Parts washer fluid

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marcros

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I have got my dad one of these for Christmas. Bench Mounted Parts Washer / Degreaser / Cleaner

I am now looking at what fluid to get for him to go with it. does anybody have a similar one and if so can you make a recommendation?

It will be used for general cleaning of old tractor parts (obviously smaller parts) prior to reassembly and/or possibly painting. I would expect it would be engine parts or greasy nuts and bolts from ploughs etc.

from what I have read, the machine mart ones dont get a great write up, jiffa (by Swarfega) is expensive but sounds like it will do the job. I dont mind paying for the expensive one as long as it is actually good.
 
Don’t try this at home folks!
I hesitate to admit this, but half a century ago (you don’t know how much it grieves me to say that but it’s true) I used to wash all my bike parts in petrol, yes and it was full of lead in those days. Thinking about it that might explain quite a lot ha ha
 
that is part of the reason that I am buying this. he isn't using petrol, but I am sure that there was a jar of thinners being used!
 
I've been using Bilt Hamber surfex HD Surfex HD | Multi-Purpose Car Cleaner and Degreaser (APC) - Bilt Hamber

In a parts washer it will need to be a strong solution, I think I used at least a 25% solution. Its water based. Not bad, I can't say its better than petrol/paraffin but a lot less smelly, but probably more expensive. I've used Jizer as well, I think I prefer the Bilt Hamber but its a while since I used the parts washer.
 
I've had one of these for over 20 years for cleaning greasy, oily car parts & protective coating off new metal items & all I've ever used in it is paraffin (cos it's cheap) & a pair of waterproof gloves.
 
I use a citrus cleaner in mine - something like this this one.
Surprisingly it works almost as well as the paraffin that I've used for most of my life, and it smells better too.
 
Diesel, paraffin same stuff I believe: Except for colour and duty!

I use up Diesel we keep for emergencies once it’s about a year old.
 
Just remembered what we used to use to clean all the bits we took off the buses at my dads old works - Gunk. cleaned everything. I know you can get spray tins still, don't know about bulk. If you can would recommend that highly
 
I looked at this online, but every comment (rare consensus online) was that the new formula was not very good at all.
 
Truckwash is basically degreaser Mark that need brushing or pressure spraying.
I use a chemical cleaner at work occasionaly on badly stained glass roofs (when they are BLACK not church stained glass!) it's not particularly COSHH sensitive but it does a great job with agitation. I can't check the name right now as I have none in the van but it will be standard cleaning fluid. This ones dark blue (Lol sorry!) but it'll be someting similar to TARA.
https://shop.wessexcleaning.com/tara-universal-cleaner-5-litrePut it on neat and it with some agitation it works remarkably well. If not you have a lovely clean kitchen floor for about 5 years with the surplus from 5L. ;)
 
Has anyone noticed what a great degreaser Fairy liquid is? AND it's cheap at Morrisons!
Just a thought.....
Fairy liquid contains quite a lot of salt, which will increase corrosion on steel parts unless you rinse it off very thoroughly.
 
I presume that there is no issue with paraffin or a solvent damaging the motor on yours?
No, its been fine. I think most of them use a magnetic drive pump thats fairly bullet proof. Mines also got provision for an air line to agitate it, but its a bit of a gimmick. Just chuck stuff in and come back to it after its had chance to soak.
 
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