in with my used engine oil for recycling.

Me too.

[JSchmitz]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

I mix it in with my used engine oil for recycling.

Glad I saw this! Great idea!

My HF pump has decided to work/fail intermittently. Anyone have a suggestion for a replacement pump? Considering the following so far:

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Bull-PW...iABEgKE-_D_BwE

https://www.zoro.com/little-giant-pu...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Greg Reid]

I can't remember a hundred percent but I'm pretty sure that first one you posted is the one that I wound up with. It fit inside the HF filter housing but just barely. I had to ty-wrap the cover on. It's been reliable submerged in mineral spirits for years now.

[JSchmitz]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

I can't remember a hundred percent but I'm pretty sure that first one you posted is the one that I wound up with. It fit inside the HF filter housing but just barely. I had to ty-wrap the cover on. It's been reliable submerged in mineral spirits for years now.

Ok. Thanks! That sounds good. Cheap too.