I'm trying to clean up an old DiAcro shear, which is painted in a green & pale cream/yellow. There's quite a bit of staining from where oil ran onto the paint, and then hardened up over decades. I know I have some solvents that will take the oil "varnish" off of steel, but I don't want to attack the paint.
Anyone have any favorite cleaners for this sort of stuff? I'm guessing the paint is a baked enamel and is reasonably tough.
Thanks!
Doug White
I like Hoppe's No. 9 nitro solvent for this job. Buy it where they sell hunting licenses, it's a gun thing.
GWE
Doug, Most solvents, including Hoppes and especially brake cleaner will attack the paint. I found quite by accident something that really works well. I buy, by the barrel, an industrial cleaner that is primarily used to clean Truck tarps. It is a generic emusifier similar to 409, but more concentrated. I spray it on with a Windex bottle, scrub it a little with a fingernail brush and wipe off the area with paper towels. You should be able to find a similar cleaner at any industial supply. Buying this stuff by the drum is MUCH cheaper that at the grocery store. You can just add water to make it any strength you want. This stuff just disolves the old hardened oil instantly. You will be impressed! Steve
printer's blanket solvent works for me when I have it. it is used to remove linseed and castor based inks from the offset press roller blanket. works wonderfully well on removing the grunge from old model aircraft engines. apply the stuff, leave it overnight, then wash off with water. sends the water white so I presume there is phenol in it. I think it'd work quite well for your problem. ask your local printer where they get their offset blanket cleaner. "Blast" is one brand of it.
Stealth Pilot Australia
Steam?
Randy Replogle
I use automotive wheel cleaner. The variety that says "safe for all wheels" will not harm paint nor plastics.
Follow with soap (liquid Tide) and warm water
and/or
Follow with WD40, a good solvent in itself
Doug White wrote:
Liquid dish detergent and cheap mineral spirits paint thinner. Or you could try a degreasing cleaner like castrol super clean.
Someone had suggested automotive wheel cleaner, but that stuck me as possibly a little agressive. However, it did ring a bell. I have some auto "bug and tar" remover, which is pretty much guaranteed paint-safe.
It works reasonably well, although it takes a little scrubbing to get the stuff out of little dimples in the casting. I haven't tried using a toothbrush dipped in the stuff, but that would probably help. It certainly has shown zero sign of attacking the paint, and the parts I've worked on look 100% better already.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
Doug White
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