homemade parts washer/washing machine

[pafree]

here is the story, we use alot of old parts and rebuild alot of mud buggies. we were rebuilding a old motor that had been sitting for a year. the heads were dirty and caked with mud and grease. we decided to soak them in a tub of diesel over night to break up the grime. the tub was sitting on a small utility trailer. i looked in the tub the next day and the diesel still looked like diesel. i hooked up the trailer to bring the tub over to the power washer to finish cleaning the parts. i hit a couple of bumps in the yard and the diesel turned black. i decided to put the lid on the tub and tied it down to the trailer and drove up and down our bumpy road. the parts became very clean.

now the question/approval/pros and cons. if i built a small square frame out of PVC and put it in the bottom of the tub with small holes in it and hook it up to my fancy new air compressor. the air would help agitate the fluid around and clean the parts. there would be a valve to control the pressure.

[pafree]

the prototype is done. 7 dollar worth of parts.



i made a 1/2 inch hole in the lip of the tub.



i put together a frame and valve system.



i put small hole in the square frame. could have been smaller or less holes.



i mounted everything in the tub. i used the wrong airhose end but fixed it.



how the frame sits in the tub.




diesel in the tub.



50 psi of pressure.



dirty head.



20 minutes in the tub the dirty wiped off.



i think with less holes or smaller ones the compressor would not have to cycle as much. i used 1/2 inch tubing and could have got away with 1/4inch tubing.

[doc]

Geez, I love "cheap" ideas! Very creative. The compressor cycling on and off for hours may be a drawback. Any other thoughts about how to create agitation?

doc

[david58]

An electric fuel pump would do the trick, but it would need a filter on it.

[pafree]

the fuel pump ideal is good but if i use a liquid other than fuel would that ruin it. i was told there are different pumps for different fuels and liquid cleaners. that is why i went with the air ideal.

plan 2, is to get rid of some of the holes, and in the holes i have put mig welder tips. i can get a bucket of them for nothing. sources you know. the smaller hole would increase the pressure but decrease the volume of air used, right. the only thing that concerns me is that if one of the jets is aimed at a part is errosion of the part.

so if i used a .035 tip x 16 = .50 of air being released

if my paint gun has a 1.4 tip and i can spray for 20 minutes before the compressor cycles then the parts tank should only cycle every hour if i use the same 40 to 60 psi.

ouch, i think i hurt something in my brain.

[fusername]

thats some good stuff. and about part erosion, I woulnd't worry about it, esp at th 30 psi you will probably be running with those smaller bits. Remember, its air leaving the holes under all that pressure, the diesel only pickups a small amount of that energy, so unless you are worried about your air tool eroding your part, I doubt the cleaner will.

My only concern on your design is areating the diesel so that you have tons of fumes coming up and off it. Maybe a lid w/ a garden hose going outside to vent, if its not already used outdoors. I can't really think of a way of recapturing the fumes, maybe one of the old charcoal filters I am sure you pulled off your mudbuggies?

My last idea, is try using really hot water mixed with simple green. that stuff cleans probably as good as diesel, and the hot water evaporates when your done so it shouldn't rust. I think its cheaper than diesel as well, you could use it indoors more safely, etc. I would be curious how well all that works, I may need one of them tubs.

[birddog1148]

If you didnt want to use air and since you found out bouncing around in the trailer helped, here is another idea. make a platform to hold the tub, with a center pivot point. then use some old electric motor with an old pully or gear on the end. Mount an arm just off center of the center of the output shaft of the motor going up to a point on eithe side of the center pivot of the platform. When the motor is on it would rock the tub agitating the tub.
just my $.02

[pafree]

My only concern on your design is areating the diesel so that you have tons of fumes coming up and off it. Maybe a lid w/ a garden hose going outside to vent, if its not already used outdoors.

My last idea, is try using really hot water mixed with simple green. that stuff cleans probably as good as diesel, and the hot water evaporates when your done so it shouldn't rust. .

it does have a lid and used outside. fumes were not bad at low pressure but being a member of the backyard ballastic club, we hooked it up without the regulator and gave it the whole 125 psi. lots of bulbs and heavy fumes. i like the simple green ideal. in the past, we have used Easyoff oven cleaner, so maybe give it a shot of oven cleaner, let it sit and then boil til tender.

birddog, good ideal but using air really isnt a problem if i can cut down the volume without loosing pressure to circulate. 80 gallon tank with a v twin ingerland makes lots of air. i just have to refine the delivery system. i have one of those air tips that you blow up balloons with on my air hose. that little tip will blow strong all day. i think i will try the smaller tips next.

[doc]

Might try reducing air pressure way down from what you're thinking. Anything that jsut keeps things moving should create the scrubbing effect. Might take a little longer than high pressure, but let the chemical do the work.

doc

[pafree]

changed it up a little today. filled the extra holes with screws and added the mig welder tips. .035 size. i now get the same affect with 20 psi. the problem is it make alot more fumes like fusername talked about. i am thinking of trying the simple green ideal.

[2088 bob]

Before you try the Simple Green idea i suggest that you read the label very carefully simple green is not good for your lungs the diesel fumes might be slightly less toxic