parts cleaning

[rusted]

what should a person use to clean/degrease the frame, axles, steering linkages and the like before painting? Thank for any info.

[glenn in camino]

Clean with paint thinner/mineral spirits, then wipe with grease &wax remover before paint.

[Modelakid31]

I use simply green heavy duty degreesser from home depot in a gallon jug. Its 15 bucks about. Put it in a 5 gallon drum or parts washer and then fill the gallon jug with warm water. Now u got a 2 gallon 50/50 mix and it works great for me. Let the parts soak for a few hours then scrub them with a small hand held wire brush. For larger parts use an old towel soaked in the solution and scrub the part and keep wiping and scrubing. As for the frame i would sandblast it.
Just my 2 cents

[MALAK]

I used a scraper and my teenage daughter. Followed by a good steam cleaning.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by MALAK

I used a scraper and my teenage daughter. Followed by a good steam cleaning.

You're lucky to have a daughter that will help, especially a teenager.

I also start with a putty knife for any caked on grease or dirt, then use gas to remove any oil or grease, then sandblast. I usually wipe the parts with wax and grease remover just before painting.

I'm not a real painter............I just paly one at home.

[400A-64]

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Daughters are wonderful to have when cleaning greasy parts or sanding on a fender!!! My girls thought it was a normal way of life as well as going on vacation all over the U.S. in the Model A. They are in their 50's now and their children don't believe them when the speak of their experiences!
Bruce Davis [email protected]

[1931 flamingo]

Amazing, available at most dollar stores.
Paul in CT

[Craig Lewis]

Easy off oven cleaner.

[Ross/Kzoo]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

Amazing, available at most dollar stores.
Paul in CT

Sorry Paul, I think it's "Awesome".

[rusted]

Can I borrow your daughter??

[Pete]

It doesn't matter what method you use to get the grease and dirt off initially.
Whatever works....
Just before painting, with the exhaust fans running, I wipe everything down with acetone or trichlorethylene. These don't leave any residue like laquer thinner or paint thinner.

[gunmetal blue]

I started with puddy knife and then sand blasted it. Then I painted it with Eastwood satin black. lookes brane new. my 2 cents

[1931 flamingo]

Ross/Kzoo: You're right, but it is amazing.
Paul in CT

[jmeckel]

I just completed removing what seems like 80+ years of hard caked on dirt and grease. Started with a good putty knife, and screw driver, then on to easy off oven cleaner, be careful with the stuff it will burn holes in any little scratch in your skin (yes I found out the hard way!), wear a good pair of refinishing gloves. Then I moved on to the water based “purple power” cleaner from Menard’s full strength sprayed on / into the grud with an air powered engine cleaning tool, again, be careful here as you need to keep this stuff out of your lungs wear a good respirator, then used a putty knife to clean of the soften grud. Sprayed everything down with hot water and the air engine cleaner tool, finally wiped everything down with paint thinner just before painting. This process worked very good for me.

[1crosscut]

I really like to use the simple green to clean things up. Before I paint my parts I like to take a torch and warm the metal starting at one end and work my way to the other end. It is amazing how much water will sweat out of "dry" metal. Paint it while still slightly warm and the paint will last a loooong time.
Dave

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by 1crosscut

I really like to use the simple green to clean things up. Before I paint my parts I like to take a torch and warm the metal starting at one end and work my way to the other end. It is amazing how much water will sweat out of "dry" metal. Paint it while still slightly warm and the paint will last a loooong time.
Dave

Actually, it's the products of combustion (the flame) condensing on the cooler metal that makes the water drops. To heat metal, you are better off using a heat gun or hair drier.

BTW, last night I wanted to blast and paint a generator band just before going to bed. I didn't use wax and grease remover, just blasted and painted, but I wound up with a lot of fish eyes in it. Must have been some compressor oil mist getting past my 2 water traps.

[TD]

Easy off oven cleaner is by far the bomb for caked on dried on grease. Then a good solvent prior to cOnverter primer.

[1crosscut]

Actually Tom I agree that a portion of the moisture is from the torch and condensation from hot flame to cold metal. That said I feel that getting metal especially cast iron warmed up so it is perfectly dry before painting has been beneficial to me. I'll stick with a torch to warm the parts on my truck as "Bill" lost his hair long ago.
Dave