Anyone build a parts washer? - Tell me what you used

[rwilke]

I'm thinking of a small-ish, galvanized steel tub/sink mounted into a wooden frame to hold it steady then cut a hole in the bottom for a sink drain basket. A spray hose from kitchen sink and use coffee filters in the basket. A low-volume oil pump (from what - I don't know yet) placed inside a 5-gallon pail beneath the tub/sink that will be the solvent reservoir. A lid over the pail with holes in it to allow a drain pipe in and a pressure line out. I'd use some bio-friendly de-greaser as a solvent.

Any ideas?

Ryan Wilke

 

[jbaker]

Ryan sounds like you need a small or med size stainless steel sink to bad you are not closer you could have the one in my garage

 

[mgonitzke]

My Dad built one a long time ago and used an oil pump from a small-block Chevy.

 

[dfrisk]

RYAN - Depending on what You use for solvent you have to be careful with what You use for a pump.
My well pressure tank started rusting out and the internal bladder was broken about 15 yrs ago. I cut the steel ring stand off the bottom of the pressure tank, flipped the tank upside-down and rewelded the ring on. I used some 11 guage steel & angle iron to make the top, about 36" wide, by about 18-20", and 6 inches deep. Also has a hinged steel top, VERY Important!
The 110V submersible pump came from Northern Tool, about $50, and the parts washer brush with the flow-thru solvent was about $10, good investment. The pump is wired to a switch that is electrically separated from the pump, no chance of elec. shock. Used kitchen sink components would be better than washing parts in a pan of gasoline (what I did before building the washer) but I suggest You look at a real parts washer and try to include as many safety features if not ALL the features of a real parts washer. UL, EPA, OSHA, etc require those features for a reason. Also the rubber used for potable water for kitchen sinks will not hold up to petroleum solvents/distilates.
You have flamibilty issues as well as electrical shock issues, also a good idea to keep everything, plumbing, solvent, fumes, etc INSIDE the tank and wash basin. If anything in the washer should spark it could set Your solvent on fire so You should have a fusable link on the lid so it closes to contain the fire inside the washer and hopefully extinguish the fire.
I charge my washer with 5 gal. of kerosene and a gallon of GUNK degreaser. I've actually used it a LOT and have only cleaned out the crud that settles in the bottom of the tank once.

There are water soluable detergents available now but from what I've heard they are expensive and don't work real well and the clean parts tend to flash rust after cleaning. Mineral spirits is also good I've heard.

If Your just working on small stuff like Kohlers I'd get the bench-top washer from Northern.

 

[rwilke]

Thanks for the ideas, Guys!

I'll look at the unit from Northern Tool....

Ryan Wilke

 

[kide]

It's a crime that you can buy the Chinese stuff cheaper now than the parts to DIY........

 

[rwilke]

Kedell,
I thought the very same thing.... but money is money, and I only have so much of it.

If I had or thought I could get most of the parts to make my own, then that is what I'd do - even if it cost 10-20% more than the Northern Tool unit (likely China-made), which is listed for $45 + $15 s/h: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200381752_200381752

However, I don't think I can locate the adequate parts for less than $75. And in my case, I will be the ONLY one using it, I don't need it for daily use, heck, I might go a month or more without a need for it. So, it doesn't need to be what I would call, INDUSTRIAL GRADE equipment.

Yes, over the years I've concocted home-made items that turned out great-and-inexpensive and others that have turned out not-so-great-and-very-expensive to say the least. I have also bought foreign-made stuff and USA-made stuff and some of them have turned out to be JUNK and other stuff was GREAT on both sides!

Sure, I know I'd rather keep the $$ in the USA. I don't make 15$/hr; and over the years it has kinda bugged me to hear my $30+/hr auto-building friends complain about being cut back. I don't know what the answer is....

Ryan Wilke

 

[kide]

Ryan:
Hey - I'm retired - us fixed income guys seem to spend a lot of time at "Harbor Fright"....

 

[aschumacher]

Kendell, amen to 'Harbor Freight'. 'Surplus Center' in Lincoln NE has some real neat stuff too.

 

[kmcconaughey]

I must be really cheap, on the rare occasions I need one, I just use my neighbor's parts washer.

 

[dfrisk]

KRAIG - There's been a few parts & assemblies in my washer that Son & I didn't own. A certain 5-speed manual transmission out of a 4.3L C1500 comes to mind. Ohhhhh I lusted after the carbon graphite driveshaft that truck had!

 

[thenrie]

I bought a 20 gal parts washer at HF a couple months ago. Works well. Got it on sale for under $100. It's on sale right now for $99 as a matter of fact.

However, you can make one just as effective with 1/2 a 30-gal drum or even a 55-gal drum. Make a rack that lays in the bottom to keep your parts up off the bottom. Plumb a drain line that runs down into your solvent can (I use mineral spirits). Plumb a suction line out of the solvent can to an old washing machine pump - find an older metal one though, the plastic ones don't last long in solvent - they are a dime a dozen. Run the pump with any small electric motor, even a 3/8" electric drill will work, but you may have to make an adapter. Plumb the outlet hose back up to your basin with a shutoff of some sort, and voila! By the way, keep the feed hose (suction) off the bottom of the solvent can, because that's where the crud will end up gathering. Every now and then you can either change out your solvent, or pump it into a new can and dispose of the crud in the old can.

I have stayed away from the new water-soluble parts cleaner mixes. The cautions on them indicate you can't leave parts in them too long or they will be damaged. I figure if that's the case, the solvent will probably damage my parts cleaner and eat my basin, since I leave the solvent in the basin all the time. Don't really know if that's the case, though, since I've only used mineral spirits.