Favorite grease cleaning methods

JCrowe said:

Hi Folks,

I am wondering what people here recommend for cleaning
greasy, dirty chains, derailleur parts, chainrings, hub
innards, bottom bracket innards etc. I have used many things
in the past, but the modern citrus based options just don't
do the job for me. Thanks in advance for any pointers....

Learning to help oneself is a skill often recommended by libertarians,
but rarely followed.

http://tinyurl.com/2gkwmj

JCrowe said:

I am wondering what people here recommend for cleaning
greasy, dirty chains, derailleur parts, chainrings, hub
innards, bottom bracket innards etc. I have used many things
in the past, but the modern citrus based options just don't
do the job for me. Thanks in advance for any pointers....

We use alcohol, sold as 'automotive brake wash' in Milwaukee Sure Shot
sprayers.
http://www.sureshotsprayer.com/about.htm

We buy 35-gal drums but auto parts stores sell in smaller containers.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

I used performance bike degreaser and happy with it. A bottle will last
about 4 to 5 years. I have tried brake cleaner, (kind you get at kragens,
White Gas[coleman camping fluid,] Simple Green).
You can mix it at different ratios for different greasy situations. And
washes away with water, bio degradable.
Link:
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=358&item=70-0025&slitrk=search&slisearch=true
"A Muzi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

JCrowe said:

I am wondering what people here recommend for cleaning
greasy, dirty chains, derailleur parts, chainrings, hub
innards, bottom bracket innards etc. I have used many things
in the past, but the modern citrus based options just don't
do the job for me. Thanks in advance for any pointers....

We use alcohol, sold as 'automotive brake wash' in Milwaukee Sure Shot
sprayers.
http://www.sureshotsprayer.com/about.htm

We buy 35-gal drums but auto parts stores sell in smaller containers.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

i like to throw it in the trash

datakoll said:

i like to throw it in the trash

ahm halfway thru muh sweet potato
Ahm glad you asked that. So mnay screw this up good.
first! avoid solvents
scrape, pry, wipe with old rag. Live in Arizona? let it sit in the sun
to dry out.
a smal piece? place in bottle jug 5 gallon oil jug with paint thinner
and slosh with top closed.
leave sit. sometimes for years.
pull out from the still thinner leaving the grit on bottom pull out
with pliers and lay in sun ona newpaper off course NOT IN THE DIRT
we're above the MDL here.
generally that does it un;less ura painting or applying locktite or
resin or sealant or whatever then go to CHOH again in closed container
then even better rinse CHOH with Acetone closed container. Acetone is
handled upwind hand holding piece thru aluminum foil which is dandy
for covering the tomato juice can holding the 'tone.
rusty pieces are best cleaned past the CHOH then soaked or brushed
with Tide paste-the detergent.
and rinsed with a hose hehehe turn the water on first.
I AHVE SPOKEN

I use paint thinner or white kerosene. If I am in a hurry I'll rinse
with gasoline. If I am in a real hurry, I will rinse with lacquer
thinner, being respectful of effect on plastic and paint.

The kerosene can be used over and over, just let it sit until the grit
settles out, then decant the top and discard the crud.

I recommend using nitrile gloves when using any of the above solvents.
Also good ventilation and away from sources of ignition.

Bill Taylor said:

I use paint thinner or white kerosene. If I am in a hurry I'll rinse
with gasoline. If I am in a real hurry, I will rinse with lacquer
thinner, being respectful of effect on plastic and paint.

The kerosene can be used over and over, just let it sit until the grit
settles out, then decant the top and discard the crud.

I recommend using nitrile gloves when using any of the above solvents.
Also good ventilation and away from sources of ignition.

Is kero sold in different grades or something? Some (bulk buy for
heaters) seems to work much better than others (1 litre bottles sold
for lamps.)

