clicky-bottom oil can

My mom discovered two of these and gave them to me. Yay! Anyway, one has some extremely old oil inside that's turned pretty much into tar. What's the recommended way to get that crap out? It also looks like it had a gasket inside of a lip around the base of the screw-in spout. What's an acceptable substitute for that? Cereal box?

Reply to
B.B.
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Just use a solvent that can disolve oil. Turpentine? Gasoline? Put some in and let it sit or swirl it around.

Leather works well as a gasket, try a fabric store for remnants.

-Tom

Reply to
TT

Acetone or laquer thinner works well on the congealed oil.

Gary Brady Austin, TX

Reply to
Gary Brady

(clip) What's the recommended way to get that crap out?(clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ It's possible that if you set it in a pot of boiling water for a while the sludge will become more liquid. If it becomes pourable, then empty it out. Finish up with some detergent and water, and shake hell out of it. Possibly add some coffee grounds or sand to provide scrubbing action.

Reply to
Leo Lichtman

Gasoline, use with care. Cut the gasket out of anything you find that you think will work. Can still get all kinds of gasket material, check auto parts stores, ask at an old time outdoor equipement repair place, cut up some old neoprene kitchen gloves, etc.

Reply to
bw

NEVER use gasoline as a cleaning solvent. Dangerous as hell (and full of nasty chemical additives that your lungs and skin should not be exposed to).

Mineral spirits is a fairly safe solvent and it works well for dissolving gummy oils, grease, tar, etc.

- Michael

Reply to
DeepDiver

Uh huh! What is it, people never learn? Gasoline is fuel, not solvent, as is diesel *fuel* and kerosene. There are solvents on the market that are

*solvents*, not fuels. They are generally the best choice for dissolving hydrocarbons, and often are no more costly than the fuels used in their stead.

I can't speak for anyone else, but the thoughts of an open container of gasoline being used as a solvent gives me the willies. How many folks have met their maker while cleaning their parts in their basements or garages, next to the gas water heater?

Harold

Reply to
Harold and Susan Vordos

LOL. My dad still maintains that gasoline is the best way to clean alkyd paint off of brushes and whatnot. I keep trying to cure him of this habit.

This is, if you recall, the man who tests live circuits with screwdrivers...

Jim

Reply to
jim rozen

But Harold, they are *all* hydrocarbons! That's why they work so well...

Okay, gasoline and diesel are mixed for burning specifically in engines, but AFAIK kerosene and paint thinner, among other petroleum distallates sold as solvents, come remarkably close, if not already the same.

Tim

-- "California is the breakfast state: fruits, nuts and flakes." Website:

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Reply to
Tim Williams

Correct, all are petroleum distillates, all contain the same components, lighter fractions with lighter components. Mineral oil is simply a heavier fraction of the same feedstock. None of the components are especially hazardous, with the possible exception of benzene.

Reply to
bw

Solvents evaporate cleanly at atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature. . Oils tend not to. That's why they aren't promoted as solvents. It's not uncommon to wash parts in Stoddard solvent and follow with a cold water spray, then permit the parts to dry. They'll accept paint well. Try that with ATF or other light oils, including kerosene. I wish you luck.

Harold

Harold.

Reply to
Harold and Susan Vordos

If it works it works, but isn't WD-40 mostly stoddard solvent? Seems counter-intuitive that WD-40 (or uh, WD-1? heh) can be displaced itself by the thing it's supposed to combat...

Tim

-- "California is the breakfast state: fruits, nuts and flakes." Website:

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Reply to
Tim Williams

If you've used WD-40, you realize that while it may be made of Stoddard solvent (does the product say it is? I don't think so), it also contains something that is dissolved that remains behind after the solvent has evaporated. That something appears to me to be paraffin. Again, I don't think the product admits to what it is. Shades of ATF in solvent. Makes no sense. I don't usually put dirt in wash water to improve its cleaning power.

My comments on Stoddard rinsed with cold water are based on experience. It works, and well. What isn't soluble by the Stoddard is removed by the water rinse. Surprisingly, the majority of the Stoddard is also washed off.

Harold

Reply to
Harold and Susan Vordos

Hmm, the primarily active ingredient in WD-40 must not be stoddard then...

Tim

-- "California is the breakfast state: fruits, nuts and flakes." Website:

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Reply to
Tim Williams

It may not be readily available to you (unless you want to look up the Dr.Pepper method and make your own) but biodiesel fuel is a better solvent than any of these, has no real harmful components (unless you don't get all the methoxide out), and is biodegradable (you can drink it if you want, though I wouldn't). Keep it away from any paint or other stuff you don't want "solvented".

k
Reply to
Treedweller

Hmm. If I drank it and peed on some paint, could I put on some super-impressive demonstration? "Hey, y'all, watch this!" There's a station a ways north of me on I35 that has a big-assed banner across the front saying "biodiesel." I guess I'll swing by there and have a look.

Reply to
B.B.

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