The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Parts Washer

I searched for this and found a few old links but they didn't answer my question real well. I just got down creating myself a parts washer using some heater hoses a small pond pump and 1950 era washer. I went to fleet farm and got the parts washer fluid they had there. I was a water based green cleaner. I have used it alittle and it works not incredible well scrubbing is required but it does loosen the dirt. My question is this what type of fluid do you use for your parts washers and where does one get it. I know some people used gasoline and I do to but I am not running it through my parts washer. The pond pump is supposed to be used in "fresh water" only. For 12 bucks I am giving it and possibly the fire extingusher a little trial the thing is solid plastic so I am auctualy not that worried about it as long as gasoline isn't used it should be fine. Thanks for the advice.

I use Safety-Kleen solution.

I'm not sure what forum it was in but back a few months of ago there was some extensive post about this. I think the jest of it was that most cleaners are mineral spirits of some sorts. I don't know the brand but I get mine from my nephew who buys it in 55 gal drums. It ain't cheap but works pretty good. Seems like it was about a buck fifty a gal(??)
Do a search on a couple forums and you'll probably find enough info to keep you reading well past midnight.

I'm not sure what forum it was in but back a few months of ago there was some extensive post about this. I think the jest of it was that most cleaners are mineral spirits of some sorts. I don't know the brand but I get mine from my nephew who buys it in 55 gal drums for his machine shop. It ain't cheap but works pretty good. Seems like it was about a buck fifty a gal(??)
Do a search on a couple forums and you'll probably find enough info to keep you reading well past midnight.

If you run gasoline through your pond pump you can almost garuntee a fire. I'll bet the pond pump is water tight / water proof, but I'll bet it's not explosion proof.

My next door neighborh used a small electric pond pump to try to siphon the gasoline out of his Toyota pick up truck, before he sold the truck. Guess what happened next.

NEVER USE GASOLINE TO CLEAN PARTS !.....keroseen works great, but safety clean is better.
a fuel pump from a vehicle works good with a ac to dc inverter on a home made parts washer...make sure you ahve a good size filter on the return line to the pump.

I use "parts cleaning solvent" (kerosene I think). There's two places in town that sell it. It doesn't touch dirt but eats anything oil based. It's pretty high dollar stuff too. I'm not sure if you should run it through your home made setup though. It'd probably eat your pump up.

I have always used kerosene with good results.

Another vote for kerosene here!