Cleaning old machines in a home shop

[Shotgun]

(To make this "sticky worthy", I'm collecting the best of the suggestions, and editing this post to summarize them here. Read the thread for ALL the details.)

There are several threads on here about cleaning old machines. Suggestions include:

• the local car wash
• oven cleaner
• Simple Green, Purple Stuff, Zep 505, etc.
• dishwashing detergent (Dawn Platinum is stronger than most) with HOT water
• engine cleaner
• solvents that include: kerosene, mineral spirits, acetone, brake cleaner, etc.

Tips for a better cleaning experience:

• If you can stand the crud, leave it on. It protects the machine. Scrape off the really thick stuff with a wood wedge.
• put down plastic then cardboard to collect the mess.
• vegetable oils will gum up
• treat the machine with oil or water displacer to save it from rust
• Scotchbrite is your friend
• it doesn't have to be all done in one pass. Car wash for the worst of it, then another method back at home.

Most of these would leave an incredible mess on the driveway, and kill all the grass around it. I'm not trying to save the planet here, but I've paid a lot of money for that grass, and flushing those harsh chemicals will not be good for my septic tank.

I just bought a 60yr old Sebastian lathe, and I don't think it has ever been cleaned. You'll get greasy just standing close to it. I had to take it apart to get it off my uncle's big trailer, so now is the time to clean it up. I can load several of the pieces up on my small trailer and hit the local car wash. I might even be able to load up the ways/headstock combo. The carriage, tailstock, and other smaller components maybe I could clean up in a wheelbarrow?

What would you guys suggest for cleaning up the machine, without making a mess of your living environment?

BTW, could we make this a Sticky Posts? It seems relevant to most vintage machines that we get.

 

[sdelivery]

I like Simple Green mixed with very hot water.
If I can I take as much S possible to the car wash as they are set up for the residue.
I try my best to not contaminate the soil/water.
Some stuff I put plastic down then cardboard.
Scotchbrite and Simple green kick butt.
Follow up with penetrating oil to keep from rusting.

 

[Aaron_W]

Size matters, small machines or broken down into smaller pieces you can clean parts in a plastic tub. I clean small parts in the ultrasonic cleaner.
I clean larger parts with a spray bottle and rags. No need to trash your shop or local environment spewing chemicals all over the place.

My go to cleaners are Dawn dish soap, Dawn platinum (it is stronger than the regular stuff), Simple Green, Zep 505, and WD40.

Dish soap and hot water works very well for regular dirt and grime, and won't hurt most materials or your skin (or lawn).

 

[Nutfarmer]

I just love the pressure washer for cleaning farm equipment and parts. It doesn't add any chemicals. Works well on the farm ,but in town the dirt and grease coming off equipment would make an even bigger mess than what you started with.

 

[MyLilMule]

If you're in a "hurry" and you plan on doing some disassembly for lubrication, a self service car wash is a start. But will make it necessary to spray it down immediately with some rust inhibitor or WD-40.

Personally, I haven't done that. But I have dunked pieces in soapy water, rinsed and sprayed with WD-40 from a sure-shot aerosol sprayer.

I typically, however, just take my time, disassembling as I go, cleaning with a variety of products fro Kerosene to mineral spirits, simple green, purple power, Zepp, etc.

 

[ericc]

My favorite cleaning tool is a mechanical one, like a brush or a spatula. I like to leave my machines very oily and greasy. I don't strip and paint machines that are newly acquired. Just clean out the sludge and put 'em to work. This discourages rust. If there is a lot of crud, then any cheap oil-based substance is useful. Inexpensive and plentiful is good. Garage sales are good. Some of the materials I have used are old paint thinner, garage sale lamp oil (a dollar or less a bottle), and used fryer oil. Be careful of any organic oils like the fryer oil. They aren't as bad as linseed oil, but make sure to put the used rags in the oily waste container to prevent fires. One of the guys at the makerspace said that there is oil dripping and seeping everywhere and it is a fire hazard in my shop. I don't agree. It is not pooled up anywhere, and there are no rags sitting around. And I don't pour vegetable oil indiscriminately, since it causes gumming (I did it once, and that was a mistake). I am sick and tired of seeing old, neglected machines that are all seized up because of rust.

 

[projectnut]

The cleaning process somewhat depends on what the contaminants are. Over the years I have cleaned several machines. In every case they've first gone to the car wash in pieces. The hot soapy water under pressure higher than the water faucet cleans the nastiest crud off. For a lathe with oil and grease contamination I used Gunk engine cleaner in conjunction with the hot soapy water. For a cold saw with dried on water-based coolants dish soap works well with the hot soapy water and a brush.

The visit to the car wash is only meant to get the surfaces clean enough that the final cleaning can be done in the drive with hot soapy water and a brush. I just went through this process with a filthy cold saw. The majority of the crud was left at the car wash. There wasn't much crud left on the surfaces, but it still took some time and elbow grease to remove it. When all was said and done there was no evidence on the concrete that any cleaning had been done. Keep in mind this is a fairly extensive process. I spent an afternoon at the car wash and 3 additional days in the drive scrubbing dried and half dried water-based coolant off all the components.

In cases where you expect a fair amount of crud to be left after the initial cleaning, I would put the machine on a large piece of cardboard. The cardboard will absorb almost all of the crud and can be tossed in the trash when you're done.

 

[tq60]

We discovered greased lightening a few years ago as estate sale find.

Spray on full strength and Grease and oil melts.

No bad smell and does not burn skin.

5 gallons at Lowes for less than 30 bucks or 10 bucks for 1.

We get 2 pump type garden sprayers.

In one goes the greased lightening, in the other a strong batch of dawn.

Spray first stuff, watch it work, repeat as needed, the force of the Spray helps.

Then rinse with the dawn mix.

Repeat until done with what it can do, then other methods as needed.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[ConValSam]

I suggest / recommend Fluid Film as an after cleaning metal surface protectant. It lasts for a long time, keeps the moisture out and provides a smooth non sticky surface.

 

[jwmelvin]

We discovered greased lightening a few years ago as estate sale find.

Sounds like a good thing to know about, thanks.

Oil Eater, which I learned about from a similar forum post elsewhere, has been excellent for me. Definitely a step up from simple green etc.

I suggest / recommend Fluid Film as an after cleaning metal surface protectant.

I agree completely. It’s great.