Removing old cosmoline from a lathe

[SLK001]

I'll also try the other a gray scotchbrite pad as mentioned above.

The scotchbright will scratch the paint AND the metal - it contains an abrasive, so do NOT use it. Go solvent only.

 

[mikey]

Extra-fine gray Scothbrite is equivalent to 000 steel wool. Surfaces but doesn't remove metal.

 

[SLK001]

Home Depot sells a charcoal starter fluid called "Embers" for about $3 a quart. It is very low odor. I use it to remove labels and their glue from plastic. It would work wonderfully for you.

 

[Downunder Bob]

If you're not comforable with using straight gasoline, you might try diesel - or even naptha.

Be careful using naphtha as a solvent, very similar to gas (petrol) It is also more toxic than gas if you breathe it, and very bad for skin contact.

 

[graham-xrf]

If you want to avoid the hazards, and solvents altogether, and happen to have one of these low-cost steam cleaners intended for kitchen floors, bathrooms, and much else, I can attest that they do work. The heat melts and cuts through wax, and all.






I used only water, but it is known to add some detergent. I hardly think it is ever needed.
In the pictures, I happen to be blasting away, intent on getting at the metal, and I had already put on (several) paint stripper attacks. BUT - the normal painted stuff I tried it on just got clean. I wiped away the shifted stuff as I went with an old sponge. It does not strip undamaged paint. You can go as gentle as you like, and greases and waxes just melt away.

Even though I happen to have available just about every nasty solvent known, I need to use a respirator because I am sensitive to the vapors. Steam cleaner instead is noisy, but effective. If you happen to steam clean any metal, re-oil it straight through the water before it dries and air oxygen gets at it. There is no surface so ready to start rusting as a freshly steam-cleaned hot metal.

These are $50-$70 -ish things. If you want to do this, look for at least 1400Watts. 1500Watts is better, and try for something like 350ml water reservoir. Mine was eBay, originally for other household cleaning before I hijacked it into machine cleaning.

 

[xnaron]

If you want to avoid the hazards, and solvents altogether, and happen to have one of these low-cost steam cleaners intended for kitchen floors, bathrooms, and much else, I can attest that they do work. The heat melts and cuts through wax, and all.

That is a way better approach then using the hot water from a kettle that I tried on the splash guard.

 

[Latinrascalrg1]

A cheap heat gun and a roll or 3 of some paper towel will remove 99% of the cosmoline without using anything that could blow up or accelerate a fire. Just remember to keep the heat moving so you dont overheat any one spot and also most importantly to be sure you properly dispose the oil soaked paper towel into a fireproof container do there is no overnight shop fire happening! Have fun.

 

[Reddinr]

My dad, a WWII vet, said they used gasoline to clean the cosmoline off of new rifles, etc. He referred to cosmoline as "monkey dung" and also hated the stuff. It seems to be a problem for the ages. I'm not recommending gas though.

 

[xnaron]

The gas worked really well to remove the varnished cosmoline. I used it with the garage door open and disposed of the rags outside in a garbage bag.



The previous owner has the lathe mounted on these rubber pads. It doesn't seem like a good idea to me. I left it like that for now while I clean things up.

 

[mikey]

Came out nice. I was just curious - did your lathe come with a set of change gears?