- Joined
- Feb 24, 2019
- Messages
- 924
I used to use gasoline. But that was when I only knew gasoline. One day I got some pure tolulene. I loved that stuff for degreasing. I liked that it evaporated so fast. I had 4 gallons of the stuff. Til one day I needed it and it had all evaporated. I was 16.
I went back to gasoline. And I always smelled like gasoline. After a while, I didn't want to smell like gasoline. I was 18.
I entered the printing industry and learned of the value of degreasing with kerosene. It was SLOW, oily. and left a residue but it kind of worked. Not as good as gas, and certainly not as good as tolulene.
Over the years I've had access to MAY chemicals designed for one purpose. Removing ink (oil based, so oil was the carrier) from any and everything. Sometimes you needed something aggressive, sometimes something mild. All to remove, essentially, oil (and take the pigment with it).
For ink REMOVAL when it's still wet, something that doesn't evaporate too quick, and will dissolve the oil easily, and not cause the attack of the other materials (as well as paint on the machine) was a tricky thing to find. We referred to them as weak, adequate, good, excellent, aggressive and DEADLY chemicals.
Sometimes I used ISO 99.9%. It was because it was quick drying and didn't leave a residue. I would use that to clean a printing plate if needed in a small area. An entire plate took a different, non solvent, approach but that's for a different article.
When I did a press wash (changing ink colors) I needed something that would carry the ink/oil to the scraper blade. Problem was this stuff took a while and usually left a residue.
Don't worry, there's a point in here somewhere.
When I did a wash with regular press wash, I often followed with ISO to wash out the residue. It worked most of the time. Other times I used something a little more aggressive which I had to be careful with because it would suck out the necessary oil that the rollers have just to survive and the rubber rollers would, over time, degrade. And then if I really had to remove some oldass ink, I needed something that would actually break down the structure of the dried ink.
Now to the point.
I had to do all this while NOT killing the paint on the machine.
So, there's no single good answer for solvent for degreasing. ALL of the factors need to be considered.
Having said that, in my home shop, I only use three degreasers.
ISO 99.9
MEK (Methyl Ethyl Keytone)
And soap/water (might be any combination including Simple Green)
I don't use gas as, often, I'm also trying to remove the gas varnish from a carb or something. It also leaves a residue that stinks for a week or so.
I don't use acetone as it's not necessary if one has been gifted 15 gallons of MEK. It also fogs some plastics and not others. If I don't care about plastic getting damaged, MEK is better. It does evaporate a tiny bit faster and will absolutely devour latex or nitrile gloves though.
I don't use kerosene as it's just slow, ineffective and takes 40-50 years to evaporate off the part. I don't like cleaning the cleaner off a part.
There are so many I've seen above that I've tried and just find them next to useless compared to what I use. Sorry if that's offensive. We all have our opinion.
A caveat on MEK. I'm told it's now almost impossible to find in quantity without a license in many places as it can be used to make Meth. It's also one of the BEST ways to bond many plastics (which is originally what I've always used it for). It can be stored in only certain types of plastic containers. I have a few in the back of my car, now, to transfer out of the 5 gallon pails in my garage.
Anyhow... YMMV
I went back to gasoline. And I always smelled like gasoline. After a while, I didn't want to smell like gasoline. I was 18.
I entered the printing industry and learned of the value of degreasing with kerosene. It was SLOW, oily. and left a residue but it kind of worked. Not as good as gas, and certainly not as good as tolulene.
Over the years I've had access to MAY chemicals designed for one purpose. Removing ink (oil based, so oil was the carrier) from any and everything. Sometimes you needed something aggressive, sometimes something mild. All to remove, essentially, oil (and take the pigment with it).
For ink REMOVAL when it's still wet, something that doesn't evaporate too quick, and will dissolve the oil easily, and not cause the attack of the other materials (as well as paint on the machine) was a tricky thing to find. We referred to them as weak, adequate, good, excellent, aggressive and DEADLY chemicals.
Sometimes I used ISO 99.9%. It was because it was quick drying and didn't leave a residue. I would use that to clean a printing plate if needed in a small area. An entire plate took a different, non solvent, approach but that's for a different article.
When I did a press wash (changing ink colors) I needed something that would carry the ink/oil to the scraper blade. Problem was this stuff took a while and usually left a residue.
Don't worry, there's a point in here somewhere.
When I did a wash with regular press wash, I often followed with ISO to wash out the residue. It worked most of the time. Other times I used something a little more aggressive which I had to be careful with because it would suck out the necessary oil that the rollers have just to survive and the rubber rollers would, over time, degrade. And then if I really had to remove some oldass ink, I needed something that would actually break down the structure of the dried ink.
Now to the point.
I had to do all this while NOT killing the paint on the machine.
So, there's no single good answer for solvent for degreasing. ALL of the factors need to be considered.
Having said that, in my home shop, I only use three degreasers.
ISO 99.9
MEK (Methyl Ethyl Keytone)
And soap/water (might be any combination including Simple Green)
I don't use gas as, often, I'm also trying to remove the gas varnish from a carb or something. It also leaves a residue that stinks for a week or so.
I don't use acetone as it's not necessary if one has been gifted 15 gallons of MEK. It also fogs some plastics and not others. If I don't care about plastic getting damaged, MEK is better. It does evaporate a tiny bit faster and will absolutely devour latex or nitrile gloves though.
I don't use kerosene as it's just slow, ineffective and takes 40-50 years to evaporate off the part. I don't like cleaning the cleaner off a part.
There are so many I've seen above that I've tried and just find them next to useless compared to what I use. Sorry if that's offensive. We all have our opinion.
A caveat on MEK. I'm told it's now almost impossible to find in quantity without a license in many places as it can be used to make Meth. It's also one of the BEST ways to bond many plastics (which is originally what I've always used it for). It can be stored in only certain types of plastic containers. I have a few in the back of my car, now, to transfer out of the 5 gallon pails in my garage.
Anyhow... YMMV