I'm using a 'green' solvent currently, but have used 'varsol' and
kerosene in the past. Since I rotate 2 chains, speed isn't as much an
issue as the effect on the metal, which is the drawback of the green
stuff - I have to set a timer and rinse it off after20 minutes or so,
which does a rather half-done job. I'm tempted to go to bleach and an
ultrasonic vibrator.

Brian Huntley said:

Bill Taylor said:

I use paint thinner or white kerosene. If I am in a hurry I'll rinse
with gasoline. If I am in a real hurry, I will rinse with lacquer
thinner, being respectful of effect on plastic and paint.

The kerosene can be used over and over, just let it sit until the grit
settles out, then decant the top and discard the crud.

I recommend using nitrile gloves when using any of the above solvents.
Also good ventilation and away from sources of ignition.

Is kero sold in different grades or something? Some (bulk buy for
heaters) seems to work much better than others (1 litre bottles sold
for lamps.)

Bill's advice about use of nitrile gloves is spot on. I have used
kerosene but really don't like the stuff very much....it's not really
very effective and it's nasty stuff.

Quoted message said:

I'm using a 'green' solvent currently, but have used 'varsol' and
kerosene in the past.

Thanks for mentioning Varsol, which I have used in the past and
found very effective. It's much more difficult to obtain now but it
is an ExxonMobil product so perhaps one can find it somewhere. Anybody
use mineral spirits? Since I do woodworking, I have it available and
may give it a try and report back later.

Quoted message said:

Since I rotate 2 chains, speed isn't as much an
issue as the effect on the metal, which is the drawback of the green
stuff - I have to set a timer and rinse it off after20 minutes or so,
which does a rather half-done job.

By green stuff are you referring to Simple Green? As I posted
originally I'm not impressed with the citrus based degreasers..they
are not really very effective. Anyway, thanks for the useful comments.

Quoted message said:

I'm tempted to go to bleach and an
ultrasonic vibrator.

JCrowe said:

Brian Huntley said:

Bill Taylor said:

I use paint thinner or white kerosene. If I am in a hurry I'll rinse
with gasoline. If I am in a real hurry, I will rinse with lacquer
thinner, being respectful of effect on plastic and paint.

The kerosene can be used over and over, just let it sit until the grit
settles out, then decant the top and discard the crud.

I recommend using nitrile gloves when using any of the above solvents.
Also good ventilation and away from sources of ignition.

Is kero sold in different grades or something? Some (bulk buy for
heaters) seems to work much better than others (1 litre bottles sold
for lamps.)

Bill's advice about use of nitrile gloves is spot on. I have used
kerosene but really don't like the stuff very much....it's not really
very effective and it's nasty stuff.

Quoted message said:

I'm using a 'green' solvent currently, but have used 'varsol' and
kerosene in the past.

Thanks for mentioning Varsol, which I have used in the past and
found very effective. It's much more difficult to obtain now but it
is an ExxonMobil product so perhaps one can find it somewhere. Anybody
use mineral spirits? Since I do woodworking, I have it available and
may give it a try and report back later.

I've used mineral spirits and it works pretty well. Not as nasty as some of the
others. Also use it mixed with chainsaw oil as a lube.

Ron

On Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:20:44 GMT, JCrowe <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Hi Folks,

I am wondering what people here recommend for cleaning
greasy, dirty chains, derailleur parts, chainrings, hub
innards, bottom bracket innards etc. I have used many things
in the past, but the modern citrus based options just don't
do the job for me. Thanks in advance for any pointers....

Respectfully,
JCrowe

I use mineral spirits. For very tough dirt, I've used Methy Ethyl
Ketone. When the part is small, like a cassette, I put it into a
baggie of 50% citrus solvent and water and put it into my ultrasound.
I then wash the part with water. I recycle the baggie liquid for more
applications.

Brian Huntley said:

I'm using a 'green' solvent currently, but have used 'varsol' and
kerosene in the past. Since I rotate 2 chains, speed isn't as much an
issue as the effect on the metal, which is the drawback of the green
stuff - I have to set a timer and rinse it off after20 minutes or so,
which does a rather half-done job. I'm tempted to go to bleach and an
ultrasonic vibrator.

