anyone weld after cleaning part with brake kleen? better read this!

[willtel]

What moron wouldn't immediately go to the hospital after having a seizure to the point of not being able to control their body?

"Hmm, I think I'll just sit around for a few days and sip cranberry juice until I feel better or die."

Complete ramrod.

[myamoto1]

Originally Posted by slakjaw

John, thanks for the info! I have actually done this before. Maybe I should have bought a lotto tix that day.

Ditto - I just did this less about a week ago (the welding not the lotto).

I have probably used more than my fair share of brake cleaner in the past and this info has scared the crap out of me. I've always wanted to get/make a parts washer, but funds are limited. What are most folks doing/using to clean their parts?

Speeder - what kind of set-up are you using?

[legion]

You can get a 15 gallon parts washer and Farm & Fleet for around $100.

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by myamoto1

I've always wanted to get/make a parts washer, but funds are limited. What are most folks doing/using to clean their parts?

Here's mine

Parts washers: immersion/dishwasher

[myamoto1]

Thanks widebody - did you end up with an air agitation system? Do you have any more details on how you set up the heater elements, etc?

[widebody911]

I've only used the air agitation system once; it foamed up more than I liked, but I haven't gone back to the drawing board yet to find a solution (no pun intended).

Here's another pic with the element:


And a home-made oil cooler flushing adapter

[myamoto1]

Thanks for the additional pics. It looks like you have the 20 gallon washer. How often (if ever) have you wished you had a larger one? Maybe a better question to ask is what's the largest part you've been able to fit? I'm hoping to re-do my suspension this winter and would love to put everything through the washer. Or is it worth just paying someone to clean parts that size?

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by myamoto1

Thanks for the additional pics. It looks like you have the 20 gallon washer. How often (if ever) have you wished you had a larger one? Maybe a better question to ask is what's the largest part you've been able to fit? I'm hoping to re-do my suspension this winter and would love to put everything through the washer. Or is it worth just paying someone to clean parts that size?

Yes, it's a 20-gallon unit.

I've done a VW engine case half, and a VW fan shroud. It would be nice to be able to do bus reduction axle tubes.

There's nothing magical about the tank - you could mod any similar tank to work. I've thought about building a custom one out of stainless.

The next mod will be a new pump - I burned this one out - and then I'll engineer some sort of filtration system. I think the cleaning solution would last longer if I could get the particulates out. The next time I clean an oil cooler, I'm going to rig a lamp timer so I have on/off cycling, rather than continuous flow.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I guess being the sloppy, dirty motherfker that I am is a blessing in disguise. Hell, I don't even wash my car if I can avoid it...

Thanks for posting this warning, John. I though argon was inert? Does it catalyze the reaction somehow to create phosgene?

[Burnin' oil]

There is no question that I am not safety conscious near enough - no eye protection, no ear protection, no respirator crap, no nothing. Then I hear something like this and I am on "level red" alert for a day or two. . .

[MotoSook]

A friend was cleaning his case several years back and was using both carb cleaner and brake cleaner. I can't recall if he was using heat for anything, but he ended up having to go to the E-room because he had a hard time breathing and was light headed...

I haven't alwasy been very safe in my own garage, and there are times when I'm in the garage by myself late at night....thankfully I haven't had a bad experience...and been knocked out in the garage all night.

[VINMAN]

I remember a fire call I had a bunch of yrs back. A guy was doing something with his running snowblower and a can of brake cleaner. The guy got burned pretty bad ( had to be medevac'd to a burn center) and nearly leveled his garage.

[john walker's workshop]

are there any chemists here that could ID the stinky exhaust fumes after brake kleen goes through the engine?

[speeder]

Originally Posted by myamoto1

Ditto - I just did this less about a week ago (the welding not the lotto).

I have probably used more than my fair share of brake cleaner in the past and this info has scared the crap out of me. I've always wanted to get/make a parts washer, but funds are limited. What are most folks doing/using to clean their parts?

Speeder - what kind of set-up are you using?

Mine is about as simple, (and cheap), as it gets. I have a couple of gallons of old mineral spirits that I re-use endlessly and a few different-sized plastic pans/tubs that I put the parts in to clean. I just did my bicycle wheel and cluster in one. Just laid the wheel on the tub w/ the cluster over the pan, poured mineral spirits over it and cleaned w/ a small brush. Kept dipping the brush in the pan and brushing grease off. When done, rinsed w/ hose nozzle and blew it dry w/ compressed air. Went from years old caked black grease to looking like a new part.

Works equally as well w/ auto or MC parts. When done, I use a funnel and pour the MS back into jugs. If you let a jug of MS sit for a while, all of the dirt (or paint) goes to the bottom and you can draw clean stuff off the top again. Dirty works just as well for parts cleaning.