I was recently told that denatured alcohol is good for degreasing parts..anyone concur,or disagree?
not especially great, but safe for all materials likely to be in a reel (doesn't have to be denatured, BTW -- that's just to make you puke if you drink it)
Quote from: philaroman on January 11, 2018, 04:39:27 AM
not especially great, but safe for all materials likely to be in a reel (doesn't have to be denatured, BTW -- that's just to make you puke if you drink it)
What do you use?
oh, I drink the denatured :o ...seriously, though
I'm not a pro -- just tinker w/ my own & friends', so I don't have a US bath or a production line where parts can soak for hours, while other reels get worked. I want it FAST, so I like acetone for metal parts -- faster than alcohol & zero residue (no rinsing / no drying), unlike water-based detergent solutions... just keep acetone & its fumes away from plastic & paint (and lungs)
Dawn detergent and a tooth brush.
If its old and caked on, Corrosion-x and a tooth brush.
The pros that don't have the time to do it that way use an ultrasonic cleaner and simple green or the like or other more powerful stuff. If you are just doing your own reels no need to get too crazy about it.
WD-40 and a toothbrush. WD-40 is a great solvent and is safe for plastic but not so safe for stickers and labels. On the other hand; if you have old line weight labels that you want to remove WD-40 will take them off and clean up the residue.
Mike
WD-40 works great, but leaves its own residue that doesn't play nice w/ lubricants -- you have to rinse it off thoroughly
I'm interested in what you mean by "doesn't play well with other lubricants". I typically just wipe it off with a rag. Is this sufficient? The reason I'm asking is that I have noticed over time (year+) that my Yamaha and Penn blue grease tend to turn brown. Is this normal or is this because it's not playing well with the WD-40?
Mike
Quote from: PacRat on January 11, 2018, 08:37:49 PM
I have noticed over time (year+) that my Yamaha and Penn blue grease tend to turn brown.
I've heard lots of guys complain of this Mike...it appears to be a reaction to moisture/use. Here's a thread about it. 8)
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=12194.0
Quote from: mo65 on January 11, 2018, 08:55:00 PM
Quote from: PacRat on January 11, 2018, 08:37:49 PM
I have noticed over time (year+) that my Yamaha and Penn blue grease tend to turn brown.
I've heard lots of guys complain of this Mike...it appears to be a reaction to moisture/use. Here's a thread about it. 8)
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=12194.0
You fish that reel hard and eventually it will all turn Black, no matter what color grease you use...but still functional.
The black comes from the Cal's grease and the carbon fiber washers.
Clean the reel at least once a year and I mean completely taken apart and you should do just fine.
Quote from: philaroman on January 11, 2018, 08:10:16 PM
WD-40 works great, but leaves its own residue that doesn't play nice w/ lubricants -- you have to rinse it off thoroughly
Give Paslode tool cleaner a shot, that's all I use, well I also use Simple Green to soak the parts first.
Sal
Quote from: johndtuttle on January 11, 2018, 06:07:41 PM
Dawn detergent and a tooth brush.
If its old and caked on, Corrosion-x and a tooth brush.
The pros that don't have the time to do it that way use an ultrasonic cleaner and simple green or the like.
Dawn is what I used on the last tear down,seems to be good..when I open this older Curado up,I will keep the corrosion x in mind.
Quote from: Scattergun2570 on January 11, 2018, 02:38:42 AM
I was recently told that denatured alcohol is good for degreasing parts..anyone concur,or disagree?
just don't use gasoline!!!!! ;D
Good old Mineral Spirits. Its fast if you are lined up with reels to service. All the others take longer but they don't stink up the house.
I'm refering to getting the funky grease out of the reel and its parts.
I assume you are working at home like all of us did at one time. Way back then i did use mineral spirits I had in a one gallon paint can. This way all the old gunk would fall to the bottom. I would keep it outside on the covered porch. After scrubbing them down I would wash them off in hot water and then a blow dry.
For the reel your getting ready to work on there isn't much grease to deal with. Dawn and hot water will do. Using this it still leaves a slight film of grease which is good.
Being at home a can of lighter fluid is a safe product to use. Its cheap to. You wouldn't need much for that reel.
The Passload spray cleaner Sal mentioned would be perfect for that reel. It has a good strong spray of plastic safe solvent that leaves no residue. Its used to clean electrical switches and parts on tools. I buy it by the case and use it everyday. Especially on Shimano spinning reels that are composite material. It will desolve and spray away the old grease and dirt. Great for the levelwind system too. Also roller clutches and one way bearings.
On metal parts like aluminum, pot metal, brass, bronze, steel, copper, and German Silver -- mineral spirits are very good.
If it is really old and caked on -- I use lacquer thinner. I am comfortable doing this since I have worked around LT all my life when doing staining and lacquering. But it is a caution because it is flammable, like many of the cleaners we use. It does more than loosen the caked on grease -- it dissolves it off quickly.
However, if careful -- it is efficient, quick, and a gallon costs about $18 -- and lasts me 2 months of steady daily use.
Never use on graphite, plastic, painted, or anodized parts.
I also use simple green, purple degreaser, Dawn -- plus an ultrasonic cleaner.
