degreasing ideas.....epoxy

A

alinwa

oft dis'd member
So for myself, most of my degreasing work is done in mounting scopes and gluing in actions.....degreasing for epoxy work, NOT for rebluing.

I've done the following things before;

-scrub with HOT soapy dish detergent or run thru the dishwasher, scrub with solvent.
-heat with torch and wipe with solvent (NOT recommended in my opinion.... I _think_ the torch leaves greasy residue)
-heat with wife's iron and degrease with solvent.
-heat in wife's oven and degrease with solvent.
-soak in MEK overnite (only solvent I've tried this with)
-scrub in HOT soapy water, heat on a hotplate and scrub (currently with MEK)

Solvents I've used are Starting Fluid (ether), brake-kleen, alcohol, mineral spirits (NOT recommended) various engine degreasers, Brownell's AcraGlas thinner, acetone, paint thinner.......kinda' whatever's handy.

Currently I think MEK is best???? And coupled with some heat????


Please share thoughts on this.
 
alinwa said:
So for myself, most of my degreasing work is done in mounting scopes and gluing in actions.....degreasing for epoxy work, NOT for rebluing.

I've done the following things before;

-scrub with HOT soapy dish detergent or run thru the dishwasher, scrub with solvent.
-heat with torch and wipe with solvent (NOT recommended in my opinion.... I _think_ the torch leaves greasy residue)
-heat with wife's iron and degrease with solvent.
-heat in wife's oven and degrease with solvent.
-soak in MEK overnite (only solvent I've tried this with)
-scrub in HOT soapy water, heat on a hotplate and scrub (currently with MEK)

Solvents I've used are Starting Fluid (ether), brake-kleen, alcohol, mineral spirits (NOT recommended) various engine degreasers, Brownell's AcraGlas thinner, acetone, paint thinner.......kinda' whatever's handy.

Currently I think MEK is best???? And coupled with some heat????


Please share thoughts on this.
Click to expand...

An oldie, and a goodie, one I've yet to find an improvement on: boil the parts, remove and let the residual heat dry. Do your work and oil as appropriate. If you're extra paranoid, you can skim the water with a shop cloth before withdrawing the parts.

YMMV, but this approach has never failed me. Next best thing is a bead-blast and a rinse in clean water (approach not always applicable).

GsT

ETA: it should go without mention that the boiling parts are suspended and not in direct contact with the boiling vessel / heat source.
 
GeneT said:
An oldie, and a goodie, one I've yet to find an improvement on: boil the parts, remove and let the residual heat dry. Do your work and oil as appropriate. If you're extra paranoid, you can skim the water with a shop cloth before withdrawing the parts.

YMMV, but this approach has never failed me. Next best thing is a bead-blast and a rinse in clean water (approach not always applicable).

GsT

ETA: it should go without mention that the boiling parts are suspended and not in direct contact with the boiling vessel / heat source.
Click to expand...

Using a wire that is the same material as the part.

Lacquer thinner is reasonably pure stuff.

MEK is even better and chemically beaks down many oils (vegetable, fats, and petroleum).
 
alinwa said:
Currently I think MEK is best???? And coupled with some heat????

Please share thoughts on this.
Click to expand...
Wonderful stuff, MEK. So wonderful, my employer (aerospace manufacturer) refuses to allow mechanics to use it. Apparently, long term effects of breathing MEK fumes include nerve damage. Wear appropriate safety gloves and an appropriate respirator when using the stuff.

MSDS for MEK:
http://www.princeton.edu/prism/mnfl/current-users/safety/msds/Methyl ethyl ketone.pdf

For comparison, here is the MSDS for Carbon Tetrachloride (wonderful degreaser, known hazardous material):
https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/90116.htm
 
Asa Yam said:
Wonderful stuff, MEK. So wonderful, my employer (aerospace manufacturer) refuses to allow mechanics to use it. Apparently, long term effects of breathing MEK fumes include nerve damage. Wear appropriate safety gloves and an appropriate respirator when using the stuff.

MSDS for MEK:
http://www.princeton.edu/prism/mnfl/current-users/safety/msds/Methyl ethyl ketone.pdf

For comparison, here is the MSDS for Carbon Tetrachloride (wonderful degreaser, known hazardous material):
https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/90116.htm
Click to expand...

I've had trouble finding c-tet.....is it available again?
 
Al,

Always had good luck degreasing with acetone when using an epoxy to bond things together.

I also use it to degrease barrels, actions, and bushings prior to removing factory installed barrels. Prevents slipping and bad language...

Justin
 
Asa Yam said:
Wonderful stuff, MEK. So wonderful, my employer (aerospace manufacturer) refuses to allow mechanics to use it. Apparently, long term effects of breathing MEK fumes include nerve damage. Wear appropriate safety gloves and an appropriate respirator when using the stuff.

MSDS for MEK:
http://www.princeton.edu/prism/mnfl/current-users/safety/msds/Methyl ethyl ketone.pdf

For comparison, here is the MSDS for Carbon Tetrachloride (wonderful degreaser, known hazardous material):
https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/90116.htm
Click to expand...

Those are the same effects of just about every useful solvent.

Skin contact with methyl alcohol can also damage your eyes.

