Home recipe parts wash

[AtticusThraxx]

Does anyone have an effective parts wash formula that's cheap, reusable and won't turn my garage into a HAZMAT site? Thinking a 3-5 gallon plastic bucket with cover I could let parts soak in. Little help?

 

[redneckrepairs]

Eds red is a great cleaning solivent and is easily made at home so i thought i would post the recipee for the forum members who dont allready have it

You can mix your own "Eds Red" very easily and inexpensively... it is nothing more than Gen'l. Hatcher's formula for Frankfurt Ordnance Solvent updated to modern materials.

To make one gallon mix:

1 qt. Type III Automatic Transmission Fluid

1 qt. Kerosene

1.qt. Turpintine or Mineral Spirits

1. qt. Acetone

Mix in a gallon metal can such as a paint can.

You can use a pan such as used to chaing oil in a car to soak parts for cleaning.

This solvent is pretty strong, but it cleans better than anything I have run across... just a note tho the acitone will evaporate if it is not stored in a tightly sealed container

 

[Car Knocker]

I use a variation of the Ed's Red that uses odorless kerosene or lamp oil and odorless mineral spirits (paint thinner). I remove grips, field-strip the handgun and drop the parts in the can for a few hours or overnight. All the crud, powder residue, etc., just seems to float off or wipe off with minimal effort. I fire up the compressor and blow excess solvent off the parts and re-assemble. The ATF remains as a film of lubricant/protectant that I supplement with FP-10.

I've got an old strainer that I put a coffee filter in and run the solvent through it to remove particulate matter when it appears to be getting excessively dirty and then back in the can until the next time.

By the way - I use nytrile gloves to prevent skin absorption of chemicals/lead residue.

 

[AtticusThraxx]

Cool thanks guys.

 

[redneckrepairs]

NP as long as you keep the mesurements the same the no smell and the smelly should work the same ... the no smell will cost more tho .

 

[bluetopper]

Just plain old diesel works great too.

 

[wally]

I keep a bucket of diesel with a lid on it too. Works well, way less flammable than anything with acetone in it, and don't stink too bad.

--wally.

 

[crankshop1000]

Go to the auto parts store and buy a 5 gallon pail of parts cleaner with the dip basket. I believe Gunk is the brand. It works great.

 

[JoeHatley]

I use a solvent made up of equal parts kerosene, mineral spirts, and ATF.

Works quite well to soak my handguns in.

Joe

 

[strat81]

I'm hesitant to use anything with Acetone in it on anything that might have plastic in it or on it. Gun plastics tend to be pretty durable and solvent-neutral, but I'd rather not melt parts of my gun. Same goes for brake cleaner.

 

[Flame Red]

My varient of Red's Red works great. 3/4 Gallon of orderless mineral sprints and 1 quart of automatic transmission fluid.

 

[Dave in PA]

For strickly cleaning metal parts, use regular Parts washer solvent, you can get it in a 1 gallon can. It was made to degrease metal parts and you can't beat it for that. Just remember to reoil anything you clean in it, otherwise it will rust.