Best,
Fred
I'm with Fred, I use lacquer thinner exclusively on unpainted metal parts. I usually soak them in a clear lidded jar so I can see what's going on but occasionally, when I'm doing multiple different model reels so I don't get individual reels' parts mixed up, I put them in a SS wire strainer and suspend it in a metal gallon paint can of lacquer thinner for a couple of days. When the thinner starts to look dirty I strain it with paper towels or fine cloth to remove the particles. Then I reuse it until there's excessive grease/oil build up. Always remember, though, lacquer thinner, acetone, mineral spirits, xylene, etc. residue rags can spontaneously combust. Store them outside until all residue has evaporated and they are completely dry.
Where does MEK fit in the list of solvents?
some swear by it to clean all-steel bearings w/ shields in place
can't even find it, anymore -- what's "MEK Substitute"?
don't care if fake MEK is less toxic -- is it equally effective/aggressive as a solvent?
Quote from: PacRat on January 11, 2018, 08:37:49 PM
I typically just wipe it off with a rag. Is this sufficient? The reason I'm asking is that I have noticed over time (year+) that my Yamaha and Penn blue grease tend to turn brown. Is this normal or is this because it's not playing well with the WD-40?
Mike
not a chemist -- can't be precise, but whatever it is in WD-40 chemical composition that breaks down old lube, also degrades fresh lube... I'm sure it's not much after a wipe-down, but why have ANY?
BTW, if you use WD-40 for its intended purpose (water displacement) on the outside of a reel, you should never spray directly, to prevent it from seeping in -- wipe it on w/ a rag
MEK is about as hardcore of a solvent as you can (sometimes) purchase over the counter. It will dissolve alot of stuff, and is toxic, so care is needed in its use, and proper disposal. I use it to deoil/dewax cured fiberglass before painting/repairing. Never used it on any reels. I have used HCL on bad corrosion, but that is another story.
John
I'm with you guys on the mineral spirits. It use to be my go-to but living here in California I'm not seeing it on the shelves anymore. Do you guys know of any place in CA that still sells it?
Mike
Quote from: alantani on January 11, 2018, 10:28:22 PM
just don't use gasoline!!!!! ;D
A long time ago it was a solvent not a fuel and it works well, just make sure you are in a well ventilated area far away from ignition sources.
Quote from: Tightlines666 on January 12, 2018, 02:23:36 AM
MEK is about as hardcore of a solvent as you can (sometimes) purchase over the counter. It will dissolve alot of stuff, and is toxic, so care is needed in its use, and proper disposal. I use it to deoil/dewax cured fiberglass before painting/repairing. Never used it on any reels. I have used HCL on bad corrosion, but that is another story.
John
MEK was recommended for a very specific situation:
rough all-steel double-shielded bearings, when you can't/won't remove the shields
Quote from: philaroman on January 12, 2018, 03:46:29 AM
Quote from: Tightlines666 on January 12, 2018, 02:23:36 AM
MEK is about as hardcore of a solvent as you can (sometimes) purchase over the counter. It will dissolve alot of stuff, and is toxic, so care is needed in its use, and proper disposal. I use it to deoil/dewax cured fiberglass before painting/repairing. Never used it on any reels. I have used HCL on bad corrosion, but that is another story.
John
MEK was recommended for a very specific situation:
rough all-steel double-shielded bearings, when you can't/won't remove the shields
It works as a great solvent. Just read the MSDS, and be careful working with it.
Gasoline is also a great solvent. Used it exclusively for reels, and engine parts when I was younger.
I haven't used anything except naphtha for a while now. It dissolves the grease, dries/evaporates quickly, doesn't leave a residue, not too toxic to handle. I usually make a mess so naphtha is about the strongest thing I am comfortable using. All the sprays are creepy to me. You can't use them without getting a good whiff of the stuff. I don't know where naphtha would fall on a grease dissolving scale. Way, way below MEK for sure. Below lacquer thinner. Similar to or a little better than mineral spirits. Better than the soaps or simple green.
-steve
Quote from: oc1 on January 12, 2018, 09:12:33 AM
I haven't used anything except naphtha for a while now. It dissolves the grease, dries/evaporates quickly, doesn't leave a residue, not too toxic to handle. I usually make a mess so naphtha is about the strongest thing I am comfortable using. All the sprays are creepy to me. You can't use them without getting a good whiff of the stuff. I don't know where naphtha would fall on a grease dissolving scale. Way, way below MEK for sure. Below lacquer thinner. Similar to or a little better than mineral spirits. Better than the soaps or simple green.
-steve
You would really like Paslode cleaner then, Steve. Paslode cleaner is mostly Naphtha.
You get the added bonus of having it in under pressure in a can. When used with the straw, I haven't found anything better to clean ball bearing...and the rest of the parts on the reel of course.
Sal
I shopped for it on line once before Sal and found I'd be much better off buying it off the shelf in Honolulu. Then I forgot about it before getting to town. My wife says I'm roofing a house next month so that will provide several opportunities to pick some up. Thanks for the reminder.
-steve
I've got about an eighth can of MEK on my shelf. The fumes will clean anything!
Not sold in California anymore except old stock which is long gone.
steve
so what is the stuff labeled "MEK Substitute", which is all I see in PA stores on shelves where MEK used to be? is it a comparably aggressive solvent?