Acetone is normally high on the purity side but does not dissolve all lubricants (oils).
 
brickeyee said:
Skin contact with methyl alcohol can also damage your eyes.
Click to expand...


LOL

I've a lot of friends and relatives who go a little blind at times from ethyl alcohol too.....Now MEKP??? I actually wear an apron and facemask with that stuff, and open the door....it scares me a little.

And just the other day I had skin contact with my Vaughn California Framer....... busted my lip right open. But we had a liddle safety meeting right there on the jobsite and we all agreed that banning the hammers from the construction site wouldn't be prudent....

be careful out there, life ain't safe....and all's ya' kin hope for is to prolong the dying....
 
Al, When you busted your lip with the Vaughn, the effect was immediate and obvious, not so much with dangerous chemicals and after the effects have finally showed up, a Band Aid or stitches generally won't fix it. One of the advantages of education is that it allows us to understand and deal with threats that are not immediately obvious. There are no such things as tough eyes, livers, or nerves. Attitude does not influence consequences. I say this having exposed myself to a number of carcinogens that I wish that I had not. These days I am more careful. That is not to say that I never use them, but rather that I take appropriate measures. Take care.Boyd
 
Boyd Allen said:
Al, When you busted your lip with the Vaughn, the effect was immediate and obvious, not so much with dangerous chemicals and after the effects have finally showed up, a Band Aid or stitches generally won't fix it. One of the advantages of education is that it allows us to understand and deal with threats that are not immediately obvious. There are no such things as tough eyes, livers, or nerves. Attitude does not influence consequences. I say this having exposed myself to a number of carcinogens that I wish that I had not. These days I am more careful. That is not to say that I never use them, but rather that I take appropriate measures. Take care.Boyd
Click to expand...

True, all true...... as you know, I have rubber/poly/vinyl/latex and nitrile gloves in every room of my shop. I wear hearing protection on the lawnmower and gloves working with diesel. I go put my glasses on to blow off a part, let alone on the grinder or machines..... I'm not disagreeing with the concept, more so with the idea'r that some are "safer" than others! :)


But, the one I go overboard on is MEKP
 
alinwa said:
LOL

I've a lot of friends and relatives who go a little blind at times from ethyl alcohol too.....Now MEKP??? I actually wear an apron and facemask with that stuff, and open the door....it scares me a little.

And just the other day I had skin contact with my Vaughn California Framer....... busted my lip right open. But we had a liddle safety meeting right there on the jobsite and we all agreed that banning the hammers from the construction site wouldn't be prudent....

be careful out there, life ain't safe....and all's ya' kin hope for is to prolong the dying....
Click to expand...

Many of the peroxides are very dangerous.

Higher strengths of any number can age to contact explosives sitting sealed on a shelf long term.
 
And let me add, as an apology to Asa and Boyd if I've come off wrong.

My bestest uncle and my old boss (I bought his company) died young of liver failure and he warn't a drinkin' man. But he painted hotrods, and refinished furniture, and painted staircases w/lacquer and made cabinets and painted more hotrods.......with no protection. And I do come from a long line of this sort of behaviour. My reaction has been to err on the side of caution and I'm sorry if my light-minded post didn't set well.

OK


back to shooting. It's snowing like blue blazes and I'm trying to get my Labradar to work out a narrow window....
 
brickeyee said:
Many of the peroxides are very dangerous.

Higher strengths of any number can age to contact explosives sitting sealed on a shelf long term.
Click to expand...

Yeahhh, my kid uses acetone peroxide to initiate HE for clearing, knocking rocks off..... Now I've got 3 disparate 8-16oz containers of MEKP stored 30ft apart in my shop. Do I need to get rid of it after time?
 
alinwa said:
back to shooting. It's snowing like blue blazes and I'm trying to get my Labradar to work out a narrow window....
Click to expand...

The Labradar set up easy, I got off 25rds before dark until I couldn't make out the target at 24X...... the unit worked flawlessly, impressed.
 
alinwa said:
And just the other day I had skin contact with my Vaughn California Framer....... busted my lip right open.
Click to expand...

Al,

I was gonna make a "Now how the hell did you do that?" comment but then I remembered I once bounced my Hart finish hammer off of my face. I thought I would forever be the only person ever to have hit themselves in the face with a hammer. Now there are two.

Welcome to the club!

Justin
 
Zebra13 said:
Al,

I was gonna make a "Now how the hell did you do that?" comment but then I remembered I once bounced my Hart finish hammer off of my face. I thought I would forever be the only person ever to have hit themselves in the face with a hammer. Now there are two.

Welcome to the club!

Justin
Click to expand...

Thank You Thank You :)

See out here in the left we sport an article of clothing called the "hoody"

Shorts, hoody and/or polar fleece are the PNW uniform. I was just in town, saw more people wading in snow in shorts than without.

I wear zip-front hoodies ans the first thing I do is jerk out the string........

This time I fergot, upside-down nailing off a brace and hooked 'er with thee hammer claw

the rest is bloody history
 
I worked at Berkeley National Laboratory for a bit as mechanical engineering technician. While not related to bedding rifles, we would have most parts already ultra high vacuum cleaned, but when it came time to use Torseal, or Blue Death, both of which are two part low outgassing adhesives, we always wiped with ethanol alcohol and then acetone. Always seemed to work well.
 
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