The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Hot tank.....

Anyone have any good ideas on building or buying a hot tank for my garage?? I spend 99.99% of my time cleaning and degreasing- I gotta get one!! 0.01% building engines and hot rods isn't enough!!

Solvents may be an issue.
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Have you heard of a pyrolytic(sp) oven? It cooks all the crud to ash and you brush it off for the most part. I know some things cannot stand the heat so you are back to solvents.

I use a small galvanized horse watering tank (about 25 gallons) set on some bricks. Poured in a bunch of cans of Drano and (slowly!) filled it 2/3 of the way with cold water (run the hose from remote control....you don't want to get splashed with the stuff!). I keep it covered with a piece of sheet steel when not in use. It works pretty well cold, but it is set high enough to slide a coleman stove under it. With warm-to-hot water it is incredible. Make sure you have a way to dispose of the solution when the time comes to replace it. Mine has lasted a couple years with occasional use.

Disclaimer: Drano is Sodium Hydroxide, commonly known as Caustic Soda or Lye. It's nasty stuff! When it comes in contact with skin, it will make you wish it were only battery acid. Don't let anything organic (e.g. plastic, rubber) or aluminum come in contact with it. Only use with steel or cast iron. Remove all bearing materials. Be careful!

I know what you mean about cleaning -- lots of time. For smaller items I use Simple Green in an enamel stock pot -- stainless steel is good also -- anyway I put it on a hot plate -- heat Simple Green to boiling and let parts soak a few minutes then they're ready to scrub clean. for disposal I strain the liquid through paper towels - towels to the trash and the rest you can pour out. Admittedly it is not as fast as solvents, but a lot safer.

The rest you can pour out? Hopefully not the drain.

Just came across plans for building a hot tank using a 55 gallon drum and biodegradeable cleaners on ebay item 2454420609, not much of a description but for $4.99 what the heck. Will let you know how it turns out.

I've degreesed my entire truck with laquer thinner and evaporated the remaining used liquid by setting in the sun for a day or so, the sludge is collected and disposed of at a local collection point. I can get the LT for $19.00 for 5 gallons, it last a while.

I have several 1 gallon paint cans that I use for small parts, dropped the parts in seal the lid and move them around, this wont hurt barings or other metals, but you can't touch rubber parts of course. For meduim sized item I use a large rubbermaid type plastic container with a very tight lid.

For the LARGE things I hand brushed and soaked a sponge in the LT and stif brushed removed the stuff. I have pictures of the torsion bars before and after for any who want to see.
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May sound nuts but look for on old dishwasher (not your mother in law) CA has about killed hot tanks, Safety clean had a hot water parts cleaner that worked better than any solvent tank trick was to let it sit.All the new parts cleaners in CA are just oversize dish washers

someone in the lounge mentioned using a 'thriftstore crockpot, a few gallons of water and some tsp(trisodiumphosphate)' - which is a degreaser/cleanersubstance... and letting it sit, outside...

go poke around in the lounge it was a recent post.

-W

Hey twe56, buying on eBay! Its good to know Im not alone buying off eBay. Anyway, just for your safety, try to buy/bid from an auction that has a picture of the item, and make sure the person has a good positive feedback (this info is for your use, if you didnt already know it).

But, the auction looks OK, so dont be scared by what I just said above.

- Shane
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I was recently told to use heating elements from electric water heaters to make a hot tank. Sounds like a good idea, just be sure to use a GFI.