It is very difficult to remove the water from a chain. If you don't
get all the water out, then the oil will not coat the metal. Options
for water removal are an alcohol wash or heating the chain in a frying
pan.

On Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:00:55 GMT, JCrowe <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Thanks for mentioning Varsol, which I have used in the past and
found very effective. It's much more difficult to obtain now but it
is an ExxonMobil product so perhaps one can find it somewhere. Anybody
use mineral spirits? Since I do woodworking, I have it available and
may give it a try and report back later.

My recollections from the time when I worked for a firm named ESSO is
that Varsol is high flash mineral spirits. I'd think that a mix of
kerosene and mineral spirits would be close as a solvent.

Hi Paul, et al,

First of all, thanks for your informative posts.

Paul Kopit said:

It is very difficult to remove the water from a chain. If you don't
get all the water out, then the oil will not coat the metal. Options
for water removal are an alcohol wash or heating the chain in a frying
pan.

Does compressed air not remove water sufficiently? I'm assuming
that your alcohol reference is to denatured alcohol?? TIA for any
additional information.

On Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:07:38 -0500, JCrowe <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Does compressed air not remove water sufficiently? I'm assuming
that your alcohol reference is to denatured alcohol?? TIA for any
additional information.

No, you can easilly see surface moisture on metal parts exposed to
air. You can hold a knife blade near a flame and see the vapor come
off. The oil will sit on top of the water. Heat will vaporize the
water film and alcohol (Denatured Ethanol or Isopropanol) will wash
the water away.

Paul Kopit said:

Quoted message said:

Does compressed air not remove water sufficiently? I'm assuming
that your alcohol reference is to denatured alcohol?? TIA for any
additional information.

No, you can easilly see surface moisture on metal parts exposed to
air. You can hold a knife blade near a flame and see the vapor come
off. The oil will sit on top of the water. Heat will vaporize the
water film and alcohol (Denatured Ethanol or Isopropanol) will wash
the water away.

Not to mention, Compressors are also often blowing a lot of moisture.
When you compress air, the moisture from a large volume of air is
packed down. Compressors have drain valves to dump the accumulation
and better setups have moisture filters to pull it out of the air
stream. But, a certain amount still gets through.

Whatever method you choose, you must get a lubricant on the clean
metal fairly quickly. Try sanding a piece of sheet metal with 400 grit
paper - then watch how fast you can visually see rust form. In
basements or humid environments it happens incredibly quickly.

Bill Taylor said:

I use paint thinner or white kerosene. If I am in a hurry I'll rinse
with gasoline. If I am in a real hurry, I will rinse with lacquer
thinner, being respectful of effect on plastic and paint.

The kerosene can be used over and over, just let it sit until the grit
settles out, then decant the top and discard the crud.

I recommend using nitrile gloves when using any of the above solvents.
Also good ventilation and away from sources of ignition.

Gasoline is a bad choice. Because of the evaporation rate, it is
easily able to reach ignitable %'s in the air. Kerosene has
traditionally been used because it has a much lower volatility.

datakoll aka gene daniels said:

datakoll said:

i like to throw it in the trash

ahm halfway thru muh sweet potato
Ahm glad you asked that. So mnay screw this up good.
first! avoid solvents[...]

Agreed. Sweet potatoes taste much better without petroleum based solvents.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

Tom Sherman said:

Agreed. Sweet potatoes taste much better without petroleum based solvents.

Not sweet potato fries though... a little petroleum is just the thing
to flavor them.

still just me said:

Tom Sherman said:

Agreed. Sweet potatoes taste much better without petroleum based solvents.

Not sweet potato fries though... a little petroleum is just the thing
to flavor them.

You have eaten at this famous restaurant?
<http://home.comcast.net/~donbusta/images/blog/DSC_1181.jpg>

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful